Marcelo OliveiraThe Festival da Virada Salvador 2027 returns to the Arena O Canto da Cidade stage in Boca do Rio, where the last edition offered free entry. The mayor has already confirmed Ivete Sangalo, Bell Marques and Jorge & Mateus for December 31, but the full lineup hasn’t dropped yet. In the meantime, you can book a hotel with free cancellation.
Hotels for Festival Virada in Salvador12/30 to 01/02 · free cancellation options onlySee hotels ›Booking.com partner (advertising): we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
| Night of 12/31 | Ivete Sangalo (countdown), Bell Marques and Jorge & Mateus Announced |
|---|---|
| Festival days | Official calendar not yet published; the full lineup was expected in October Not announced |
| Location | Arena O Canto da Cidade, Boca do Rio waterfront, where the 2025/26 edition took place 2025/26 edition |
| Is it free? | At the last edition, yes; the City calls it Brazil’s biggest free year-end party 2025/26 edition |
| Hours | Gates at 3pm, shows from 7:30pm to 5am (until 6:30am on 12/31) 2025/26 edition |
| Getting there | 3 dedicated bus lines and separate pickup points for rideshare and taxi — see the plan › 2025/26 edition |
| Where to stay | Boca do Rio, Armação and Pituba to get back without relying on buses; Barra for the lighthouse — see hotels by neighborhood › |
This guide covers the countdown from December 31, 2026 to January 1, 2027 and focuses only on the Boca do Rio party. For the fireworks at 22 spots across the city, Farol da Barra and the paid parties, see the New Year’s Eve in Salvador guide; to compare with other destinations, check the 2027 New Year’s Eve hub.
Before the countdown, the city hosts another big festival: Afropunk Salvador 2026 takes place on November 7 and 8, and anyone going to both can combine the dates into a single lodging spreadsheet.
In this article · 17 topics
- What’s already confirmed
- How the 2025/26 edition went
- Is the festival free?
- VIP boxes and paid parties
- Getting to the Arena
- Getting back after midnight
- Safety
- Kids and accessibility
- January 1 and sightseeing
- Where to stay near the festival
- Getting to Salvador
- How much it costs
- Watch out for
- Weather and what to pack
- Checklist
- FAQ
- Conclusion
What’s already confirmed for Festival da Virada Salvador 2027
So far, what Salvador’s City Hall has confirmed is the December 31 night lineup: Ivete Sangalo leads the countdown, alongside Bell Marques and Jorge & Mateus. Days and the full lineup still have no official announcement.
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Ivete Sangalo and Bell MarquesAnnouncement by Mayor Bruno Reis on 09/21/2026 | 12/31, with Ivete on the countdown Announced |
| Jorge & MateusMayor’s interview with Piatã FM radio, 09/25/2026 | 12/31 Announced |
| Festival daysDates still without official note | Five days of shows are expected; the exact period is open Not announced |
| Full lineupDays 12/30, 01/01 and others | Expected in October, according to local press Not announced |
Sources: Portal Salvador FM (09/21/2026) and Alô Juca (09/25/2026), both reporting the mayor’s statements. Verified on 10/09/2026.
On the days, there are different versions: in the 09/25/2026 interview, the mayor mentioned December 28 to January 1, with five acts per night; a Boca do Rio Magazine report from 09/27/2026 cites December 30 to January 3. As of 10/09/2026, no calendar appears in the news on the City Hall website. Only the 31st is guaranteed, and that’s the night to base your hotel booking on.
The venue also has no official 2027 map published. Local press cites Arena O Canto da Cidade, on the Boca do Rio waterfront, used by the festival since the 2017/18 countdown. Confirm everything on the official Virada Salvador website once the lineup drops.
