New Year's Eve and Carnival in Florianópolis: Where to Go

New Year’s Eve in Florianópolis, known in Brazil as Réveillon, centers on Avenida Beira-Mar Norte, with free concerts and fireworks over the bay, capped off by the traditional fireworks waterfall on the Ponte Hercílio Luz bridge. Carnival is concentrated in the historic center, with street parties and the samba school parades at the Passarela Nego Quirido. Outside downtown, Jurerê Internacional is home to the private New Year’s parties, and several neighborhoods host stages during Carnival.

These are the two most in-demand dates of the year on the island. This guide explains where the parties are, how to deal with traffic and crowds, and where to find calmer options. Programs change every year: always check the city’s official schedule, released close to each event.

New Year’s Eve in Florianópolis

Where to ring in the New Year

Place	Style	Best for
Avenida Beira-Mar Norte (downtown)	Free official party, concerts and fireworks over the bay	Seeing the fireworks and the Ponte Hercílio Luz
Beira-Mar Continental	Stage and fireworks in the 2025/2026 edition	Anyone on the mainland side or wanting less of a crush
Jurerê Internacional	Paid private parties at beach clubs	Ticketed parties with an open bar
Canasvieiras, Ingleses and the northern beaches	Packed beaches, parties and private fireworks	A party atmosphere on the sand
Santo Antônio de Lisboa, Ribeirão da Ilha	Dinners and a calmer celebration	Couples, families, anyone after some peace and quiet

The official party on Beira-Mar

The Florianópolis city government organizes New Year’s Eve on Avenida Beira-Mar Norte, with a stage, musical acts and 10 to 15 minutes of fireworks, depending on the year. The most anticipated moment is the fireworks waterfall on the Ponte Hercílio Luz, the city’s iconic bridge, which turned 100 in 2026 and was the theme of the 2025/2026 celebration. That year, the fireworks were launched from barges on the bay, both off Beira-Mar Norte and off Beira-Mar Continental, which also had a stage.

Since 2018, the city has used low-noise fireworks to reduce distress for animals, children, older people and anyone sensitive to noise. The format changes: for the countdown to 2024, for example, part of the show was done with drones.

Tips for Beira-Mar:

• Arrive early, before 10 pm, to get a good spot on the sidewalk.
• Don’t drive: nearby roads are closed. Walk, take the bus, or get dropped off by a ride-hailing app away from Beira-Mar and walk the rest of the way.
• Agree on a meeting point with your group; cell service often drops out in the crowd.
• Bring only the essentials, and keep your phone put away.

Jurerê and the northern beaches

Jurerê Internacional is home to the most sought-after private New Year’s Eve parties in Florianópolis, held at beach clubs, with tickets, open bar and big-name Brazilian acts. Tickets are usually expensive and sell out early. Canasvieiras, Ingleses and other northern beaches are completely taken over by locals and tourists at midnight, with private fireworks and parties on the sand.

The weak spot is access: the island has few highways, and the ones to the north get very congested on December 31 and in the early hours of January 1. If you plan to spend the night in the north, it’s best to stay nearby or plan to head back only the next morning.

A quieter New Year’s Eve

To escape the crowds, a good option is a New Year’s Eve dinner at the seafood restaurants of Santo Antônio de Lisboa or Ribeirão da Ilha, Azorean villages facing the bay, or celebrating at the smaller beaches in the south and east of the island. Many restaurants offer a special menu by reservation; book ahead.

Carnival in Florianópolis

Carnival in Florianópolis is traditional, popular and mostly free. The 2026 program featured more than 100 blocos (street parties) and free concerts at nine stages spread around the island.

Main events

Event	When	Where
Berbigão do Boca	Friday of the week before Carnival; kicks off the festivities	Downtown (Largo da Alfândega in 2026)
Samba school parades	Carnival Friday and Saturday, at night	Passarela Nego Quirido, downtown
Bloco dos Sujos	Carnival Saturday, all day	Downtown, near Praça XV de Novembro
Champions’ parade	Carnival Tuesday	Passarela Nego Quirido
Neighborhood stages	Throughout Carnival	In 2026: Centro, Santo Antônio de Lisboa, Sambaqui, Canasvieiras, Ponta das Canas, Ingleses, Lagoa da Conceição, Campeche and Pântano do Sul

Berbigão do Boca. The bloco that traditionally opens the city’s Carnival, with giant puppets honoring figures from the island and from across Brazil.

Bloco dos Sujos. One of the biggest and most traditional blocos in Florianópolis, drawing costumed crowds downtown on Carnival Saturday.

Samba schools. The Passarela Nego Quirido hosts the parades of the city’s samba schools, such as Protegidos da Princesa, Copa Lord, Unidos da Coloninha and Consulado, over two nights, with the scores announced on Monday and the champions’ parade on Tuesday.

Historic center. In 2026, the big new addition was trios elétricos (sound trucks) with big-name Brazilian acts around Praça XV, Largo da Alfândega and Avenida Paulo Fontes.

Outside downtown, each neighborhood has its own vibe. Santo Antônio de Lisboa usually hosts the Baiacu de Alguém bloco, and Lagoa da Conceição is a traditional Carnival party spot. See what else to do there in our Lagoa da Conceição guide.

When is Carnival 2027?

Carnival Tuesday 2027 is February 9, and Ash Wednesday is February 10. In Florianópolis, the blocos start about a week earlier, with Berbigão do Boca. The city usually releases the official program just a few weeks before the celebration.

Carnival tips

• Costumes are welcome: Florianópolis blocos really love them.
• Sunscreen and water: the daytime blocos take place at the height of summer.
• Keep your phone safe: crowds are prime territory for pickpockets. Wear a fanny pack under your clothes or use a zipped pocket.
• Get back by ride-hailing app or bus: parking downtown is tough, and the Lei Seca (Brazil’s drunk-driving law) has zero tolerance.
• Summer rain: late-afternoon showers are common; bring a light rain poncho.

Accommodation: book early

New Year’s Eve and Carnival fall at the peak of high season, when Florianópolis welcomes tourists from all over Brazil and South America. In practice:

• Book months in advance: the best options sell out first, and prices rise as the date approaches.
• Watch out for minimum stays: it’s common for places to require several nights over these dates.
• Be wary of deals that look too good on social media: the fake rental scam surges in summer. Book and pay only through the platform. See more in our guide to safety in Florianópolis.
• Think about location: staying near where you’ll ring in the New Year or celebrate Carnival saves hours in traffic. Compare areas in our guide on where to stay in Florianópolis.

If you can choose, the weeks right after Carnival are usually calmer, with the sea still warm. See the month-by-month breakdown in our guide to the best time to visit Florianópolis.

Trindade over New Year’s Eve and Carnival

Trindade is about 15 minutes from downtown, home to the Beira-Mar Norte party and the Carnival blocos, and about 15 minutes from Lagoa da Conceição, without traffic. It’s a residential area, away from the party noise, so you can sleep well between one day of revelry and the next. Floripa Studio Trindade has self check-in, air conditioning, a full kitchen and a supermarket in the building, and offers a 10% discount on weekly stays, a good option if you want to spend the whole week of New Year’s or Carnival on the island.