Pre-Carnival in Rio: Rehearsals, blocos, local warm-ups and Sambadrome experience
If you’re arriving in Rio before Carnival week and think you came too early, relax.
Before the official kickoff, Rio slowly shifts gears. Drums echo through neighborhoods, samba schools fine-tune their parades, and blocos begin warming up. The crowds are lighter, logistics are easier, and the experience feels closer to how locals live Carnival.
If you want the atmosphere without the peak chaos, pre-Carnival might be the best time to be in the city.
What is Pre-Carnival in Rio?
Pre-Carnival isn’t one single event. It’s a buildup. In the weeks leading up to Carnival, you’ll find:
technical rehearsals at the Sambadrome
bloco rehearsals, both indoors and on the streets
samba school rehearsals in their local neighborhoods
Fan Fest with concerts and samba schools in Copacabana
Think of it as backstage access. Carnival week is the grand finale. Pre-Carnival is where the magic is still close enough to touch.
Sambadrome technical rehearsals (Ensaio Técnico)
The technical rehearsals at the Sambadrome are one of the best ways to experience Carnival before the official parade nights. They are open to the public, much less crowded than Carnival week, and reveal how the spectacle is built from the inside.
During these nights, samba schools rehearse their complete parade flow with drums, singers, dancers, and flag bearers.
Costumes are still simple, there are no judges or scores, and the atmosphere is noticeably more relaxed and community-driven. What never changes is the sound, the rhythm, and the emotional power that fills the Sambadrome from end to end.
This is not a show designed for tourists. It is a rehearsal for perfection — and watching it feels like being invited into the heart of Carnival before the spotlight turns on.
Technical rehearsal dates & times (2026)
Technical rehearsals happen over two consecutive weekends:
Friday – January 30 and February 6
From 9:00 PM
Saturday – January 31 and February 7
From 6:00 PM
Sunday – February 1
From 5:30 PM
Sunday – February 8
From 6:00 PM
For first-time visitors, the experience is about the sound, the movement, and the atmosphere rather than knowing who is performing. But, if you have a favorite school, find the detailed information about the schedules here.
Technical rehearsal entry & seating
General access is free, you can sit anywhere in the open grandstands
Arrive early if you want a better view
Comfort option for Sambadrome rehearsals: VIP Boxes (Camarotes)
If you prefer comfort over crowds, some camarotes operate during the technical rehearsals.
These usually include:
elevated viewing areas
food and open bar
restrooms
a more controlled environment
They are paid experiences and vary by night, but they offer a great alternative for travelers who want to feel Carnival with comfort.
How to get to Sambadrome for Samba Schools technical rehearsal
The metro is the easiest and safest option. You can find more detailed information about Rio’s metro system here:
Use Central do Brasil or Praça Onze stations
Avoid cars or Uber close to the Sambadrome on rehearsal nights
The setup is very similar to the official parade nights, making the technical rehearsals a perfect preview of Carnival itself.
Downtown Blocos: Big energy, early version & 2026 dates
Before Carnival week, Downtown Rio (Centro) is where street Carnival truly comes alive.
The bloco circuit in Centro features large sound trucks, wide avenues, and high-energy crowds — but in the pre-Carnival period, everything is still more manageable. You get the scale and excitement of Rio’s street Carnival without the peak-day pressure.
One of the biggest advantages of Downtown blocos is how easy they are to plan. Their schedules are usually announced well in advance and remain fairly stable, with changes happening mostly due to weather conditions.
This makes Centro the most predictable option for travelers who like to know where they’re going before leaving the hotel.
Downtown Blocos Schedule (Pre-Carnival 2026)
Saturday – January 24
Chá da Alice
From 8:00 AM
Sunday – January 25
Bloco da Lexa
From 8:00 AM
Saturday – January 31
Bloco da Gold
From 8:00 AM
Sunday – February 01
Ivete Sangalo
From 8:00 AM
Saturday – February 07
Bloco da Favorita
From 8:00 AM
Sunday – February 08
Cordão do Boitatá
From 8:00 AM
If you’re short on time or budget and prefer a structured approach, Downtown blocos offer the perfect balance between Carnival energy and logistical clarity.
Smaller neighborhood blocos work differently. They often depend on local organization, informal announcements, and last-minute confirmations, which means enjoying them usually requires more research, flexibility, and a good dose of local insight.
If that level of uncertainty doesn’t sound appealing, there is a middle ground — a way to experience the energy of the blocos in a more structured and controlled environment.
Indoor Bloco Rehearsals: Carnival energy without street chaos
If you love the sound and collective singing of a bloco but feel uneasy in massive street crowds, indoor rehearsals are the perfect compromise.
Many of these rehearsals happen in the same area of Downtown Rio, around Lapa — a central, well-connected cultural zone that comes alive at night. This concentration makes planning easier: you’re close to metro stations, surrounded by bars and restaurants, and moving between venues is simple.
If that’s the kind of experience you picture yourself in, Fundição Progresso and Circo Voador are the places to be. These iconic cultural and concert venues host pre-Carnival bloco rehearsals with controlled entrances, security, and proper infrastructure — including restrooms and bars — while preserving the same collective energy, music, and singing you would find on the streets.
Many of Rio’s most iconic blocos rehearse in these spaces during pre-Carnival, check the main dates:
Pre-Carnival Bloco rehearsals (Indoor)
Sunday - January 25 and February 1
Céu na terra
Fundição Progresso - 11:00AM
Monday - January 26
Cordão do Boitatá
Circo Voador - 19:00PM
Saturday - February 6 and 13
Monobloco
Fundição Progresso - 20:00PM
Carnival Fan Fest in Copacabana
The Carnival Fan Fest brings the Sambadrome to the beach.
Set on Copacabana Beach, the Fan Fest was created to expand access to Carnival and make the celebration available to people who don’t want — or can’t — attend the Sambadrome in person.
Large screens broadcast the official parades and technical rehearsals live, while the beachfront space hosts performances by samba school singers, baterias, and occasionally bloco-style shows. The result is a full Carnival experience, translated into an open, coastal setting.
It’s not a replacement for the Sambadrome, but a different way of experiencing the same heart of Carnival — with your feet in the sand.
What to know
Free admission, but tickets must be reserved in advance
Open-air structure on the beach
Live broadcasts of parades and rehearsals
Performances by samba schools and invited artists
Easy access by metro and bus
The Fan Fest is ideal if you want to see the parades, feel the music, and understand Carnival’s scale — without committing to stadium seating or navigating the Sambadrome logistics.
It’s Carnival made more accessible, more democratic, and unmistakably Rio.
Traditional samba venues to feel the Carnival spirit
Even outside rehearsals and blocos, samba is part of Rio’s daily rhythm. Pre-Carnival is when that rhythm feels especially alive.
To understand where Carnival’s music comes from and explore Rio’s most traditional samba spots, read our dedicated guide to samba in the city.
Final thoughts: Why Pre-Carnival is a special time to be in Rio
If Carnival week is the grand finale, pre-Carnival is the moment when the city is still warming up — when you can observe, participate, and choose how close you want to be to the celebration.
Pre-Carnival isn’t about doing everything.
It’s about understanding what Carnival means to Rio — before the spotlight turns on and the city goes all in.
If you want the energy, the rhythm, and the soul of Carnival with more room to breathe, arriving early might just be the best decision you make.
Pre-Carnival is where Rio rehearses its joy. But if you want to see how all this energy explodes into spectacle, our complete guide to Carnival in Rio shows what happens when the city finally takes the avenue.