How the 2025/26 Festival Virada went: days, hours and crowd
At the previous edition, the festival ran five days, from December 27 to 31, 2025, with gates opening at 3pm, shows from 7:30pm and a scheduled end at 5am; on the 31st, the expected finish was 6:30am (Salvador City Hall, 12/27/2025). It was the 11th edition, with more than 60 acts and 100 hours of music.
| Night | Main acts (2025/26 edition) |
|---|---|
| Sat 12/27 | Léo Santana, Wesley Safadão, Xand Avião, Parangolé, Léo Foguete |
| Sun 12/28 | Claudia Leitte, Simone Mendes, Tony Salles, Pablo, Edson Gomes |
| Mon 12/29 | Matheus & Kauan, Nattan, Durval Lelys, Psirico, Natanzinho Lima |
| Tue 12/30 | Alok, Bell Marques, Belo, Olodum, Felipe Amorim |
| Wed 12/31 | Ivete Sangalo (countdown), Jorge & Mateus, Timbalada, Xanddy Harmonia, Mari Fernandez, Manu Bahtidão |
Source: Communications Office of Salvador City Hall, 09/18/2025 (the City called this edition Festival Virada Salvador 2026).
On crowd size: the mayor cited 170,000 people at one point during Wesley Safadão’s show and around 180,000 on the second day (Bahia Notícias, 12/29/2025). The 2027 program should follow the same logic of mixing axé, pagode, sertanejo and electronic music, but it’s only a reference until the official lineup comes out.
Is Festival da Virada Salvador free?
At the last edition, yes: entry was free, and the City defines Virada Salvador as the country’s biggest free year-end party (12/27/2025). For 2027 there’s no notice of ticket charges as of 10/09/2026. 2025/26 edition
What you pay for is the extras: food and drinks, transport, parking and lodging. Anyone selling “tickets” to the free festival is running a scam; tickets only exist for private parties and VIP boxes.
VIP boxes and paid parties on New Year’s Eve
If you prefer a closed venue, open bar and a guaranteed view, there are paid parties at other spots around the city, like Celebration Bahia at Farol da Barra and Réveillon 7 Mares in Pituba. Prices and ticket batches are in the New Year’s Eve in Salvador guide, which compares each party with nearby hotels. Announced
VIP box prices for the festival itself haven’t been released for 2027. To avoid resale, buy only from official box offices; the most common New Year’s Eve scams are covered in a separate guide.
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Getting to Festival Virada in Boca do Rio
In 2025/26, the City set up three dedicated bus lines for the festival, separate boarding points for buses, taxis and rideshare, and banned stopping in the lane in front of the Arena. The 2027 plan hasn’t been released yet; this is the best map of what to expect.
- Dedicated buses (5:40pm to midnight, every day, with extra service on the 31st): 2026-00 Terminal Acesso Norte, 2026-01 Estação Pirajá and 2026-02 Metrô Pituaçu, all to Festival Virada.
- Regular lines with extended hours from 6pm to 1am: six, including 1001 Aeroporto x Praça da Sé and 1637 Mirante de Periperi x Imbuí/Boca do Rio.
- Rideshare: pickup and drop-off on Avenida Octávio Mangabeira, near the Convention Center, in both directions. Taxis and motorcycle taxis were near Imeja, toward Itapuã.
- Car: there was no full roadblock, but stopping and parking were banned between the Convention Center and Praça Osório Villas Boas. The Zona Azul charged an event rate of R$ 20 for 12 hours, starting at 5pm (Transalvador, 12/22/2025).
Sources: Semob via Bahia Notícias (12/28/2025) and Transalvador via Bahia Notícias (12/22/2025).
Getting back from the festival after midnight
Getting back is the hard part: the 2025/26 shows ended between 5am and 6:30am, and the dedicated buses ran until midnight. The published plan extended regular lines until 1am and, only on New Year’s Eve, kept the Base Naval/São Thomé/Escola de Menores – Lapa line running until 5:59am on January 1.
In practice, anyone staying to the end depends on rideshare, taxi or walking. Praça Osório Villas Boas was the crowd dispersal point after the shows.
- Set your meeting point and departure time before going in, because the crowd all leaves at once.
