Rio Carnival 2026

No place on Earth does Carnival like Rio! – 10 days of non-stop partying

Rio de Janeiro is world-famous for its Carnival and a must-see, once in a lifetime event, a spectacle that will leave you breathless. The Rio Carnaval is not only the biggest Carnival globally; it is also a benchmark against which every other Carnival is compared.

• Almost everyone has heard of the Rio Carnaval, and foreign visitors to it alone number over 1 million every year, so plan your trip in advance, hotels fill up fast. 

The Event

• Friday February 13th – Saturday February 21st 2026 – Rio Carnival is perhaps the world’s greatest party; combining exotic parades, world-class circuit parties and crazy blocos (more about that later), It is full of glitter, feathers,  sequins and hot Cariocas! What’s not to love?
• Note most major parties take place on the weekend of the 13th to the 16th of February 2026. Some block parties take place the weekend before. The final event is the parade of Champions on the Saturday.

Rio Gay Circuit Carnival Events

• The following parties typically take place from the first Friday of the Carnival weekend, ending on Ash Wednesday (February 18th, 2026). The full program will be updated as events are confirmed:
• TNW Rio Carnival – The New World and The Home Club present the Rio Carnival Circuit festival, five days of breathtaking parties. Don’t miss WE Party’s epic Sundia Block Party on the 1st of March.
• WOOF Carnival – A beary hairy Carnival celebration at London Club by the organisers of Woof Bear Week.
• RIO Black Party – Stunning circuit production held at Parque Olimpico.
• Guapo – The Super Guapo Party, part of a weekend of circuit events, including Guapo Pool Party and the world-famous Pervert Party.
• Bigger Party Rio Carnival Edition, the famous Circuit event from Sao Paulo returns to Rio.
• Xlsior Party Myknnos – Rio Edition – Part of TNW’s weekend celebrations at The Home.

Popular Gay Bars during Rio Carnival

Enjoy daily street parties and smaller parades each day, and every gay bar and club has a different party each night.

• Boate 1140 LGBT dance club with full bar & an array of events on stage including samba, pop & drag queen shows.
• Galeria Cafe  – Every Friday, Galeria packs in the young hotties and a few of their straight female BFFs. Music ranges from “flashbacks” to the ’80s, and 90’s to pop divas of today like Rihanna.
• Boate La Cueva – The oldest remaining gay bar in Rio de Janeiro is worth visiting if you are staying in Copacabana.
• Pink Flamingo –  Popular gay bar open seven days a week and each night has a little something different: DJs, stripper contests, Scruff-app nights, funk music parties, and more.
• Several circuit parties and large events are typically held during Carnival. As soon as they are confirmed, we will add them. Note that large clubs such as The Week and the BITCH parties are no longer open or hosting events.
• Rio central hotels should be booked well in advance. Stay at the Emiliano Rio, a boutique hotel in the heart of Copacabana with spacious suites and rooms, high end amenities and perfect location for exploring the best of Rio.

Rio Carnival Parades

• For ten days, all of Rio celebrates as the clock ticks to the climax at the Samba Parade with some of the world’s most spectacular costumes and floats.
• The main parades on Sunday 15th and Monday 16th of February 2026.
• The Carnival King is Momo, he is the god of mockery in Greek mythology, and according to Carnival tradition, King Momo should be jolly and as big as a house. Legend suggests that he was expelled from the Olympus to come and settle down in Rio, the City of Carnival.
• The Rio Carnival officially opens with the delivery of the key of the city to King Momo. When King Momo sambas, everything and everyone should also samba with him. Rio celebrates Carnival 40 days before Easter.
• It officially starts on Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, after which one is supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures.
• Check out our insider gay guide to Rio – discover the best bars, restaurants, hotels and more!

The Gay Carnival & Block Parties

• Rio Carnival gay celebrations start way before anything official even begins. Take a tour and stop by Mangueira samba school, where teams are constantly rehearsing, and LGBTQ pride reigns supreme!
• Blocos da Rua (street block parties) are infused with a small amount of playful sexuality and gender fluidity. But, a handful of blocos are widely recognized as gay-friendly (or GLS, the Portuguese acronym for gay, lesbian, and sympathizers.)
• During Carnaval, be prepared for drag queens, overly indulgent and colourful parades, along with an “anything goes attitude”.Check out the gay-themed parades such as Bonitos do Corpo (“beautiful bodies”), a tribute to Brazilian beauty and the human form.
• Check out the best of the gay Blocos with this guide.

