Marcelo OliveiraCarnival 2027 falls on February 6–9, from Saturday through Tuesday; Ash Wednesday lands on 02/10. It’s not February 16 — that Monday was Carnival in 2026. Your 2027 time off depends on local law, the public-sector calendar and whatever deal you strike with your employer.
In this article: the dates, whether it’s a holiday or an optional day off, time off at your company, and the status in the big party capitals before you book your trip.
| Dates | Saturday, February 6 through Tuesday, February 9, 2027; Ash Wednesday on 02/10 |
|---|---|
| Carnival days | Monday 8 and Tuesday 9/2 |
| National status | Not a national holiday; optional day off depends on each agency’s calendar |
| Ash Wednesday | 02/10; the 2027 federal executive branch hours are not yet confirmed |
| Rio de Janeiro state | Tuesday 9/2 is a state holiday (Law 5.243/2008) |
| Federal employees | 2027 federal executive branch decree not found as of 10/14/2026; it usually comes out in December |
| Best bridge | With authorized days off from 8 to 12/02: 9 days, from 6 to 14/02 |
🎭 Carnival 2027 · Carnival 2027 Guide
In this article · 9 topics
When is Carnival 2027
Carnival 2027 runs from Saturday, February 6, to Tuesday, February 9; Ash Wednesday falls on 02/10. Tuesday is the official Carnival date on the calendar, while street parties and parades may have events before and after.
Carnival Tuesday is 47 days before Easter: in 2027, that’s February 9.
| Day | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 6/2/2027 | Weekend |
| Sunday | 7/2/2027 | Weekend |
| Monday | 8/2/2027 | Expected optional day off; depends on the 2027 decree |
| Tuesday | 9/2/2027 | State holiday in RJ; other agencies depend on the 2027 calendar |
| Ash Wednesday | 10/2/2027 | Working hours and any optional day off depend on the 2027 decree |
Is Carnival a holiday or an optional day off?
It’s not a national holiday. Law No. 9.093/1995 defines which civil and religious holidays exist, and Carnival isn’t on the list. What the federal government does is declare Monday and Tuesday as optional days off for its own employees, through a decree published at the end of every year.
MGI Decree No. 11.460/2025, which applies to 2026, listed Carnival Monday and Tuesday as optional days off and Ash Wednesday as an optional day off until 2 p.m. The 2027 decree hasn’t come out yet; the pattern has repeated for years and it’s usually published in December.
The best-known example of an actual holiday is Rio de Janeiro: State Law No. 5.243/2008 turned Carnival Tuesday into a state holiday. Most city halls, meanwhile, treat the date as an optional day off. Each agency publishes its own calendar; a court decree doesn’t set time off for the executive branch or for private companies.
Who gets time off: CLT workers, public servants and retail
The answer depends on where you work. Public servants follow the decree from their own government: federal employees by the Ministry of Management decree, state and municipal employees by local decrees.
If you’re a formally employed worker at a private company, you have no automatic right to time off on an optional day. The company can require you to work normally or give the team the day off. If it does, agree in advance whether there’ll be compensation: hour banks and make-up days depend on the individual agreement or the union’s collective bargaining agreement, which sometimes already guarantees the day off.
Where Carnival is a state or municipal holiday, the rules change. Under Law No. 605/1949, anyone who has to work on a holiday gets double pay for the day, unless the company grants another day off instead. Retail, bars, hotels and transportation usually stay open, with their own schedules and the rules of the collective agreement.
How many days off you can string together
With Monday and Tuesday off, that’s 4 days in a row, from 6 to 9/02. To stretch it to 9 days, from 6 to 14/02, you’d also need all of Wednesday (10), Thursday (11) and Friday (12) off, depending on your schedule. Work out the compensation with your employer; don’t assume this bridge counts automatically as split vacation.
| Plan | Days requested | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival only | None | Sat 6 to Tue 9/2 (4 days) |
| Full Wednesday | Wednesday afternoon (10/2) | Sat 6 to Wed 10/2 (5 days) |
| Bridge before | Thu 4 and Fri 5/2 | Thu 4 to Tue 9/2 (6 days) |
| Bridge after | Wed 10 (afternoon), Thu 11 and Fri 12/2 | Sat 6 to Sun 14/2 (9 days) |
Once your time off is confirmed, compare flights for 6 to 10/2 on FlipMilhas, and check the change conditions.
If your time off isn’t guaranteed, use Saturday and Sunday and head back the night of 7/02, before Monday’s workday.