- If your artist plays early, leave right after: the rideshare queue grows as the night goes on.
- Don’t count on buses after 1am; the 2027 plan may change, but confirm before you plan.
Safety at Festival Virada: what to expect
In 2025/26, Bahia’s Public Security Department deployed around 4,500 police officers and firefighters, with screening checkpoints at the event entrance (A Tarde and bnews, 12/27/2025). The mayor said the festival had no serious incidents through 12/29/2025, with 197 health calls in two days.
Documents lost at the edition could be recovered at the Municipal Guard headquarters (Salvador City Hall, 01/05/2026). Bring only the essentials, leave your original ID at the hotel when possible and agree on a meeting point: with 170,000 people cell signal can be spotty.
Sources: bnews (12/27/2025) and Bahia Notícias (12/29/2025).
Festival Virada with kids and accessibility
With kids, the main concern is the crowd: in 2025/26, the Municipal Guard identified 1,200 children with safety wristbands, with support from the Tutelary Council (Bahia Notícias, 12/29/2025). Arrive in the afternoon when gates open (3pm in 2025/26) and stay near the exit.
On accessibility, the City reported six Libras sign language interpreters in an adapted room behind the stage, on rotation (Secom, Jan/2026). Wheelchair areas, flooring and restrooms for 2027 haven’t been announced yet; check the official festival website before you go.
January 1: Pôr do Som at Farol da Barra and sightseeing
At the 2025/26 edition, January 1 featured Pôr do Som at Farol da Barra, with 25 shuttle buses leaving Estação da Lapa from 3pm to 11pm (Semob, Dec/2025). Whether 2027 will have a party after the countdown still depends on the calendar; Farol da Barra is the postcard spot for the next day.
To fill the day without heading back into the crowd, short tours work well. The prices below are per person, checked on Civitatis on 10/09/2026; confirm whether the tour runs on 12/31 and 01/01 before booking.
Partner · Civitatissee all tours in Salvador ›Salvador historic center tour + Farol da Barra
Passes through the historic center and Farol da Barra, the fireworks and Pôr do Som spot at the 2025/26 edition.
- Salvador panoramic tourCity overview on a guided tour.fromR$ 87per personSee ›
- Boat tour to Ilha dos Frades and ItaparicaFor day 1 or 2, away from the crowded waterfront.fromR$ 161.09per personSee ›
- Hawaiian canoe tour on Baía de Todos os SantosShort tour on the bay.fromR$ 70per personSee ›
Civitatis prices checked on 10/09/2026, per person. Voyage partner; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
More ideas for the following days in the what to do in Salvador guide.
Where to stay near Festival Virada: Boca do Rio, Pituba, Rio Vermelho and Barra
If you want to get back to bed right after the show, stay in Boca do Rio, Armação or Pituba. Salvador’s waterfront runs in a line: from Barra, where the lighthouse is, come Ondina, Rio Vermelho, Amaralina, Pituba, Armação and finally Boca do Rio, where the Arena is.
| Neighborhood | Profile | Sleep nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Armação and Boca do RioClosest to the Arena | Neighbors of the Arena; the shortest route after the show. |  Hospedaria de Maria9.4Booking › |
| PitubaHalfway | Between Barra and Boca do Rio; a boarding point toward Pituba in 2025/26. | Pituba Praiamar Hotel8.5Booking › |
| Rio VermelhoBest value | Bohemian neighborhood with more bar and food options; requires a bus or rideshare to the Arena. | Hotel Catharina Paraguaçu9.0Booking ›Mercure Salvador Rio Vermelho8.6Booking › |
| BarraLighthouse and Pôr do Som | Near Farol da Barra; farther from the Arena. | Monte Pascoal Praia Hotel9.1Booking ›Casa Petunia Pousada Boutique9.2Booking › |
Guest ratings on Booking.com, checked on 09/30/2026, each with more than 100 reviews. Search dates: 12/30 to 01/02, 2 adults. We didn’t include hotels without enough reviews.
