Sao Paulo Carnival 2026

Carnival São Paulo 2026

Sao Paulo Carnival is one of the world’s most colourful carnival events and takes place each year on the weekend before Ash Wednesday. In São Paulo, celebrations begin on Carnival Friday and continue through until Tuesday. The nonstop party attracts thousands of overseas visitors.

• Visiting for Carnival? Stay in the Jardin/Cerqueira César neighbourhood, home to the city’s best hotels and restaurants and just a short ride from the gay bars and clubs.

Top Gay Circuit Carnival Events in Sao Paulo

• Sao Paulo hosts some of the biggest gay parties in Latin America during the Carnival celebrations. Higlight sinclude Super Festas Bigger and Jungle Parties, The Fresh Pool Party and TNW’s circuit celebrations at the legendary High Club.

SuperFestas Carnival

• Friday, February 13th – Monday, February 16th, 2026 – SuperFestas Carnival Sao Paulo Circuit Weekend – One of the biggest party promoters running events for 4 days and nights with signature parties including the world-famous “Bigger” circuit night two epic all day Jungle Parties.

Ursound Bear Carnival

• Saturday, February 14th – Monday, February 16th, 2026 – Here come the bears! Ursound Club presents three different parties, popular with bears, cubs, chasers and admirers.

Fresh Pool Party

• Sunday, February 15th, 2026 – FRESH brings the best pool-party vibes to Sao Paulo for a very special Carnival edition from 5 pm until 8 am!

TNW Carnival Circuit Festival

• Friday, February 13th – Monday, February 16th, 2026 – Club HIGH, Sao Paulo’s spectacular gay night club presents three days of international circuit parties including the world-famous Xlsior Party from Mykonos. Note, occasionally parties run until Tuesday.

Karnaval at Komplexo Tempo

• Friday, February 14th – Monday, February 16th, 2026 – Komplexo Tempo, an epic club in the Mocco neighbourhood presents KARNAVAL, four nights of parties featuring the hottest dancers, an epic stage production and superstar DJs.
• Stay close to Sao Paulo’s gay bars, and tourist attractions at the Novotel Sao Paulo, featuring spacious rooms, highly-rated breakfasts and friendly staff.

Guapo Circuit Week

• Awaiting dates – Guapo has become one of the leading gay circuit party promoters over the past 5 years. Their events have reinvigorated Brazil’s circuit scene with spectaular productions, over-the-top decor and international guest DJs. Events take over some of the city’s most unique venues, transforming them into Carnival wonderlands.
• Events include pool parties and international circuit brands such as Matinee’s Pervert Party and Colombia’s El Mozo.

Fiesta Black

• Awaiting dates – Fiesta BLK hosts some of the most luxurious events in Sao Paulo. Expect impressive, world class sound and light and an immersive experience with events taking place in major outdoor arenas. Featuring some of the leading electronic music DJs from Latin America, stunning costumes, amazing dance routines and a high-end electric atmosphere. This is 21st century partying.

The Sambadrome

• Friday, February 13th – Sunday, February 15th, 2026 – The famous carnival parades and competitions take place at the Anhembi Sambadrome, one of the largest outdoor venues for major events in the city of São Paulo in Brazil. It opened in 1991, and has a capacity of 103,200 people.
• Traditionally the competitive spirit of the Carnival reaches a climax on Ash Wednesday when the judges read out the scores and decide on the winning team.
• To watch the main parade at the Sambadrome on Friday and Saturday tickets are available in the bleachers or grandstands, going up in price for a private box with 25 seats.
• Tickets can be purchased at stadiums around the city or via the Samba School official page.
• The most competitive day of street Carnival everywhere is usually the Saturday of Carnival. Most spectators are avid supporters of a particular samba school, much like the loyalty towards Brazil’s soccer teams.

São Paulo Gay Block Parties

While all eyes are focused on the Anhembi Sambadrome, many other events go on late into the night.

