September is the month of spring, a perfect season to enjoy days outdoors, watching the trees bloom. But you can also enjoy exhibitions, plays, musical performances, and much more. So, find out what to do in Rio de Janeiro in September with some of our suggestions and plans for the season!
After enchanting the entire world, this audiovisual spectacle arrives at a magnificent architectural setting in Rio, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the poetic visual narrative of our planet’s creation.
Combining cutting-edge projection mapping technology, the projections take over the centuries-old walls and ceilings, revealing water, earth, and light in a magical way.
To make the experience even more unforgettable, there are special sessions featuring live music! But hurry, because the show is already coming to an end!
The Candlelight concerts continue to illuminate Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic spots and are in full swing this month!
So, don’t miss the chance to enjoy a candlelit performance featuring the best of classical music and the greatest contemporary hits in a way you’ve never seen (or heard) before! Full schedule here!
A classic story presented in a way you ’ve never seen before!
This is the Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty, a reimagining of the story of Princess Aurora in a magical show! On stage, the talented dancers light up the stage in costumes made of fiber-optic lights, creating a perfect fusion between the past and the future!
Rock in Rio
The world’s biggest music festival is about to begin !
Rock in Rio takes over the Marvelous City this month, featuring numerous national and international acts, as well as an endless lineup of activities throughout the event.
Among the highlights of this edition are concerts by Elton John, Stray Kids, Calvin Harris, Barão Vermelho, Ivete Sangalo, and much more!
The free, traveling exhibition “Jobim-açu” transforms a truck into a “poetic clearing” that recreates Tom Jobim ’s relationship with the Atlantic Forest, featuring panels, soundscapes, and workshops.
The exhibition is part of Rio Art Week and will be on display at Santos Dumont Square from September 1 to 6, 2026. It will then move to Orla Prefeito Luiz Paulo Conde, where it will remain from September 16 to 20.
ArtRio
Recognized as one of the most important events on the Latin American arts calendar, ArtRio will reach its 16th edition in 2026.
The fair features a very diverse cultural program, with exhibitors, conversations with artists and curators, a sculpture garden, performances, art installations, and a food court.
In addition, there’s also a parallel program, which takes place free of charge in various public spaces throughout the city.
Rio Gastronomia returns to the Jockey Club with renowned chefs, concerts, and experiences for the whole family!
Brazil’s largest food festivaltakes place from September 17 to October 4, 2026, bringing together 36 restaurants, concerts, a Ferris wheel, a kids’ area, and a farmers’ market in Rio de Janeiro.
Toast, laugh, and learn about wine in a laid-back way.
To add something different to your list of things to do in Rio de Janeiro in September, this experience blends stand-up comedy and a guided wine tasting in sessions held in Rio de Janeiro.
Here’s how it works: the audience samples five selected wines while enjoying stories, jokes, and fun facts in a lighthearted and entertaining way.
Grupo Corpo arrives at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro with a program that brings together two landmark moments in its history. Created in 2025 to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, *Piracema* features choreography by Rodrigo Pederneiras and Cassi Abranchesand music by Clarice Assad.
Alongside its latest creation, the company is bringing back *Lecuona*(2004), which returns to the stage after a ten-year hiatus from the repertoire.
Ebony – Final Act
After bringing the “KM2” era to Europe on a first international tour marked by four sold-out shows and three European festivals, Ebony returns to Brazil for the project’s final shows .
Dubbed “Último Ato” ( Final Act), this new series of performances marks the end of the “KM2 (De Luxo)” era and brings together some of the highlights of the artist’s career on stage to date.
Enjoy It at Lunch
This month, it’s worth taking advantage of your lunch break to enjoy this exhibition currently on display at Caixa Cultural in Rio de Janeiro.
The 13th edition of the “Curta no Almoço” film series brings together 20 short films in three daily, free screenings, showcasing different stories from across the country through powerful narratives and memorable soundtracks.
IL PRIMO MIRACOLO
Celebrating its 33rd year on stage, IL PRIMO MIRACOLO has crossed borders and captivated audiences: it has been seen by more than 200,000 spectators in 180 cities across seven countries! And it is with this track record that the show arrives on Rio’s stages.
Written by Dario Fo, the play is a scathing satire that blends popular humor, social criticism, and historical imagination.
On stage, actor Roberto Birindelli portrays 22 characters, guiding the audience through an allegorical flashback to the early years of Christ’s life, based on apocryphal gospels and folk tales.
A June festival show inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” filled with music, quadrilha dances, and magic.
After a run in São Paulo, the musical “Festa no Arraial” is now playing at the Clara Nunes Theater, with performances through September 27!
“Wicked – The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz”
The show “Wicked, ” a smash hit with critics and audiences alike, has arrived for a short and highly anticipated run at Cidade das Artes.
Starring Myra Ruiz and Fabi Bang, this musical blockbuster reveals the secrets and the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, long before Dorothy arrived in the Land of Oz. The production runs through September 6!
The Little Witch Who Was Good
O Tablado ’s special 75th-anniversary program is revisiting a children’s classic: “The Little Witch Who Was Good.”
Written in 1954 by Maria Clara Machado, “A Bruxinha que Era Boa” was first staged at O Tablado in 1958, returning in 1999 and 2014. It has become one of the great classics of Brazilian children’s theater !
Duque de Caxias will host its first literary festival in September, featuring free events and activities for all ages.
FLIDUC takes place from September 23 to 26 at various cultural venues throughout the city, such as the Oscar Niemeyer Cultural Center, Praça do Pacificador, the Raul Cortez Theater, and the Leonel de Moura Brizola Municipal Library.
