Rio Nightlife Guide for Thursday, February 12, 2026

2026-02-12 - 17:45

The opening bell rings. Today the Cordão da Bola Preta — 107 years old, the oldest bloco in Brazil, the Maioral dos Maiorais — marches out of Terminal Menezes Cortes at 7 a.m. to officially open Carnaval 2026. The black-and-white tide floods the streets of Centro in what is, by tradition, the ceremonial start of