The schedule of the ten megablocks that will parade on the Circuito Preta Gil during Carnival 2026 has already been defined by the Tourism Company of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Riotur). The revelry in the streets of the center of the capital of Rio de Janeiro begins with Bloco Chá da Alice, on January 24th. The organizers estimate that more than 50 thousand revelers will be present. 
On the 25th, the program foresees the participation of Bloco da Lexa. Bloco do Gold, by Léo Santana, parades on the 31st, with an estimated crowd of 150,000 people.
Will SeQAbre? passes through the circuit on February 1st. Then the entertainment in the center of Rio takes a break and only returns on the 7th, with the presence of Bloco da Favorita.
Cordão do Boitatá, created by students and musicians in 1996, in the Praça XV region, takes part in the festivities at Circuito Preta Gil for the first time. The block comes out on the 8th.
>>The only block created by quilombolas will honor Preta Gil
Black Ball
Rio de Janeiro (RJ), 03/01/2025 – Revelers have fun at the 106th Cordão da Bola Preta parade, in the city center. Archive photo: Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
Estimated to bring together more than 700,000 revelers, the traditional Cordão da Bola Preta parades on the 14th, Carnival Saturday. The block was founded in 1918 by Álvaro Gomes de Oliveira, known as Kaveirinha; Francisco Brício Filho, known as Chico Brício; Eugênio Ferreira; João Torres; and the brothers Oliveira Roxo, Jair, Joel and Arquimedes Guimarães.
The name was given by Kaveirinha. They say that, upon seeing a beautiful woman dressed in white with black balls pass by; the image inspired him to call the block Cordão da Bola Preta.
On the 17th, Fervo da Lud, by singer Ludmilla, will take place on the circuit, expected to bring together more than 600,000 people through the streets of the center. On the 21st, it will be Bloco da Anitta’s turn. Monobloco, founded in 2000, from a workshop to teach batucada, officially ends the Rio carnival, parading on the 22nd.
Concentration
The megablocks will gather at 7am, on Rua Primeiro de Março, following Avenida Antonio Carlos, with dispersion at Rua Araújo Porto Alegre. The information was released on Wednesday (14) by Riotur. According to the company, the 2026 street carnival has a group for all tastes: from the traditional Cordão da Bola Preta and Boitatá to trios with great artists such as Anitta, Ludmilla, Lexa and Léo Santana.
Boitatá: 30 years
Revelers enjoy the Cordão do Boitatá Multicultural Ball, at Praça XV – Photo-file: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
This year, Cordão do Boitatá turns 30 and the procession returns to the Rua Primeiro de Março region, the city center. With more than 250 musicians playing without a sound car and almost 400 members with wings of banners, stilts and baianas, Boitatá is the only group in the megablocks that does not use an electric trio.
For the president of Riotur, Bernardo Fellows, megablocks play an important role in street carnival.
“They bring together a very significant number of revelers and expand public access to the festival in the city. Precisely for this reason, they require a robust and integrated operation, which the City Hall coordinates, with the coordination of Riotur and other bodies, to guarantee organization, security and services to the public”, he stated.
Preta Gil Circuit
Rio de Janeiro (RJ), 01/12/2020 – Singer Preta Gil, performs at the opening party of the 50 days of Carnival Rio 2020, on Copacabana Beach. Archive photo: Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
THE Circuito Preta Gil was named in 2025 in honor of the singerwho for years led a megablock in the central region of the city and became a symbol of the diversity, joy and strength of Rio’s street carnival.
The complete program can be seen on the Blocos do Rio 2026 app and on website officialso that all revelers know where and when the festivities will take place, highlighted Fellows.
