2027 Carnaval

Brazil's Carnaval peaks on the Tuesday 47 days before Easter, with the party running from the preceding Friday until noon on Ash Wednesday in what is widely called the world's biggest street party. In Rio de Janeiro the samba schools parade through the Sambadrome on Sunday and Monday nights with elaborate floats and thousands of costumed dancers, while hundreds of street blocos — free roving parties led by brass bands or sound trucks — fill the city from morning onwards. Salvador's carnival follows trio elétrico trucks carrying axé music stars, and Recife and Olinda dance frevo beneath giant puppets. Carnival Monday and Tuesday are not official national holidays but are treated as optional days off (ponto facultativo) across most of the country, and many businesses close for the entire period. Hotels in Rio and Salvador require multi-night packages and sell out months ahead, and Sambadrome tickets go on sale well in advance. This countdown ticks to midnight Brasília time in São Paulo at the start of Carnival Tuesday.