São Paulo Carnival 2027
Plan your São Paulo Carnival 2027 experience with essential information about Carnival dates, samba school parades, street blocos, tickets, the Anhembi Sambadrome and practical travel planning — whether you are visiting Brazil or celebrating in São Paulo.
What to Expect from São Paulo Carnival 2027
Carnaval de São Paulo combines two major Carnival experiences within one enormous city. At the Anhembi Sambadrome, samba schools compete in highly organized parades built around music, percussion, choreography, costumes, floats and carefully developed themes. Across São Paulo, meanwhile, street blocos bring Carnival directly into neighborhoods, avenues and public spaces.
For visitors, these experiences are worth understanding separately. The samba school parades are organized nighttime events at the Sambadrome and spectators require tickets. Street Carnival is built around blocos, bands, cordões and other celebrations in public areas, with different neighborhoods offering very different atmospheres.
You do not have to choose between them. A well-planned Carnival trip can include a night watching the samba schools at Anhembi, one or more street blocos, sightseeing, Brazilian food and time exploring São Paulo beyond the Carnival crowds.
This guide brings the main 2027 information together in one place. Use it as your starting point, then follow the specialist guides for tickets, detailed dates, samba schools, street Carnival and visitor planning.
São Paulo Street Carnival 2027 Dates
São Paulo’s official street Carnival calendar is organized around three periods, allowing celebrations to extend beyond the four traditional Carnival days.
The first official street Carnival weekend. This gives visitors an opportunity to experience blocos before the main Carnival period.
The principal Carnival period, when celebrations take place across São Paulo alongside the Sambadrome parade program.
Street celebrations continue during the following weekend, extending the Carnival atmosphere beyond Carnival Tuesday.
São Paulo Carnival 2027 Samba Parade Dates
The organized samba-school competition has its own schedule. The principal Grupo Especial parades take place across two nights, while the access groups have separate parade dates.
Ten schools are scheduled to parade in the Acesso 2 competition at the Anhembi Sambadrome.
Fourteen Grupo Especial schools are divided across Friday and Saturday for the headline São Paulo samba parades.
Eight schools are scheduled for the Acesso 1 parade on Carnival Sunday at Anhembi.
Sambadrome Parades and São Paulo Street Carnival
For a first-time visitor, understanding the difference between these two sides of Carnaval de São Paulo makes planning much easier.
Samba School Parades
São Paulo’s samba schools bring enormous floats, percussion sections, costumes, choreography, singers and thousands of participants to the Anhembi Sambadrome. Each school presents a complete themed parade and competes according to established judging criteria. Spectators watch from ticketed sectors along the parade avenue.
Explore the Samba Parade Guide →Street Carnival & Blocos
Street Carnival takes place across São Paulo rather than inside one venue. Blocos vary enormously in musical style, location, audience and scale. Some celebrations can attract very large crowds while others have a more neighborhood-oriented character. Routes and times should be checked before attending.
Explore São Paulo Street Carnival →How to Choose a 2027 Samba Parade Night
The 2027 Grupo Especial consists of fourteen samba schools divided between Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6. Parade order matters because each school enters the avenue in sequence during a long night of competition.
Grupo Especial: Night One
Seven of the fourteen Grupo Especial schools are scheduled for the opening competitive night. The performance order matters if you want to see a particular school; choose your ticket date after reviewing the current lineup.
Grupo Especial: Night Two
The remaining seven Grupo Especial schools compete on Saturday. Select this night according to your preferred schools, available spectator sector and transport arrangements rather than assuming the two nights are interchangeable.
For newcomers, the schools are much more than parade organizations. They are cultural and community institutions with their own histories, colors, identities, supporters, musicians and Carnival traditions. Learning about the schools before attending makes the Sambadrome experience considerably more meaningful.
Carnival at the Anhembi Sambadrome
The Sambódromo do Anhembi — formally the Polo Cultural e Esportivo Grande Otelo — is the focal point of São Paulo’s major competitive samba-school parades.
Watching Carnival here is different from joining a street bloco. You purchase admission for a particular parade date and sector, travel to the venue and watch the schools progress along the parade avenue. Because the program continues late into the night, transport before and after the event should be part of your planning.
What Does São Paulo Carnival Week Look Like?
Carnival is better understood as a season rather than a single event. Visitors can build very different itineraries depending on whether they want samba-school competition, street Carnival or a combination of both.
Pre-Carnival
The official street Carnival begins, while Acesso 2 also parades at Anhembi on January 30.
Major Parade Weekend
Grupo Especial occupies Friday and Saturday nights, followed by Acesso 1 on Sunday.
Main Street Carnival
The principal citywide Carnival period overlaps with the Sambadrome program and continues through Carnival Tuesday.
Post-Carnival
A final official weekend of street celebrations extends the Carnival experience beyond the main holiday period.
Essential São Paulo Carnival 2027 Guides
Use these specialist guides when you are ready to move from general Carnival planning to individual decisions about tickets, dates, parades and activities.
