Rio Carnival 2027: Dates, Sambadrome Tickets and the Best Street Parties
When Rio Carnival 2027 happens, how the Sambadrome parades and tickets work, which blocos to join, and how to enjoy it safely, from a carioca.
Rio Carnival is two festivals at once. One is the parade of the samba schools in the Sambadrome, a show with thousands of dancers, floats the size of buildings and drum sections you feel in your chest. The other is the street: hundreds of free blocos, neighborhood parties where a band and a few thousand people in costumes take over the streets from morning until night. You should try both.
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When is Rio Carnival 2027?
- Main days: Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, ending on Ash Wednesday, 10 February.
- Street parties: start in January, with the big blocos on the two weekends before Carnival and during the main days.
- Sambadrome parades: the access league parades first, then the top league (Grupo Especial) parades over the main nights. The winners return for the Champions' Parade on the Saturday after Carnival.
The Sambadrome
The Sambódromo da Marquês de Sapucaí, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, is a 700-meter avenue lined with grandstands. Each school has a little over an hour to cross it, judged on music, costumes, floats and harmony. Parades start around 10pm and run until sunrise.
Ticket types
| Type | What you get |
|---|---|
| Grandstand (arquibancada) | Concrete steps, unreserved within your sector. The cheapest way in and the best atmosphere. |
| Tourist sector (sector 9) | Numbered seats with a backrest, popular with visitors. |
| Frisa | Boxes with chairs at street level, right next to the parade. |
| Camarote | Private boxes with food and drinks, from mid-range to very expensive. |
Tips: even-numbered sectors face odd-numbered ones, and the middle sectors see the schools at full power. Buy from the official sellers or a reputable agency, never from street touts. Bring ID, a light jacket for the early hours and cash for snacks.
Blocos: the street Carnival
Blocos are free, and there are hundreds of them. Each has its own vibe: huge downtown crowds, family-friendly morning parties, themed ones playing Beatles songs or rock in samba rhythm. A few classics:
- Cordão da Bola Preta: one of the oldest and largest, downtown on Carnival Saturday. Expect a sea of people in black-and-white polka dots.
- Simpatia é Quase Amor: a traditional Ipanema bloco, easy to reach from the South Zone hotels.
- Sargento Pimenta: Beatles songs played as samba. Joyful and very popular.
- Morning blocos in Santa Teresa and Botafogo: smaller, more local, great if you don't love giant crowds.
The city publishes the official bloco schedule a few weeks before Carnival. Many blocos don't announce their route until the last minute on Instagram.
Staying safe (and having fun)
- Carry almost nothing: a copy of your ID, a card, some cash and a cheap phone or one in a zipped inner pocket. Pickpockets love bloco crowds.
- Drink water between beers. February sun is brutal and many blocos start at 8am.
- Agree on a meeting point with your group. Phone signal often fails in big crowds.
- Use the metro to reach downtown blocos, and Uber or 99 at night. Traffic is closed around bloco routes.
- Consent matters: "Não é não" (no means no) campaigns are everywhere, and Brazilians take it seriously.
What to wear
A costume (fantasia) is optional but half the fun: glitter, flower crowns, a cheap wig or a funny T-shirt. Wear shoes you don't mind ruining, never flip-flops in a big crowd. Street vendors sell everything you need on the day.
Book early
Hotels in Copacabana and Ipanema sell out months ahead and often require a minimum stay of four or five nights over Carnival. If you're reading this in autumn, book now.
FAQ
Can tourists parade with a samba school?
Yes. Several schools sell costumes to the public, and wearing one gets you a place in a wing of the parade. It's expensive and you'll need to attend a fitting, but it's an experience people never forget.
Is Rio Carnival safe?
The city deploys a huge police operation, and millions of people enjoy it every year. Petty theft is the main risk, so follow the carry-almost-nothing rule.
Is the Sambadrome worth it?
Yes, at least for one night. Even the cheaper grandstand tickets give you the full show. Go on a top-league night.
