Rio Samba Schools Parade Dates 2027
The world's largest festival, the Rio Carnival 2027, is just around the corner — and it promises to be bigger than ever, with thousands of celebrants joining the parades and street parties across the city. Now is the perfect time to start planning your trip to Rio for an unforgettable week of music, colour and samba.
Book your ticket packages in advance and make sure your Rio Carnival 2027 experience is truly unforgettable. Feel the real spirit of the Rio Carnival date and be part of the greatest show on Earth.
Look out for richly decorated floats and dazzling, exotic carnival costumes. Enjoy the breathtaking display of samba dancers moving to the pulsating rhythm of the samba drums. The Carnival attracts enormous crowds, so plan ahead and secure your tickets early.
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Official Rio Carnival 2027 Schedule
Here is the official parade schedule for Rio Carnival 2027 at the Sambadrome (Marquês de Sapucaí):
- Série Ouro (Gold Series) — Friday & Saturday, February 5–6, 2027: The access-division samba schools compete over two exciting nights, each school putting on a spectacular show in their bid to earn promotion to the elite Grupo Especial.
- Grupo Especial — Sunday, Monday & Tuesday, February 7, 8 & 9, 2027: The pinnacle of Rio Carnival. The 12 top-tier samba schools parade over three nights — 4 schools per night — with Sunday, Monday and Tuesday each delivering world-class performances of floats, costumes and samba.
- Champions Parade (Desfile das Campeãs) — Saturday, February 13, 2027: The top samba schools from the Grupo Especial take to the Sambadrome once more in a celebratory parade, giving fans a final chance to witness the carnival magic.
All parades take place at the iconic Sambadrome — Passarela Professor Darcy Ribeiro — in the heart of Rio de Janeiro.
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Why Do Carnival Dates Change Every Year?
The term Carnival is derived from "Carne Vale", which means "Farewell to meat". During Lent — the 40-day period before Easter — people traditionally abstain from meat, alcohol, and other worldly pleasures. Carnival is the last great celebration before this period of abstinence begins.
Rio's Carnival is celebrated for five days, from Friday through to the following Tuesday, known as Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.
Carnival dates change every year because they follow the Church calendar. The date of Easter is determined by the lunar cycle and generally falls between March 22 and April 25, calculated using a formula established by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Carnival is always held 47 days before Easter Sunday.
Whatever its origins, there is no denying that Rio's Carnival is the biggest party on the planet, broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world. Do not miss your chance to experience it in person in 2027.
