Brazil Public Holidays 2027: Full Calendar, Carnival and Long Weekends

Brazil public holidays 2027 are 10 national dates set by federal law, from Universal Fraternization Day (Friday, 1 January) to Christmas (Saturday, 25 December), and three of them fall on a Saturday.

This guide covers the full calendar with weekdays and legal basis, the movable dates of Carnival, Easter and Corpus Christi, the federal optional days off and every long weekend in 2027. Dates were calculated and checked on 8 October 2026 against Law 662/1949, Law 6.802/1980, Law 9.093/1995 and Law 14.759/2023. The federal ordinance listing the 2027 holidays and optional days has not been published yet.

Brazil public holidays 2027 calendar

The calendar of Brazil public holidays 2027 has 10 national holidays plus six dates the federal government usually treats as “ponto facultativo”, an optional day off when public offices may close. The table follows the year in order with the type and the law behind each date.

Easter Sunday falls on 28 March 2027, so it does not appear as a separate holiday. The optional days in the table follow the pattern of the 2026 ordinance; the 2027 dates and hours become official only when the new ordinance appears in the Diário Oficial da União, Brazil’s federal gazette.

How Brazilian law sets national holidays

Brazil’s national holidays are set by federal law, mainly Law 662/1949, which lists 1 January, 21 April, 1 May, 7 September, 2 November, 15 November and 25 December in the wording given by Law 10.607/2002.

Two more laws complete the list. Law 6.802/1980 makes 12 October, the feast of Our Lady of Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil, a national holiday. Law 14.759/2023 made 20 November, National Day of Zumbi and Black Consciousness, a national holiday from 2024 onwards.

Good Friday works differently. Law 9.093/1995 says religious holidays are declared by municipal law, up to four per city, Good Friday included. In practice the federal ordinance lists it as a national holiday, and in 2027 it falls on Friday, 26 March.

Brazil Carnival 2027 dates

Brazil Carnival 2027 falls on Monday, 8 February, and Tuesday, 9 February, with Ash Wednesday on 10 February. The date follows Easter: Carnival Tuesday is always 47 days before Easter Sunday, which is 28 March in 2027.

Carnival is not a national holiday by law. For the federal government both days are optional days off and Ash Wednesday is optional until 2 pm, following the pattern of the annual ordinances. States and cities can set their own rules, and private employers decide based on local law or collective agreements.

For visitors, the Carnival weekend runs four days, from Saturday, 6 February, to Tuesday, 9 February. It is the most expensive time of year for flights and hotels in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife and Olinda, so book early.

Long weekends in Brazil in 2027

Brazil public holidays 2027 give three guaranteed three-day weekends, plus Carnival and four more dates that turn into four-day breaks with a bridge day. The breakdown below separates what is certain from what depends on an extra day off.

Long weekends without a bridge

Dates with a possible bridge

Four dates fall on a Tuesday or Thursday in 2027, each leaving one working day squeezed between the holiday and the weekend, which Brazilians call an “enforcado”:

• Corpus Christi: Thursday, 27 May, with a possible bridge on Friday, 28 May (where Corpus Christi is a day off).
• Independence Day: Tuesday, 7 September, with a possible bridge on Monday, 6 September.
• Our Lady of Aparecida: Tuesday, 12 October, with a possible bridge on Monday, 11 October.
• All Souls’ Day: Tuesday, 2 November, with a possible bridge on Monday, 1 November.

Bridge days are not automatic. The federal government decides in its annual ordinance whether a squeezed day becomes optional for federal offices: in 2026 it added Monday, 20 April, and Friday, 5 June. Companies and city halls make their own decisions.

Holidays that fall on a weekend

Three national holidays fall on a Saturday in 2027: Labour Day (1 May), Black Consciousness Day (20 November) and Christmas (25 December). Brazilian law does not move holidays to Monday, so there is no replacement day off. Tiradentes, on Wednesday, 21 April, sits midweek and does not create a long weekend.

Corpus Christi and optional days off

Corpus Christi 2027 falls on Thursday, 27 May, 60 days after Easter, and is an optional day off at federal level rather than a national holiday. Many cities declare it a religious holiday by municipal law, within the limit of four religious holidays set by Law 9.093/1995.

An optional day off means a public office may close but does not have to. The federal ordinance applies to the federal public administration only; states, cities and private companies follow their own rules. Civil Servants’ Day on 28 October applies only to public employees, and the day off is often moved to another date.

The 2027 ordinance is expected at the end of 2026. The 2026 one, MGI Ordinance 11.460, was signed on 29 December 2025 and published in the federal gazette the next day.

State and city holidays

On top of the Brazil public holidays 2027 listed above, each Brazilian state can have its own founding-day holiday and each city up to four religious holidays, under Law 9.093/1995. São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador therefore have days off that are missing from the national table.

Before booking, check the official calendar of the state and city you plan to visit, since museums, banks and public offices close on local holidays. For paying during the trip, the guide to the most popular payment methods in Brazil explains how Pix works, which runs every day of the year.

Planning trips around Brazil public holidays 2027

The best way to use Brazil public holidays 2027 is to book Carnival and Easter early, then target the September, October and November bridges, which create three four-day weekends in a row.

• February: Carnival from 6 to 9 February; flights and hotels climb months ahead.
• March: Easter week with Good Friday on 26 March, good for short trips.
• September to November: with bridges on 6 September, 11 October and 1 November, three four-day trips cost only three days of annual leave.
• November: Republic Day on Monday, 15 November, gives a three-day weekend with no leave needed.

If you are combining countries, compare with Argentina’s 2027 holidays and Chile’s 2027 holidays, which have different long weekends. For a southern summer trip, see the guide to Buenos Aires in December and January. For paying across the region, the overview of alternative payment methods in Latin America covers the main options.

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays does Brazil have in 2027?

Brazil has 10 national public holidays in 2027, counting Good Friday, which the federal ordinance lists as a national holiday. Three fall on a Saturday (1 May, 20 November and 25 December), so seven land on a weekday. Carnival and Corpus Christi are optional days off at federal level and are not part of that count.

When is Carnival in Brazil in 2027?

Carnival in Brazil in 2027 is on Monday, 8 February, and Tuesday, 9 February, with Ash Wednesday on 10 February. Parades and street parties build up over the weekend before, so the main period runs from Saturday, 6 February, to Tuesday, 9 February. For federal offices both days are optional days off.

What are the long weekends in Brazil in 2027?

The guaranteed long weekends are 1 to 3 January, 26 to 28 March (Good Friday and Easter) and 13 to 15 November (Republic Day). Carnival can add a four-day break. Corpus Christi, Independence Day, Our Lady of Aparecida and All Souls’ Day become four-day weekends where a bridge day is given.

Is everything closed in Brazil on public holidays?

Not everything, but public offices close and activity slows down. Law 662/1949 says only absolutely essential private and administrative activities are allowed on national holidays. Which shops and services open depends on each city and on collective agreements, so check opening hours for museums, banks and stores before you go out.

Is 20 November a national holiday in Brazil?

Yes. Law 14.759/2023 made 20 November, National Day of Zumbi and Black Consciousness, a national holiday. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, so it does not create a weekday off or a long weekend, because Brazilian law does not move holidays that coincide with the weekend.

When will the official 2027 holiday ordinance be published?

The ordinance listing 2027 national holidays and optional days off had not been published as of October 2026. The Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services usually releases it in late December: the 2026 ordinance appeared in the federal gazette on 30 December 2025. It confirms the optional days and any bridge days.

Cover photo: Marcos Paulo Prado / Unsplash