| Hotel | Nota | Faixa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pousada Maria MariaBarra · Pousada na Barra, a pé da orla | 9,5383 aval. | $$ | Ver preços |
| Hotel Casa do AmarelindoPelourinho · Boutique no centro histórico | 9,5612 aval. | $$$ | Ver preços |
| Hospedaria de MariaArmação · Pousada em Armação, vizinha à Boca do Rio | 9,4431 aval. | $ | Ver preços |
| Casa Petunia Pousada BoutiqueBarra · Pousada boutique, base para ir a pé ao Farol | 9,2772 aval. | $$ | Ver preços |
| Monte Pascoal Praia HotelBarra · Na Av. Oceânica, de frente para o mar | 9,11.686 aval. | $$$ | Ver preços |
| Hotel Catharina ParaguaçuRio Vermelho · No bairro boêmio, bom custo-benefício | 9,01.497 aval. | $$ | Ver preços |
| Maréia HostelRio Vermelho · Hostel, a opção mais econômica | 8,7113 aval. | $ | Ver preços |
| Mercure Salvador Rio VermelhoRio Vermelho · Rede internacional, estrutura completa | 8,61.792 aval. | $$$ | Ver preços |
| Pituba Praiamar HotelPituba · No meio do caminho entre Barra e Boca do Rio | 8,51.593 aval. | $$ | Ver preços |
| Grande Hotel da BarraBarra · Ao lado do Forte São Diogo e do Porto da Barra | 8,22.174 aval. | $$$ | Ver preços |
Nota e faixa do Booking.com em 30/09/2026, para 30/12–02/01 e 2 adultos · $ até R$ 1,5 mil · $$ até R$ 4 mil · $$$ acima · como calculamos
Other dates or another neighborhood? Search here:
Comparing whole regions? The where to stay in Salvador guide compares Barra, Rio Vermelho, Pelourinho and Itapuã.
Getting to Salvador for the festival
Salvador receives flights at Aeroporto Internacional de Salvador – Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães (SSA), and December is high season for flights and lodging. The transfer to city hotels costs R$ 105.50 per adult, each way at the 12/19/2026 to 01/31/2027 rate (Luck Receptivo, quoted on 10/09/2026).
Stress-free arrival for New Year’s Eve
- Flight: compare cash and miles fares on FlipMilhas and try to arrive by 12/30.
- Transfer: airport transfer to Salvador hotels with Luck Receptivo, R$ 105.50 per adult each way (quoted on 10/09/2026): a couple, round trip, pays R$ 422. Confirm your hotel is covered.
- Car: driving to the Arena isn’t worth it: stopping and parking were banned near the event in 2025/26.
How much it costs to go to Festival da Virada Salvador
At the last edition, entry was free (no notice of charges as of 10/09/2026); the real spending is on hotel and transfer. The scenarios below show a hotel for two adults, from 12/30 to 01/02, with taxes included, plus the airport transfer. Flights, local rides and paid parties depend on where you’re coming from and what you choose; the parties are in another guide.
How much the festival costs for 2 people, 3 nights (12/30 to 01/02), excluding flights
- Accommodation · 3 nightsHospedaria de Maria, ArmaçãoR$ 1,200
- Virada FestivalArena admissionfree
- Round-trip transfer
Luck ReceptivoR$ 422
- Accommodation · 3 nightsHotel Catharina Paraguaçu, Rio VermelhoR$ 2,836
- Virada FestivalArena admissionfree
- Round-trip transferLuck ReceptivoR$ 422
- Accommodation · 3 nightsMonte Pascoal Praia Hotel, BarraR$ 7,170
- Virada FestivalArena admissionfree
- Round-trip transferLuck ReceptivoR$ 422
Hotels: Booking on 09/24/2026, 2 adults, taxes included · transfer: Luck, R$ 105.50 per person each way, fare for 12/19/2026 to 01/31/2027, quoted on 10/09/2026 · festival: free admission in the 2025/26 edition · how we calculate
The catch: what nobody tells you about the festival
- The lineup can change. Only the 31st has been announced; check the official website before booking a same-day round trip.
