Carnival 2022 in Rio de Janeiro: What Do We Know So Far?

With 77% of the population and 95% of adults fully vaccinated in Rio, the mayor is already preparing the celebration for Carnival 2022 in Rio de Janeiro. However, planning the event does not mean it will definitely happen, as he also clarifies.

It all depends on how we manage the pandemic in the city by the end of the year. Especially now with the Omicron outbreak. After all, the first two cases of people infected with the new Covid variant were confirmed in Brazil.

So, are we going to have Carnival in Rio de Janeiro in 2022 or not? Let’s check what we know so far.

Watch Teacher Josie’s video about Carnival around Brazil.

Samba Schools

Liesa, the Independent League of Samba Schools, is already selling tickets for the parade in 2022. Prices are ranging from R$80 to R$6.100. The parade will occur from February 25th to February 28th and the Champions Parade on March 5th.

Also according to Liesa, the technical rehearsals will start on the second half of January, implying the Samba Schools parades are more than confirmed.

It is important to notice, you will need to show proof of vaccination upon arrival for the parade.

Blocos de Carnaval

Associations linked to Street Parties have stated that they will wait for science studies to decide if they are going to prepare for Carnival 2022 in Rio de Janeiro or not. They agree that the decision of holding the party in February should be based on the indicators of the Scientific Committee of Rio de Janeiro, after further analysis on the situation of Covid in Rio until January.

Rita Fernandes, president of Sebastiana, a Carnival Association, declared: “If there are no safety conditions to hold the party, we will be the first to cancel Carnival. We will wait for science.”

People responsible for other Blocos de Carnaval, the street parades, also stated they are going to wait until January to decide if they are holding a party or not.

In the meanwhile, one of the largest Blocos de Carnaval in Rio, decided they are definitely not organizing a parade in 2022. Bloco da Preta, hosted by Brazilian singer Preta Gil, has already canceled their party during the Carnival 2022 in Rio de Janeiro.

Update: On  January 4th, 2022, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro released a statement deciding to cancel the street Carnival in 2022. On January 21st, the samba schools’ parade at the Sambodrame was postponed to April 2022.

Other cities around Brazil

While Carnival has an uncertain future for 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, other cities around Brazil have decided to cancel the celebration altogether. As of November 30th, 47 small cities around Brazil have already stated Carnival 2022 is canceled.

Just like Rio de Janeiro, the cities of Salvador, Recife, Olinda, and São Paulo have not decided on the future of Carnival yet. On the other hand, Florianópolis and Manaus have confirmed the celebration.

Omicron Variant

With 63% of the population fully vaccinated in Brazil, the situation seems under control. Recently, the last patient hospitalized with Covid in the city of Rio de Janeiro was discharged from the hospital. Furthermore, November 2021 was the month with the fewest deaths from Covid-19 in Brazil since April 2020.

What is worrying authorities and scientists is the new Omicron variant. The whole world is still unsure of how Omicron is going to affect people.

According to the State Department of Health, two confirmed cases of Omicron in Brazil are from people coming from South Africa. A third suspected case, a passenger from Ethiopia, is still under investigation.

Are we going to have Carnival in Rio de Janeiro in 2022?

Short answer: we will have to wait until January 2022 to be 100% sure about Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

Update: On  January 4th, 2022, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro released a statement deciding to cancel the street Carnival in 2022. On January 21st, the samba schools’ parade at the Sambodrame was postponed to April 2022.

Should you plan your trip to Rio de Janeiro?

If you are planning your trip to Brazil for February or March 2022, be advised Carnival might not even happen in Rio. The chances are good. But do not get your hopes up. Nonetheless, in case you do come here, you can still enjoy the landmarks, beaches, and attractions, as everything is open and working normally. The use of masks is also not mandatory outside anymore and restaurants and shops are working at full capacity.

Either way, you will be still able to enjoy the city. So, you are more than welcome to come to Brazil.

And if you want to learn Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro while visiting Brazil, do not hesitate to contact Caminhos Language Centre. We are the largest and most exciting Portuguese school in Rio de Janeiro. We also offer plenty of free activities daily. You can meet people from all over the world and explore Rio while studying Portuguese.