• There are more than 30 different gay block parties happening across the city on the final week of Carnival, many with famous hosts from the gay scene in Sao Paulo, – drag queens, djs and cult empresarios.
• “Minhoqueens,” is a street Carnival group that celebrates drag queens in their parade with a lot of gay divas and pop music coming from its DJs’ pickup trucks. The group is not focused only on Carnival, but in throwing parties and events throughout the whole year with a motto of seeking inclusion and recognition to the LGBT community.
• The party kicks off at noon, taking place on one of the city’s most important streets at the cross roads of Av Ipiranga and Av Sao Joa, in the Republica neighbourhood, about 10-minutes drive from the city’s gay bars.
• Other popular block parties include  Gambiarra and Agrada Gregos

Samba Block Parties

• The neighborhood of Bixiga, the Italian neighbourhood located within the Bela Vista district in downtown Sao Paulo has one of the best street parties you will ever see since it is home to many samba enthusiasts and has one of the best samba schools in the city, Vai-Vai.

Gay São Paulo, Neighbourhoods & Where to Stay

The best part of town to stay in is Jardin, with all the shops on your doorstep and the gay bars and clubs nearby.

Frei Caneca / Consolação

• Known locally as Gay Caneca, this gaybourhood is full of gay and gay friendly venues and is situated between the bustling Avenida Paulista and the uber gay Shopping Frei Caneca. Most of the city’s gay nightlife revolves around this district, especially at Aloka Club, one of the longest running in the city.
• Opened 21 years ago, A Lôca today hosts several well-known parties, such as Grind on Sundays that brings crowds together to listen to rock, pop and 1980s music. Drag queen attractions are held occasionally on Thursdays and Sundays.
• Stay close to Frei Caneca at the Hotel Ca’d’Oro . Rooms have great views and the breakfast buffet is delicious.

Largo do Arouche / Centro

• A cheap and cheerful district, attracting all shades of the gay rainbow, from Bears to Transsexuals, everyone is welcome. Largo do Arouche is a section of the greater Downtown area (known as Centro). Mainstay club, Danger Dance Club, is a popular spot and home to EDM drinks, drag queens and muscle guys.
• You will find the party starts late and continues well into the night, spilling out on the the street at Avenida de Carvalho, especially outside gay bars Soda Pop and Caneca de Prata.

Pinheiros

• Pinheiros is an up and coming district, popular with hipsters and younger gay guys. The neighbourhood is home to a popular Saturday outdoor fair at Praça Benedito Calixto.
• Bubu Lounge draws a large crowd, especially during the weekend. It is considered by many as one of the three best LGBT clubs in São Paulo.

Bela Vista

• Bela Vista centers on charming Bixiga, or Little Italy, with plenty of homey trattorias and pizza parlors along and around Rua Treze de Maio. From here, narrow streets lead to the wide Avenida Paulista, the city’s economic and commercial nerve center, lined with fashion boutiques, stylish cafes and cultural hotspots, including the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP), in a striking concrete-and-glass structure
• Stay at the Melia Paulista, famous for its warm welcome and high attention to detail and just steps from some of the city’s top attractions.
• The neighbourhood is home to Club Yacht, a bright & upbeat LGBT nightclub with nautical décor & waiters dressed as sailors. On Wednesdays, the club hosts its famous Lux party, with a focus on pop from as far back as the 1980s as well as today’s hits. Saturdays are for electronic music, ranging from EDM to House music for the Shout party. The entrance fee is one of the highest among LGBT bars in the city.
• Bubu Lounge plays mostly electronic music and retro, with the exceptions of Saturdays where a band plays Brazilian Popular Music (MPB).

Jardins / Cerqueira César

• Jardins / Cerqueira César – Our preferred place to stay, this district is across from Avenida Paulista and home to upscale restaurants, chic fashion stores and several hotel options. Most are within a 15 to 20 minute walking distance from the gay hotspots in Frei Caneca.
• Spoil yourself at the Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo, a “superb” rated 5 star hotel offering rooftop breakfasts, amazing spa treatments and understated luxury.
• The Universe Paulista is also a great option; with 4 stars it has a large outdoor pool, well equipped gym and is steps from all the bars and shops.

Recommended Hotels in Sao Paulo

The following hotels are currently trending with our readers. All are close to the city’s gay bars and major attractions:

L’Hotel PortoBay,   Tryp São Paulo,   Pergamon Hotel,   Novotel Jaraguá Hotel.