Rio’s 2026 Grupo Especial Samba Themes Finalized as Biographical Tributes Lead

Overview

• Organizers confirmed 12 themes for Rio’s top-tier schools, with 8 biographical selections shaping the 2026 parade narratives.
• Acadêmicos de Niterói will honor President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with “Do Alto do Mulungu Surge a Esperança: Lula, o Operário do Brasil.”
• Other tributes include Heitor dos Prazeres (Vila Isabel), Ney Matogrosso (Imperatriz), Rita Lee (Mocidade) and Carolina Maria de Jesus (Unidos da Tijuca).
• Afro-diasporic religion and culture figure prominently with Paraíso do Tuiuti’s “Lonã Ifá Lukumi” on Santeria and Beija‑Flor’s “Bembé do Mercado” on the Recôncavo Baiano.
• The parades keep the three-day format introduced in 2025, running Feb. 15–17, with Grande Rio set to salute the Manguebeat movement.