How is Carnival 2026 Date Calculated?

Carnival 2026 is officially set for February 17, a Tuesday. However, the festivities start earlier in major cities. Samba school parades in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro begin on Friday, February 13, while street blocos start in Bahia and Pernambuco around the same time. Ash Wednesday falls on February 18.

Because the event follows the lunar calendar and Catholic tradition, the date shifts every year. The Catholic Church standardizes the calendar based on Easter, seasonal changes, and the moon. The calculation starts with Easter, which is determined by the equinox and the full moon. Specifically, Carnival is celebrated exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday.

The main event for Carnival 2026 falls on Tuesday, February 17. This is the traditional peak of the celebration. However, the street parties and parades usually start the preceding weekend. In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the samba school parades are scheduled to begin on Friday, February 13.

In the Northeast region, the festivities also kick off early. Bahia and Pernambuco will see the start of street blocos around the same time. Following the main celebrations, Ash Wednesday is observed on February 18, marking the end of the carnival period and the beginning of Lent.

While the main parades are concentrated in these specific regions, the entire country engages in the celebration. The date varies annually because it is tied to religious observances rather than the Gregorian calendar.

The date of Carnival is determined by the Catholic Church and relies on three factors: the lunar calendar, the changing seasons, and established religious dates. The entire calculation revolves around the date of Easter. Since Easter is a movable feast, Carnival must also be movable.

To find the Easter date, one must first understand the equinox. An equinox occurs twice a year when the day and night are of equal length (12 hours each). The relevant equinox for this calculation occurs around March 20. In the Southern Hemisphere, this is the autumn equinox, while in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the spring equinox.

The Catholic Church has determined that Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the March equinox. Once the Easter date is established, the countdown to Carnival begins.

The timeline for the liturgical calendar is precise. Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) is celebrated seven days before Easter. This day marks the beginning of the Holy Week. The source text explains that Carnival is celebrated exactly 40 days before Domingo de Ramos.

By combining these days, the calculation is straightforward: 40 days before Palm Sunday plus the 7 days between Palm Sunday and Easter equals 47 days. Therefore, Carnival is always 47 days before Easter Sunday.

This formula ensures that the date of the festival remains consistent with the lunar cycle and the changing of seasons, maintaining a tradition that has been standardized by the Church for centuries.