Rio is January, but in February there’s Carnival (or almost) and much more to enjoy in the Marvelous City. So if you’re looking for tips for this month, check out our complete and always up-to-date guide to what to do in February in Rio de Janeiro!
Pre-Carnival
It’s impossible to start the month without talking about the liveliest season of the year, isn’t it?
That’s because this year Carnival isn’t until March, but in the Marvelous City it’s always time to hit the streets!
That’s why there’s no shortage of parties, feijoadas, technical rehearsals and much more to get the revelers excited right away! Keep an eye out here because we always keep Cariocas and tourists up to date with the best events in the city!
Candlelight Concerts
If you don’t know what to do in February in Rio de Janeiro, how about a Candlelight Concert?
Candlelight shows are amazing, exciting and always take place in iconic places in Rio de Janeiro. So you can’t miss them!
Check out this month’s program!
- Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer – February 6, at the PRIO Theater;
- Candlelight: Tribute to Ed Sheeran – February 6, at Teatro PRIO;
- Candlelight: Magical Soundtracks – February 15, at the Museum of Tomorrow;
- Candlelight: Rock Classics from Queen to Pink Floyd – February 15, at the Museum of Tomorrow;
- Candlelight: Coldplay x Imagine Dragons – February 16, at the Museum of Tomorrow.
Neon Brush
The creative Neon Brush workshop has arrived in Rio de Janeiro to paint the city in neon.
The experience with fluorescent paints and UV lights leads the public to explore their most creative side, while sipping their favorite drink and making new friends.
That’s why get your ticket now to enjoy this unique moment!
The Lion King
One of the most iconic stories from the Disney studios is getting a production by Oficina Estilhaça this February.
The musical tells the adventures of the young lion Simba, son and heir of Mufasa, who escapes from an ambush by his evil uncle Scar. With the help of his friends, Timon and Pumba, he reappears as an adult to reclaim his land.
A story that involves struggle, love and self-knowledge, along the path of ancestry, friendship and family!
📌Cesgranrio Theater | Rua Santa Alexandrina, 1011 – Rio Comprido
📅From February 14th to 23rd | Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm | Sundays at 6pm
💵From R$ 35 (half-price)
Every maiden has a father who is a beast
Speaking of plays the most acclaimed play by Gláucio Gill (1932-1965) will receive a new staging in February, as part of the reopening of the theater that bears the playwright’s name.
Directed by Débora Lamm, the comedy ‘Every maiden has a father who is a beast’ is set in Copacabana in the 1950s and follows a colonel who decides to defend his daughter’s honor after she moves in with her boyfriend. Lots of twists and turns!
📌Glaucio Gill Theater | Praça Cardeal Arcoverde, s/nº – Copacabana
📅From February 1st to 24th | Saturdays and Mondays at 8pm | Sundays at 7pm
💵From R$2.50 (half-price)
Horizonte Cerrado: Living in the center of the map
On display at the Federal Justice Cultural Center, the exhibition ‘Horizonte Cerrado: Living in the center of the map’ exalts the artistic power of a region that, although geographically central, is culturally eccentric.
Thus, by bringing together productions from the states of the Midwest and the neighboring regions of Minas Gerais and Bahia, it is possible to trace a cultural mapping that transcends geopolitical borders.
The Cerrado, as a physical and symbolic space, influences not only those who were born there, but also those who, by choice or destiny, have come to inhabit it.
📌CCJF | Avenida Rio Branco, 241 – Centro
📅Until 23/03 | Tuesday to Sunday, from 11am to 7pm
💵Free
Nós – Art and Science by Women
What to do in February in Rio de Janeiro? Take the opportunity to visit the exhibition ‘We – Art and Science by Women’, which is on show at Futuros – Arte e Tecnologia, in Flamengo.
More than 50 female scientists can be seen in the exhibition, which also features 19 visual artists.
The exhibition highlights the knowledge produced by women from Brazil and different parts of the world in areas such as astronomy, chemistry, medicine, anthropology and archaeology, in order to reflect on different aspects of women’s condition amid works of art and pieces from scientific collections.
📌Futuros – Arte e Tecnologia | Rua Dois de Dezembro, 63 – Flamengo
📅Until 09/03 | Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 8pm
💵Free
Jorge Vercillo & MPB Jazz Orchestra
For the first time at Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro singer-songwriter Jorge Vercillo will take to the stage with the MPB Jazz Orchestra for an exciting journey through different arrangements and compositions.
The show will not only be a retrospective of a career full of hits, but will also celebrate the constant renewal of the singer, who continues to influence generations of musicians and young artists.
📌Theatro Municipal | Praça Floriano, s/n – Centro
📅14/02 | at 7pm
💵From R$100,
Tuesdays in Ipanema
Starting on February 4, Pedro Luís takes over the artistic residency of the “Tuesdays in Ipanema” project and it’s a good choice if you’re looking for something to do in February in Rio de Janeiro.
Throughout the month (and always on Tuesdays), the singer-songwriter will be showing songs from his new album and welcoming guests such as
Zélia Duncan, Gisele de Santi, Fernanda Abreu and Chico Chico. Great, right?
📌Teatro Municipal Ipanema Rubens Corrêa | Rua Prudente de Morais, 824, Ipanema
📅04, 11, 18 and 25/02 | at 8pm
💵From R$40, (half-price)
Music at the Museum – Summer Concerts
The Music at the Museum project in Rio de Janeiro has been running for 28 years, taking concerts to different cultural venues in the city.
This February, the program gets into the summer mood and also the revel ry, with the theme “The Carnival Classics and the Classics at Carnival”, at the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center. It’s worth checking the official website for full dates and times!
📌CCBB | Rua Primeiro de Março, 66 – Centro
📅12,19 and 26/02 | at 12:30 p.m.
💵Free
Cine Drag
February also marks the return of Cine Drag, this time at Estação NET Botafogo.
The event acts as an initiative to show queer-themed films and promote a space for LGBTQIAPN+ politicization and resistance in the arts. In this way, it brings the public closer to narratives that don’t circulate in the mainstream media and turns the movie theater into a great stage for the manifestation of drag art.
In this edition, the film “Victor ou Victória?” will be screened, as well as a short documentary, authored by Cine Drag, on the theme of “Drag art in cinema”.
📌Estação NET Botafogo | Rua Voluntários da Pátria, 88 – Botafogo
📅23/02 | from 7pm to 10pm
💵From R$50,