- The festival ends in the morning. In 2025/26 the scheduled finish was 5 a.m., and 6:30 a.m. on the 31st; plan your return well in advance.
- Dedicated buses only run early. The special lines stopped at midnight; the regular ones at 1 a.m.
- Hotels sell out. The City Hall projected 100% hotel occupancy for the 2025/26 edition (09/18/2025); book with free cancellation.
- There’s no such thing as a festival ticket. Admission is free; be wary of “tickets” or “wristbands” sold by third parties.
- Cell signal is spotty. With more than 170,000 people, agree on a physical meeting point.
Salvador weather over New Year’s and what to pack
December is summer in Salvador, and the mayor highlighted that the 2025/26 festival went on without rain through 12/29/2025. Pack light clothing, closed-toe shoes for hours on your feet, sunscreen for the afternoon and an extra layer for the early hours by the sea. To pick your New Year’s color, see the color for New Year’s Eve 2027.
Festival Virada Salvador checklist
0 of 5 done
- See official websiteFollow the official lineupNowThe full days and lineup are still to come; only 12/31 has been announced.
- See hotelsBook a hotel with free cancellationNow — the waterfront fills up earlyBoca do Rio, Armação or Pituba to get back without a bus.
See flightsBuy a flight arriving by 12/30As soon as you set your datesIn cash or with miles.- See transferBook the airport transferAfter the flightR$ 105.50 per adult each way (quoted on 10/09/2026).
- See toursChoose a tour for January 1stBefore you travelConfirm whether it runs on 12/31 and 01/01.
Check off what you’ve already sorted; it’s saved in this browser. Prices with a quote date; check with the partner before paying.
Frequently asked questions about Festival Virada Salvador
Is Festival da Virada Salvador 2027 free?
In the 2025/26 edition, Festival Virada Salvador was free, and the City Hall calls it the largest free year-end party in Brazil. For 2027, as of 10/09/2026, there’s no notice of ticket charges; only VIP boxes and private parties off the main stage are paid.
Who’s performing at Festival Virada Salvador 2027?
As of 10/09/2026, Mayor Bruno Reis confirmed Ivete Sangalo, who leads the countdown, Bell Marques and Jorge & Mateus for the night of December 31. The full lineup for the other days hasn’t been published by the Salvador City Hall yet.
What are the dates of Festival Virada Salvador 2027?
The official calendar hasn’t been published yet. The mayor mentioned December 28 to January 1, and a report from 09/27/2026 cites December 30 to January 3. Only the night of December 31 is confirmed; follow the official Virada Salvador website.
How do I get to Festival Virada Salvador in Boca do Rio?
In 2025/26, the City Hall set up three dedicated bus lines, from Terminal Acesso Norte, Estação Pirajá and Metrô Pituaçu, from 5:40 p.m. to midnight. The app pickup point was on Avenida Octávio Mangabeira, near the Convention Center. The 2027 plan hasn’t been announced yet.
How do I get back from Festival Virada Salvador in the early hours?
The 2025/26 shows ended between 5 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., and regular bus lines were extended only until 1 a.m.; on New Year’s Eve, one line ran until 5:59 a.m. The most predictable option is to sleep near the Arena, in Boca do Rio, Armação or Pituba, and walk back or take a short ride.
The bottom line
What decides your trip right now is the 31st: with Ivete, Bell and Jorge & Mateus announced, it’s worth booking a hotel with free cancellation near the Arena now and leaving the rest until the City Hall publishes the lineup. If you want more fireworks and paid parties, you’ll find it all in the New Year’s Eve in Salvador guide; to extend your stay along the Bahia coast, check out New Year’s Eve in Morro de São Paulo or New Year’s Eve in Costa do Sauípe. After the celebration, the city rolls straight into the Lavagem do Bonfim on January 14 and the Festival de Verão Salvador on January 23 and 24.