Pre Carnival Gay Block Parties

• Bloco Sereias da Guanabara – Epic block party held in Guanabara Bay, typically kicking off the Carnival season a few weeks before the main event.
• Bloco Desliga da Justiça – An icon of the pre-Carnival celebrations hosts an epic block party with different themes each year, again a week or two before the main celebrations.

Most Popular Gay Block Parties

• TRETA Festa – One of the most popular party orgnisers takes over the Jardim do Museu de Arte Moderna for a 14 hour block party from 4 pm to 6 am.
• Carna Pride – Rio’s biggest gay block party returns to Praça Marechal Âncora,  a public square in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• New Kids on the Bloco – Relative newcomer to the block party scene, recreating the iconic sound of the biggest boybands. One of our top events not to miss during the Carnival celebrations.
• Bloco Carmelitas – One of the longest running (30+ years) block parties and the most traditional, taking over the streets of Santa Teresa in the south of the capital. Enjoy the sounds of samba late into the night with a unique theme and lots of hot guys dressed as Carmelite nuns! The event is held on the Friday before Carnival and on Shrove Tuesday.
• Será Q Abre? – One of the largest block parties open to all and hosted by the famous hitmaker, Lexa. Expect world-class stage shows, live performances and a stellar lineup of acts.

Cha de Alice – Closing Block Party

• Closing Bloco – Cha de Alice – One of the most famous Block Parties, this Alice in Wonderland inspired event typically takes place on the final day of the Carnival celebrations, with several smaller lead-up parties held in the weeks before the main event.

Banda de Ipanema Block Parties

• Stay at the Sol Ipanema Hotel with a beautiful rooftop pool located just steps from the beach and close to the biggest gay parties and events.
• Hit the streets at Banda de Ipanema (Farme de Amoedo Street) for some fabulously gay street parties. Several street bands and groups stop the traffic at strategic points of the city, and some of them constitute the “official” Gay Carnival in Rio.
• The Banda de Ipanema opens the Carnival festivities two weeks before the official date, organizing three parades. This street band attracts many drag queens who personify different images, from the most classical, such as Carmen Miranda, to the most bizarre and grotesque. The second and third parade are traditionally on the Saturday and Tuesday of the final Carnival weekend.
• Most of the samba schools make tributes to gay icons as they parade through the streets. Many attendees, LGBTQ or otherwise, hit up this parade with the singular intention of kissing as many people as possible. If you want to participate in the street festivities, you have one more reason to do it: they are all free. More than four hundred block parties and parades and several official Balls—including an LGBT Ball held each year.

The Carnival Ball

• Famous balls include the Magic Ball at the Copacabana Palace Hotel, one of the most upscale events in the city.
• The Scala Ball is no more, despite appearing on many guides, this club has long closed.

The Sambadrome

• The Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí is purpose-built specially for the Rio Carnival. The venue is in the downtown area of Cidade Nova, a 25-minute ride from Ipanema.
• The Sambadrome parades are highly organized, with fierce competitions between clubs that develop different themes each year. Young and old, hundreds of Brazilians in official Sumba clubs compete and spend millions on elaborate costumes, entertainers and music. Clubs are complete with drag queens in fabulous outfits.

When do the Carnival Parades Take Place?

• Parades take place on Friday 13th Feb (9.30pm to 2am), Saturday 14th Feb (9.30pm to 4am), Sunday 15th Feb (9.30pm to 2.30am) and Monday 16th Feb, (9.30pm to 2.30am).
• Saturday, 21st Feb – Carnival ends with Saturday night’s Champion’s Parade, essentially the best of Carnival.
• Rio Carnival Sambadrome Tickets can be purchased in advance, with many different options from Grandstand seats to box seating to VIP stands.

Where to stay during Rio Carnival

The following hotels are close to the city’s gay bars and just steps from the gay block parties held during Carnival.

Orla Copacabana Hotel,    Rio Othon Palace,    Atlantis Copacabana Hotel,    Hotel Fasano