Carnival in Brazil in 2026 will take place from Friday, 13 February to Saturday, 21 February 2026 , with the main nationwide holiday-style days being Monday, 16 February and Tuesday, 17 February 2026.

Quick Scoop: Key Dates

  • Overall Carnival 2026 period in Brazil :
    13–21 February 2026 (Friday to Saturday).
  • Core “Carnival days” when most people are off and streets are packed:
    16–17 February 2026 (Monday and Tuesday).
  • Rio de Janeiro’s main official Carnival programming also runs in this same window, with big parades concentrated between 13 and 21 February 2026.

If you’re planning travel, most locals treat the long break as running from the evening of Friday 13 February through Tuesday 17 February , with some cities stretching parties and blocos right through to the 21st.

What This Means If You’re Going

  • Best time to be in Brazil if you want the full vibe: arrive by Thursday 12 February or early Friday 13th, and stay at least until Wednesday 18 February so you catch the peak and have a day to recover.
  • The loudest street parties and blocos usually explode from Friday night to Tuesday night in major cities like Rio, SĂŁo Paulo, Salvador, Recife and Olinda.
  • Even though Carnival is technically an “optional” holiday on the calendar, in practice schools, many offices and shops close or reduce hours , and travel demand (flights, buses, hotels) spikes around these days.

Mini Timeline: Brazil Carnival 2026

Here’s a simple at-a-glance view:

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Day Date (2026) What to expect
Pre-Carnival build-up Early Feb – 12 Feb Weekend blocos, warm‑up parties starting to spread in big cities.
Carnival Friday 13 Feb Official period kicks off; street parties and some parades begin in force.
Carnival Saturday–Sunday 14–15 Feb Peak blocos, major events ramp up; many tourists arrive just for this weekend.
Carnival Monday 16 Feb Main holiday-style day; intense street parties nationwide.
Carnival Tuesday 17 Feb Traditional climax of Carnival before Ash Wednesday; last huge night for most revelers.
Post-Carnival events 18–21 Feb Wind-down blocos and closing events; in Rio, programming continues through the 21st.

Forum-style chatter & “latest news” angle

On Brazilian news and travel sites, the headline detail is that Carnival 2026 falls in mid‑February, with publishers and travel brands highlighting 13–21 February 2026 as the operational “Carnival season” window and flagging 16–17 February as the main functional holidays.

Travel blogs and agencies are already pushing early booking warnings for flights and hotels for that week, especially for Rio, Salvador and Recife, because prices and availability tend to tighten months in advance.

In forum-style discussions and comment sections, the recurring advice is: “If you want sambadrome parades plus blocos, lock in Rio between the 13th and 17th; if you’re more into street Carnival and local vibes, consider Salvador or Recife–Olinda for the same dates.”

Quick travel tips for Carnival 2026

  • Book early : Flights and hotels for 13–17 February 2026 in Rio and Salvador will be the first to sell out or surge in price.
  • Choose your city :
    • Rio: iconic Sambadrome parades plus blocos.
* Salvador: massive trio elétrico circuits and all‑night street music.

* Recife/Olinda: more traditional frevo and giant street blocks.
  • Plan for closures : Treat 16–17 February as full-on holiday days; don’t expect normal business hours.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.

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Find out exactly when Carnival in Brazil is in 2026 (13–21 February, with main days 16–17 February), plus practical travel tips, latest news flavor and forum-style insights for planning your trip.