What changes in the party capitals
In Rio de Janeiro, Carnival Tuesday is a state holiday by law. In the other cities in the table, 2027 working hours still depend on local decrees: don’t assume that an optional day off for public servants also frees up private-sector workers.
| City | Status checked on 10/14/2026 | What changes for travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Rio de Janeiro | Tuesday 9/02: state holiday (Law 5.243/2008). Monday and Ash Wednesday depend on each agency’s decree. | Special subway service and attraction hours for 2027: not announced; they usually come out in January/February. |
| São Paulo | 2027 municipal calendar not found as of 10/14/2026. In 2026: Monday and Tuesday optional; Ash Wednesday until noon (São Paulo City Hall). | Public servants’ time off doesn’t set the hours of stores, museums or the subway. Check the specific service before heading out. |
| Salvador | 2027 municipal calendar not found as of 10/14/2026. No confirmation of Ash Wednesday return hours in this check. | 2027 road closures and special transit: not announced; they usually come out close to the party. |
| Recife | 2027 municipal calendar not found as of 10/14/2026. In 2026 there were optional days off on 13 and 16 to 18/02 (Recife City Hall). | Office hours and express bus schedules are separate decisions. 2027 operations: not announced. |
| Olinda | 2027 municipal calendar not found as of 10/14/2026; Recife’s decree doesn’t set Olinda’s working hours. | Closures in the Historic Center and vehicle access: 2027 rules not announced; they usually come out in January/February. |
| Belo Horizonte | 2027 municipal calendar not found as of 10/14/2026. In 2026: optional days off from Monday through Ash Wednesday (PBH). | The municipal calendar doesn’t confirm street party or subway hours. 2027 operations: not announced. |
Banks: in 2026, branches closed on Carnival Monday and Tuesday and opened at noon on Ash Wednesday, according to Febraban (2026 notice). Bills due on those days can be paid on the next business day, with no penalty. Bring a card: Pix and banking apps work as usual.
Where to spend Carnival 2027
If you’re here for the party, the Carnival 2027 guide rounds up the hubs for Rio, Salvador, Recife and Olinda, São Paulo, BH and Ouro Preto. To figure out your budget, see how much Carnival 2027 costs; for a party outside Brazil on the same holiday, check out Carnivals around the world.
To compare party destinations with quieter trips, see where to travel for Carnival. Before booking with kids, check the school schedule and travel time; also plan your late-night return.
Planning summary
Carnival 2027 runs from 6 to 9/02; Ash Wednesday is on 10/02. Get your time off, your Wednesday schedule and your city’s rules confirmed in writing before buying tickets. Tuesday is a state holiday in Rio; an optional day off doesn’t guarantee time off at a private company.
Once the date is set, the next step is booking at the right time: the Carnival 2027 booking calendar shows what sells out each month, and the guide to Carnival scams explains how to avoid fake tickets and abadás.
HotelAs soon as you have datesCompare neighbourhoods and guest ratings.Booking ›
Frequently asked questions
When is Carnival 2027?
Carnival 2027 runs from Saturday, February 6, to Tuesday, February 9. Ash Wednesday falls on 02/10. February 16 is not the date of Carnival 2027.
Is Carnival 2027 a national holiday?
No. Carnival is not a national holiday. In Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday is a state holiday. Optional days off for public servants depend on the decree that applies to each agency; the 2027 federal executive branch decree had not been found as of 10/14/2026.
Can my company make me work during Carnival?
Yes, when Carnival is only an optional day off. The company decides whether to give the day off, following the union’s collective agreement. Where it’s a holiday by law, anyone who works gets double pay or another day off.
Is Ash Wednesday a holiday?
It’s not a national holiday. Ash Wednesday falls on 02/10/2027, but the return time depends on your agency’s or company’s calendar. In the federal executive branch, the 2026 precedent was an optional day off until 2 p.m.; the 2027 decree had not been found as of 10/14/2026.
What’s the best way to stretch Carnival 2027?
With authorized days off on Monday (8), Tuesday (9), all of Wednesday (10), Thursday (11) and Friday (12), you get 9 days away, from 6 to 14/02. If Wednesday is a partial workday, you’ll also need to negotiate that part of the day.
Are banks open during Carnival 2027?
Febraban’s 2027 calendar hasn’t come out yet. In 2026, banks closed on Carnival Monday and Tuesday and opened at noon on Ash Wednesday. Bills due on those days can be paid on the next business day, and Pix and banking apps work as usual.