In Rio de Janeiro, this weekend will have a special flavor. That’s because Friday, April 18, and Monday, April 21, are national holidays. In addition, Wednesday, April 23, is St. George’s Day and a public holiday in the city. In other words, Cariocas will have a long holiday and several free days to enjoy. But what to do on the April holiday? Here are the best things to do!
Stranger Things: The Experience
The Inverted World is open in Rio de Janeiro! That’s why you can’t miss Stranger Things: The Experience, which has just arrived at BarraShopping.
In this immersive experience, you’ll enter the universe of one of television’s most beloved series, take part in a mysterious study and even gain superpowers to save your friends! What’s more, themed sets will take you straight back to the 80s! Get your tickets now!
Stranger Things: The Experience - Rio de Janeiro
Beco do Rato Festival
It’s been 21 years of Beco do Rato, the traditional bar and samba house in Lapa! So, to celebrate, here comes the second edition of the Beco do Rato Festival.
Of course, music can’t be missing. So there will be 15 uninterrupted hours of samba on two stages with various attractions. The festival will bring together artists and bands who play at Beco, highlighting the city’s samba circles, as well as other established samba artists.
As for food and drink, the event also features traditional Rio bars and their famous snacks. Among them: Bar da Portuguesa, Pescados na Brasa, Mureta da Lapa and Pão de Alho do Kiki.
📌NAU Cidades | Avenida Professor Pereira Reis, 36 – Santo Cristo
📅20/04 | from 1pm to 4am
💵From R$45,
Santa on the Table Festival
Another good choice of things to do on April vacation is to enjoy Santa Mesa.
The gastronomic festival in Santa Teresa brings together 20 of the neighborhood’s restaurants and bars, with dishes prepared especially for the event. Many are inspired by recipes linked to Easter, but there are also feijoadas to commemorate the day of St. George, the warrior saint.
In addition, throughout the festival, the public will also find cultural attractions with free admission, such as the Glória Maria Park and the Laurinda Lobo Cultural Center.
📌Santa Teresa
📅 18 a 23/04
💵 Free entry
Comida di Buteco
Cariocas’ favorite gastronomic festival has already begun, with lots of delicacies in various bars around the city.
During the competition, the establishments offer a snack created especially for the contest, for a fixed price. The public and the judges give their score, considering the food, hygiene, service and temperature of the drink.
📌Complete list of bars
📅 From 11/04 to 11/05
💵 R$ 35,
Cabaret Te Vê
If you’re looking for something to do on April national holiday, ‘Cabaré Te Vê’ is a good choice.
It’s a comic and musical show that plays with the universe of Brazilian television. In each scene, the cast improvises and recreates iconic moments from national TV, mixing homage, satire and humorous criticism.
📌Glaucio Gill Theater | Praça Cardeal Arcoverde, s/n – Copacabana
📅 18, 19, 25 and 26/04 | At 22h
💵 R$ 2.50 (half-price)
Selva: Solitude
The monologue ‘Selva: Solidão’, written by Jefferson Almeida and Vinicius Teixeira, ends its season this week at the Sérgio Porto Theater.
The play tells the story of Jonathan, a fast food attendant, Luiz Felipe, a call boy and Antônio, a retired university professor. The three gay men, all played by Vinícius, have their lives crossed and the aim is to delve deeper into LGBTQIAPN+ loneliness.
📌Teatro Sérgio Porto | Rua Visconde de Silva, s/n next to nº 292 – Humaitá
📅 18, 19, 20/04 | Friday and Saturday, 8pm | Sunday, 7pm
💵 R$ 20, (half-price)
Mamma Mia!
Take advantage of the holiday to see the premiere of the musical ‘Mamma Mia!’, which returns to the stage in Rio de Janeiro for a new season.
The story, set on a charming Greek island, revolves around Sophie, who is about to get married and invites three of her mother’s ex-boyfriends, Donna, in the hope of finding out who her real father is.
📌Teatro Riachuelo | Rua do Passeio, 38/40 – Centro
📅 From April 18th to May 11th | Wednesday to Saturday, at 4pm and 8pm | Sunday, at 3pm and 7pm
💵 From R$ 37,50
Rock 80 Festival
The Rock 80 Festival is back in Urca this weekend and promises an immersion in the best of 80s rock!
The program is full of attractions, with a mix of good music, gastronomy, fashion, handicrafts and areas for children. Best of all? Admission is free, but with a touch of solidarity: visitors are invited to donate 2 kg of non-perishable food, which will be sent to charities in the city.
📌Praça General Tibúrcio – Urca
📅 19 and 20/04 | from 11am to 10pm
💵 Free entry
Wine Jazz
Until April 27, the rooftop of Shopping Leblon has been transformed into a stage for the second edition of the Wine Jazz Festival.
There will be quality music, special wines and top gastronomy, with chefs Rafa Gomes and Pedro Benoliel at the helm. And all this with panoramic views of the Leblon and Ipanema beaches and the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon!
📌Avenida Afrânio de Melo Franco, 29 – Leblon
📅 Until 27/04
💵 R$ 45,
Backyard dance
This Friday, singer-songwriter Moyseis Marques will be playing Baile de Quintal at Al Farabi.
Accompanied by a quartet of stars, Moyseis mixes sambas, ijexás and Afro-Brazilian references in a show that pays homage to Chico Buarque’s 80th birthday and rescues the bohemian soul of Lapa.
📌Al Farabi Bar e Sebo | Rua do Mercado, 34 – Boulevard Olímpico
📅 18/04 | from 6pm
💵 Free entry
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
It’s worth remembering that April 19 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and there will be a very special program at Parque Lage to celebrate the date.
From Friday to Monday, representatives of 25 ethnic groups will be there and the event will also include a craft fair, body painting, indigenous art workshops, lectures and debates.
📌Rua Jardim Botânico, 414 – Jardim Botânico
📅 from 18 to 21/04 | from 9am to 5pm
💵 Free of charge
Tiradentes Palace
On the Tiradentes holiday, the Tiradentes Palace will give a theatrical guided tour of the historic building, including the Great Hall, the Library and the Plenary.
As well as seeing some of the Palace’s most emblematic halls, the public will learn a little more about the trajectory of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, or Tiradentes, during the Inconfidência Mineira movement, with interactive and playful passages. The tour is free, but tickets will be distributed for each session.
Rua Primeiro de Março, s/nº – Praça XV
📅 21/04 | 10h, 11h, 12h, 14h, 15h and 16h
💵 Free
So, do you know what to do on the April holidays in Rio de Janeiro? There are plenty of options!