Carlinhos Brown kicks off Salvador’s Carnival on Feb 12 with the new Mr. Brown trio, joined by Black Coffee and Nasri, then closes the city with the Ash Wednesday Arrastão on Feb 18.
Carlinhos Brown’s Carnival 2026 run starts at full volume: on February 12, he headlines Salvador’s official opening with the brand-new Mr. Brown electric trio on the Barra-Ondina route, featuring Black Coffee and Nasri (MAGIC!).
The Mr. Brown trio at Carnival 2026
Led by Grupo Carlinhos Brown, the structure is presented as more than a sound truck: a rolling stage that blends music, design, technology, and ancestry, built on a nearly 90-ton platform and designed for a street-level scenic performance.
With tech wood panels, flowing curves, LED lighting, and a retro-futurist look, the trio connects tradition to a forward-looking, sustainability-driven engineering approach on the avenue.
Ah, o carnaval… O maior espetáculo de rua do planeta. Mais de 4 milhões de pessoas por dia se encontram em um só lugar, em uma só vibração. O Brasil respira música, dança, encontros e marcas que fazem parte dessa energia. Estar no carnaval é estar no centro da cultura brasileira, com repercussão mundial. Vale dizer que o trio elétrico vai além da amplificação da voz do povo através dos artistas, é uma atividade econômica e social que gera empregos diretos e indiretos, renda e tributos desde a sua concepção, passando por sua construção e, sobretudo, durante toda a sua vida útil de operação. Não é somente um caminhão sonoro, é uma escultura viva que transforma o percurso do som em linguagem visual e arquitetônica. Inspirado nos fluxos invisíveis que sustentam a cidade e a alma, mistura arte, engenharia e música para criar uma experiência sensorial urbana em movimento. (Carlinhos Brown)
The build was documented in time-lapse photography and will be part of an audiovisual documentary showing how the project took shape, including an educational angle on how a trio is assembled.
A bilingual e-book (Portuguese and English) is also planned, combining background on the trio elétrico tradition with behind-the-scenes material from the new structure.
Camarote Andante and Timbalada
Beyond the new trio, Brown brings the Camarote Andante to the streets, a hybrid setup that merges trio, support vehicle, and a moving VIP deck hosting up to 150 guests alongside the Timbalada Block on the Barra-Ondina circuit.
Designed with sustainability in mind, Andante runs on a lithium battery system and solar panels, delivering nearly four hours of autonomy in fully electric mode, and it can also parade solo at an alternate time.
The project adds a training layer too, with free workshops in sound, lighting, cultural production, DJing, set design, and Carnival history, turning the street into a hands-on classroom and a celebration space.
In partnership with WEG and K2D, the initiative points toward an energy transition and the goal of a fully electric trio.
Carlinhos Brown’s Carnival 2026 schedule
On Feb 13, Brown returns to Barra-Ondina with Mr. Brown for a samba-centered night tied to Salvador’s 2026 theme, with guest appearances by Karinah, musicians associated with Beth Carvalho’s band (the “Globetrotters do Samba”), and singer Simone, his partner on the Carnaval single “Primeiro Amor Primeiro”.
On Feb 14, he leads the Timbalada Block on the same route, with Amanda Santiago confirmed as a special guest.
On Feb 15, Brown moves to the Campo Grande route (Circuito Osmar) for another trio parade, then drops by his Camarote Brown in Barra-Ondina, positioned seaside with views of Farol da Barra and the Cristo landmark.
He then heads out of state: Feb 16 in Santa Vitória (Minas Gerais) for Santa Folia with free admission, and Feb 17 in Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), where the city’s Carnival lineup also includes names such as Alceu Valença and Jorge Aragão.
On Ash Wednesday morning (Feb 18), Brown closes Salvador by leading the Arrastão on Barra-Ondina, a movement he created in 1995 to extend the street celebration to broader audiences, including Carnival workers.
Camarote Brown returns for a third year
By invitation only, Camarote Brown runs from Feb 13 (Friday) through Feb 17 (Tuesday), welcoming around 1,000 people per day, from artists and business leaders to celebrities and devoted Carnivalgoers.
Alongside Brown’s presence and the required trio stopovers, the venue lists Batifum, Ju Moraes, Uel, Tain Riachão, 2Baianos, DJ+2, and samba circles—programming aligned with the samba spotlight in Salvador’s 2026 Carnival.
Service
Feb 12, 2026 (Thu) — Mr. Brown Trio (Official opening of Salvador Carnival 2026) — Time: 9:40 pm (approx.) — Location: Circuito Dodô (Barra-Ondina), Salvador, BA — Guests: Black Coffee and Nasri
Feb 13, 2026 (Fri) — Mr. Brown Trio — Time: 9:40 pm (approx.) — Location: Circuito Dodô (Barra-Ondina), Salvador, BA — Guests: Karinah, Beth Carvalho’s band musicians (Globetrotters do Samba) and Simone
Feb 14, 2026 (Sat) — Timbalada Block — Time: 6:40 pm (approx.; subject to Carnival operations) — Location: Circuito Dodô (Barra-Ondina), Salvador, BA — Guest: Amanda Santiago
Feb 15, 2026 (Sun) — Electric trio parade — Time: 2:15 pm (approx.) — Location: Circuito Osmar (Campo Grande), Salvador, BA
Feb 15, 2026 (Sun) — Camarote Brown — Time: TBA — Location: Circuito Dodô (Barra-Ondina), Salvador, BA — Address: Avenida Oceânica, 814, Barravento, Barra
Feb 15, 2026 (Sun) — Camarote Harém — Time: 1:00 am — Location: Circuito Dodô (Barra-Ondina), Salvador, BA
Feb 16, 2026 (Mon) — Santa Folia — Location: Santa Vitória, MG — Parque de Exposições Salustiano Morais — Free admission
Feb 17, 2026 (Tue) — Natal Carnival — Location: Natal, RN
Feb 18, 2026 (Wed) — Mr. Brown Trio (Arrastão / Closing of Salvador Carnival 2026) — Time: 10:00 am — Location: Barra-Ondina, Salvador, BA
Photo: Dodô Villar/Courtesy
