Blocks that honor artists and personalities in Carnaval 2026

The Carnaval of Rua do Rio has always dialogued with music, memory and popular culture. In 2026, this bond is strengthened with blocks that choose artists and personalities of Brazilian culture as the theme of their parades — either through specific tributes, or as permanent identity of the block.

More than revere consecrated names, these processions transform the musical repertoire, visual aesthetics and the occupation of the streets into collective experiences of celebration, affection and cultural recognition.

Blocks that pay special tributes in 2026

Heaven on Earth honors Jorge Ben Jor

📅14/02

In 2026, Heaven on Earth pays homage to one of the biggest names of Brazilian music. The parade will be built as a immersive experience, gathering successes from different stages of Jorge Ben Jor's career and visual elements scattered along the way.

The proposal mixes tropicalism, mysticism, ginga and carioca suingue — deep brands of the artist — with urban interventions, graphic panels, performances of legels, giant puppets and the participation of visual artists in the neighborhood of Santa Teresa.

Entredo of My Samba honors Jorge Aragon

📅14/02

The singer and composer Jorge Aragon, one of the great icons of the Brazilian samba, will be honored by the block My Samba's Entanglement in the Carnaval of Rua do Rio de Janeiro 2026.

With the theme “Jorge Aragon gave plot in my samba”The parade celebrates the 50 years of career the artist and it happens on February 14, at the Flamengo, South Zone of the capital of Rio de Janeiro, gathering successes that marked generations and helped to build the history of samba carioca.

Cordão do Boitatá honors Herminio Bello de Carvalho and Hermeto Pascoal

📅15/02

The Cordão do Boitatá pays tribute to Herminio Bello de Carvalho, one of the great responsible for the valorization and diffusion of samba from the 1950s. Recognized as a true “discoverer” of talents, Herminio played a decisive role in the trajectories of Clementine of Jesus, Paulinho da Viola and Elton Medeiros.

The parade also celebrates Hermeto Pascoal, instrumentalist, composer and arranger of international projection, known as the “Bruxo dos Sons”, whose work breaks borders between genres and musical languages.

Ipanema band honors Tia Surica and Ruy Castro

📅17/02

Carnaval Icon Rio, the Ipanema Band celebrates in 2026 two key personalities for Brazilian culture: Aunt Surica, symbol of samba and cultural resistance, and writer Ruy Castro, chronicler of music, the city and its characters.

Bury me in the Fourth Djavan Honor

📅 18/02

Traditional for parade on Ash Wednesday, Me Burys on Wednesday celebrates its 22 years of history honoring Djavan, considered one of the biggest names of MPB and music worldwide. With over 50 years of career and about 30 records, it mixes rhythms like samba, jazz, soul and blues, creating hits like "Flor de Lis", "Ocean" and "Samurai".

Samba's cradle honors Wanderley Monteiro

📅 21/02

With the plot “We talk about the look”, the Samba Cradle plunges into the sensibility and work of Wanderley Monteiro. The parade proposes a meeting between emotion, memory and samba, celebrating the strength of the sung word and communication that goes beyond the speech — where the look speaks and samba responds.

Monobloc honors Arlindo Cruz and Black Gil

📅 22/02

Closing the official programming of the Street Carnaval, the Monobloco parades in 2026 with the theme “ You can enter that the house is yours”, celebrating Arlindo Cruz and Black Gil — two fundamental names for Brazilian music and popular culture.

The parade also marks the release of the album Sea of Aragon, with songs from Jorge Aragon, reinforcing the dialogue of the bloc with samba and its roots. The art of the T-shirt of the year is signed by Ernani Cal, in rereading of the first illustration of Monobloco, created 26 years ago.

Blocks that are already born as tribute to artists

Besides the thematic tributes of 2026, the Carnaval of Rio has blocks whose identity is entirely dedicated to artists and musical groups, turning their repertoires into permanent carnival soundtracks:

Dig Dig Joy (07/02)– Inspired by Sandy and Junior

Exaggerated Block (14/02) – Tax Cazuza

Blossom Block (14/02) – Inspired by Djavan

Toca Rauuul (15/02) – Tax Raul Seixas

Sergeant Pepper (16/02) – Inspired by us The Beatles, in samba rhythm

Brasilia Yellow (16/02) – Homage to Killer Momonas

BloQueen (17/02) – Homage a David Bowie

Block (21/02) – Inspired by Beyoncé

Carnaval as living memory

By turning artists into theme, identity or inspiration, the blocks reaffirm the Carnaval of Street as a space of living memory, where music, city and affection walk together. In 2026, these tributes reinforce the role of the Carnaval as a collective celebration of Brazilian culture — plural, creative and deeply connected to its history.

The complete programming of the blocks is available in 2026 Rio Blocks application and on the site carnivalderua. river.