Brazil Welcomes 2026 With Massive Celebrations as Guinness-Recognized Copacabana Draws 2.6 Million

Overview

• Rio’s Copacabana hosted the country’s largest party with a city-estimated 2.6 million people, a 12-minute fireworks show launched from 19 barges and an approximately 1,200‑drone display synced to DJ Alok.
• Major capitals staged extended programs, including São Paulo’s 14 hours of concerts with a 15‑minute fireworks finale, Belo Horizonte’s low‑noise pyrotechnics and about 300 drones, and Recife’s 10‑minute show from two barges.
• Authorities emphasized large-scale operations, with Rio reporting about 7,500 municipal agents from 11 departments and crowd monitoring via 700 cameras, including super‑zoom units concentrated in Copacabana.
• Emergency services in Rio documented 547 ocean rescues between the morning of Dec. 31 and early Jan. 1, and reported at least one child missing after being swept by a wave along the city’s shore.
• João Pessoa’s planned eight‑minute fireworks did not occur as expected due to reported operational failures with the vessels carrying the pyrotechnics, with municipal explanations pending at the time of reporting.