São Paulo Carnival Tickets
Learn about Sambadrome tickets, sectors, parade nights and what to consider before purchasing admission.
Ticket Guide →Carnival Dates
Find the key 2027 dates and understand how street Carnival and Sambadrome dates fit together.
Dates & Schedule →Samba Parade Guide
Understand the samba-school competition, parade nights and spectator experience before choosing a night.
Samba Parades →Blocos & Carnaval de Rua
Learn how São Paulo’s street Carnival works and what visitors should consider when choosing blocos.
Street Carnival →São Paulo Samba Schools
Discover the communities, traditions and organizations behind São Paulo’s competitive Carnival parades.
Samba Schools →São Paulo Carnival Visitor Guide
Practical information for travellers preparing to experience Carnival in São Paulo for the first time.
Visitor Guide →Where to Stay, Getting Around & Carnival Safety
São Paulo is enormous, so practical decisions can have a major effect on your Carnival experience. Accommodation location, transport planning and basic crowd awareness are as important as choosing which events to attend.
Where to Stay
There is no single São Paulo Carnival district. Areas such as Paulista and Jardins can offer convenient access to transport, restaurants and sightseeing, while Pinheiros and Vila Madalena place visitors closer to nightlife and many city experiences. Choose a hotel based on transport connections and the activities you intend to attend rather than simply choosing the property closest to one Carnival event.
Where to Stay Guide →Getting Around
Metro, trains, buses, taxis and ride-hailing all have roles during Carnival, but street celebrations can create temporary road closures and unusual traffic conditions. Plan journeys with extra time and check current transport information before leaving, particularly when travelling to or returning from major events.
Transport Guide →Carnival Safety
Large Carnival crowds require normal big-event precautions. Carry only what you need, pay attention to your phone and valuables, stay aware of your surroundings and think about your return journey before entering a very crowded event. Visitors should also follow current guidance from local authorities and event organizers.
Carnival Safety Guide →First Time at São Paulo Carnival? Start Here
São Paulo Carnival becomes much easier to understand once you decide what kind of experience you want. International visitors should not assume that “going to Carnival” means attending one single venue or event.
A good first visit can combine one Sambadrome parade night with a street-Carnival experience and enough free time to explore São Paulo. You do not need to attend every major event to have a complete Carnival trip.
You need a ticket to watch the competitive samba-school parades at Anhembi. Street Carnival is a separate experience.
If your schedule allows, seeing both the Sambadrome and street Carnival provides a much broader understanding of Carnaval de São Paulo.
Booking earlier generally gives visitors more choice of locations and properties during a major citywide event period.
Portuguese is the local language. International visitors can travel without fluency, but learning a few useful Portuguese phrases can make transport, restaurants and everyday interactions easier.
Prioritize lightweight, comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for warm weather, walking, standing and crowds. Check the forecast before individual Carnival days.
Coming to Brazil for Carnival?
São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro both offer major samba-school parades and extensive street celebrations, but the venues, city geography and overall visitor experiences are different. If you are deciding between the two cities — or considering visiting both — compare the experiences before building your Brazil Carnival itinerary.
São Paulo Carnival 2027 FAQ
When is São Paulo Carnival 2027?
The official São Paulo street Carnival periods are January 30–31 for Pre-Carnival, February 6–9 for the principal Carnival period, and February 13–14 for Post-Carnival. Samba-school parade dates follow their own Anhembi schedule.
When are the main São Paulo samba parades in 2027?
The Grupo Especial is scheduled to parade on Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6. Acesso 1 is scheduled for February 7 and Acesso 2 for January 30.
Where are the samba-school parades held?
The principal competitive parades take place at the Sambódromo do Anhembi, formally known as the Polo Cultural e Esportivo Grande Otelo.
Do I need tickets for São Paulo Carnival?
Tickets are required for spectators attending the competitive samba-school parades at Anhembi. Street Carnival and the Sambadrome should be treated as separate Carnival experiences.
Are São Paulo street blocos free?
São Paulo’s official Carnaval de Rua is organized around free public street manifestations. Individual practical arrangements, routes and schedules should still be checked before attending.
Is São Paulo Carnival only at the Sambadrome?
No. The Sambadrome hosts the organized samba-school competition, while a vast street Carnival takes place across neighborhoods and public spaces throughout São Paulo.
Where should tourists stay during São Paulo Carnival?
There is no universal best neighborhood. Visitors should consider public transport, their planned Carnival activities, restaurants, sightseeing and how they intend to return to their accommodation after late-night events.
Can I combine São Paulo Carnival with sightseeing?
Yes. Carnival can be combined with museums, parks, restaurants, neighborhood exploration and other São Paulo attractions. Leave some flexibility in your itinerary rather than scheduling every hour around Carnival events.
Carnival programs develop over time. Parade schedules, participating blocos, routes, start times, ticket availability, transport arrangements and operational information can change. SaoPauloCarnival.com updates its guides as new information becomes available. For time-sensitive plans and purchases, always verify the latest information with the relevant official organizer, authority or authorized ticket provider.
