Charanga do França draws 43,000 and redefines São Paulo’s street carnival

No stage, no speakers—just music on the ground. With 43,000 revelers, Charanga do França turned São Paulo’s streets into a shared urban symphony.

On February 16, 2026, Santa Cecília became a sea of rhythm and brass as 40,000 people followed the 11th edition of O Espetacular Bloco da Charanga do França. Without amplification or elevated sound systems, musicians and audience moved together—proving that real connection happens at human scale.

Led by saxophonist and conductor Thiago França, over 120 musicians performed a vibrant mix of Nelson Cavaquinho, Só Pra Contrariar, axé, funk, and traditional marchinhas. The street became a living soundtrack of São Paulo’s diversity and creative pulse.

Founded in 2013, the Charanga is more than a carnival group—it’s a year-round music project, offering open workshops and community rehearsals. In 2025, the band completed its first international tour, expanding its dialogue between art, city, and citizenship.

Charanguinha and the next generation

Five days later, on February 21, the Charanguinha do França brought together 3,000 people in Vila Buarque for an acoustic children’s parade. With playful arrangements and interactive performances, it showed how the joy of carnival can shape new relationships with public space from an early age.

Created in 2018, the Charanguinha has become a gateway for families and children to experience community through celebration—turning the streets into shared playgrounds of creativity and belonging.

Sponsored by CAIXA and the Government of Brazil, produced by Jasmim Produção Cultural, the project reaffirms its civic commitment: transforming the urban landscape through coexistence and collective joy.

Photo: Divulgação