Hey friends, what’s up? Ready to dive into Brazilian culture? With the new year here, it’s a tradition for Brazilians to check the calendar for national holidays and local Rio de Janeiro holidays. If you’re planning a vacation in Brazil and want to practice speaking Portuguese while exploring our culture, this Dica on holiday terminology is perfect for you!
Not sure which Brazilian holidays are the most significant? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with a list of the official Brazil holidays for 2026. Let’s take a look!
Brazil Holidays in 2026
What holidays does Brazil celebrate? Below you have the Brazil holiday calendar for the current year 2026:
|
Ano Novo
| New Year | Holiday | January 1st |
|
São Sebastião no Rio de Janeiro
| Saint Sebastian | Holiday | January 20th |
|
Carnaval
| Carnival (Mardi Gras) | Holiday | February 14th to 17th. |
|
Quarta-feira de Cinzas
| Ash Wednesday | Rio & Learn Holiday | February 18th (Rio & Learn only) |
|
Sexta-feira Santa
| Good Friday | Holiday | April 3rd |
|
Páscoa
| Easter | Holiday | April 5th |
|
Tiradentes
| Tiradentes | Holiday | April 21st |
|
Dia do Trabalho
| Labor Day | Holiday | May 1st |
|
Dia das Mães
| Mother’s Day | Commemorative Date | May 10th |
|
Corpus Christi
| Corpus Christi | Holiday | June 4th |
|
Dia dos Namorados
| Valentine’s Day | Commemorative Date | June 12th |
|
Festas Juninas
| June Parties | Commemorative Date | June |
|
Dia dos Pais
| Father’s Day | Commemorative Date | August 9th (2nd Sunday of August) |
|
Dia da Independência
| Independence Day | Holiday | September 7th |
|
Dias de São Cosme e Damião
| Saint Cosmas and Damian Days | Commemorative Date | September 26th and 27th |
|
Nossa Senhora de Aparecida
| Our Lady Aparecida Day | Holiday | October 12th |
|
Dia dos Professores
| Teachers’ Day | Holiday for Schools | October 15th |
|
Dia do Comércio
| Commerce Day | Holiday for Stores | October 21th |
|
Dia do Servidor Público
| Civil Servants Day | Holiday for Public Services | October 28th |
|
Finados
| Day of the Dead (All Soul’s Day) | Holiday | November 2nd |
|
Dia da República
| Proclamation of the Republic | Holiday | November 15th |
|
Consciência Negra
| Black Consciousness Day | Holiday | November 20th |
|
Natal
| Christmas | Holiday | December 25th |
At Rio & Learn, we cherish our incredible teachers, and on Dia dos Professores, we give them the day off to rest and recharge! This tradition is common in schools across Brazil, highlighting our gratitude for these dedicated professionals.
Commemorative dates don’t disrupt daily routines, but national holidays provide a well-deserved day off for everyone. Beyond national holidays, Rio de Janeiro also has unique holidays celebrated exclusively in the city.
Rio de Janeiro Holidays in 2026
Here’s a look at Rio’s local holidays in 2026. Remember, these dates are celebrated only within the city:
| Dia de São Sebastião | Saint Sebastian’s Day | Holiday | January 20th |
| Dia de São Jorge | Saint George’s Day | Holiday | April 23rd |
What are the Main Holidays in Brazil?
Brazil’s holidays reflect its rich cultural heritage, influenced by Catholic traditions and its Portuguese colonial history. While some holidays, like Easter and All Souls’ Day, retain their religious significance, others, such as Carnival and Festa Junina, have evolved into cultural celebrations enjoyed by all Brazilians.
Let’s analyze the most important festivities to understand their purpose:
What is the most popular holiday in Brazil?

Carnival, originally a pre-Lenten festivity, has become Brazil’s most iconic celebration. It’s renowned for its vibrant samba parades and lively street parties, especially in Rio de Janeiro, where Guinness World Records recognizes the city’s street carnival as the largest in the world, drawing millions daily. From samba school performances to bloco street parties, Carnival offers an unforgettable experience for everyone.
What is a traditional holiday in Brazil?

Festa Junina began as a religious celebration for St. John but has transformed into a folkloric festival with rustic-themed clothing, traditional dances, and delicious food. Participants embrace the theme by dressing up in exaggerated countryside-inspired outfits, adding a touch of humor and charm to the festivities.
What is an exclusive celebration in Brazil?
São Cosme e Damião were Catholic doctors who practiced their profession free of charge. They are now considered the patron saints of children, doctors, and pharmacists. So, there is a festive day dedicated to them in Brazil, which is curious. People who need help with family illnesses make promises to São Cosme e Damião in return for their prayers to be heard. To pay for their promises, the worshippers make small bags full of sweets which are distributed to children on September 26th and 27th every year. It is quite common for these bags to be distributed in schools, malls, or even on the street. It is the closest Brazil has to Halloween.
Does Brazil have two holidays on the same day?

Children’s Day was originally a holiday just for Nossa Senhora de Aparecida. As she is the patron saint of children, many people have associated this day with children as well. It is common for children to receive gifts and for their parents to spend quality time with them.
What is a Feriadão?
A feriadão is a “Big Holiday” that happens when a holiday is close to a weekend. For example, if a holiday falls on a Thursday, many Brazilians take Friday off, creating a long weekend. Does your country have something similar?
Brazil Summer Holidays and Brazilian Vacations
In Brazil, when you complete your first year in your job, you have the right to take one month off work and go on vacation. Of course, the schedule of the vacation is agreed between the company and the employee. But most of our vacations are between December and February, and people typically take that time to travel. They are our Brazilian summer holidays!
How Many Public Holidays in Brazil?
In Brazil, we have 9 national public holiday days! Carnival is not a national holiday, can you believe it? But anyway Tuesday is a Rio de Janeiro state holiday day, and mostly everybody has the Monday off too, even that it is optional. Rio de Janeiro has another state holiday for St George day (April 23) and a city holiday on January 20th (Saint Sebastian). So in reality, there are around 12 or 13 holiday days!
Ponto Facultativo Meaning
A ponto facultativo is one of those uniquely Brazilian quirks that keep life exciting! Imagine this: it’s not quite a holiday, but it’s not a regular workday either. It’s like Brazil saying, “Hey, take a breather if you want!”
Here’s the scoop: a ponto facultativo is a day when the government says public offices can close, but it’s not mandatory. It’s usually declared around holidays, like Carnaval, or for important religious days like Corpus Christi giving folks a chance to enjoy a long weekend. Businesses and private companies, however, can decide whether to join the fun or keep their doors open. For example, at Rio & Learn we don’t open for the ponto facultativo on Monday and Wednesday before and after Mardi Gras.
Now that you know more about Brazil’s unique holidays and traditions, which ones stand out to you? Are there any similar holidays in your country? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!
See you soon!
Hugs from Rio & Learn!
Click on the links below to see more Dicas
Rio de Janeiro New Years
Festa Junina in Brazil
Corpus Christi in Brazil
Holiday in Portuguese
SEO Content Coordinator at Rio & Learn Portuguese School.
She was seven month Rio & Learn Online Courses Academic Coordinator and our A Dica do Dia blog Coordinator for two years and a half. Fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and with elementary proficiency in Chinese, she is a versatile communicator and a strategic asset to global teams.