Rock in Rio creates a 40-meter sand guitar in Copacabana and launches a TikTok promotion giving away 30 pairs of tickets and access to the Sugarloaf cable car.
Copacabana woke up with a different energy this Thursday.
In another move that reinforces its connection with the city where it was born, Rock in Rio prepared a breathtaking and unprecedented artistic intervention.
The festival’s iconic guitar gained a giant version drawn directly in the sand of Copacabana Beach.
Always creating moments that stay in people’s memories inside and outside the City of Rock, the festival surprised early-morning beachgoers with a sand sculpture 40 meters in diameter.
The work was created by Land Art artist Clayton Balduino (Reciclayton) in front of the Copacabana Palace, a Rio de Janeiro landmark and international postcard.
Specialized in large-scale sand artworks, Reciclayton has more than 12 years of experience creating interventions known for geometric precision, minimalist aesthetics and strong visual impact.
TikTok contest will give away Rock in Rio Cards and cable car tickets
Demand for Rock in Rio tickets is already high among fans who do not want to miss the next edition.
To tap into this excitement, the festival is launching a TikTok contest that offers a chance to secure a spot at the City of Rock in 2026.
From today until December 5, fans who post videos answering the question “What would your celebratory dance be when securing your Rock in Rio Card?” will compete for 30 pairs of Rock in Rio Cards and tickets to the Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar cable car.
All formats are welcome: dance steps, improvisation, memes, acting or edits, as long as they celebrate the 2026 party and the joy of getting a spot at the festival.
To participate, users must include the hashtag #AnoDeRockinRio in the caption.
The winners will be announced on December 9, the day Rock in Rio Cards go on sale.
The full contest rules are available on the festival’s official website.
Campaign highlights Rio’s iconic landscapes
Earlier this week, the festival held a press conference at the Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar, with a stunning view of Guanabara Bay as the backdrop, followed by today’s action on Copacabana Beach.
Marketing director at Rock World, Ana Deccache, explains how these locations connect with the campaign.
“For 40 years, Rio de Janeiro has welcomed us, inspired us and driven us forward.
The city is our home and the starting point of everything we create.
There is a genuine relationship of partnership and exchange: Rock in Rio carries Rio’s name around the world and, in return, receives the energy that makes each edition possible.
For 2026, we are taking this connection a step further and want to be even more present, celebrating and amplifying Rio’s strength.
As Roberto Medina said at this week’s press conference, ‘the main headliner, without a doubt, is Rio de Janeiro’.
With this spirit, we are building the integrated Rock in Rio Card campaign.
We are occupying, embracing and praising the city in a true wave of communication.
The giant guitar mark on Copacabana Beach, the TikTok contest and the ‘Viva o Rio com o Rock in Rio’ program, developed with major tourism and hospitality entities, are part of the same effort: strengthen this historic bond, generate positive impact and set the tone for 2026.
Through these and other actions to come, we want people to feel, starting now and in their everyday moments, the energy of a year that promises to be unforgettable”
, says Ana Deccache.
First names confirmed for 2026 line-up
The line-up for the next edition is beginning to take shape with the first announced acts.
Elton John will headline on September 7, the same day Gilberto Gil performs a special show at the festival.
Stray Kids will close the performances on September 11.
All three shows will take place on the Palco Mundo, which will feature a new stage design in 2026.
The revamped stage includes a massive single LED screen of 2,400 m² spanning its entire width.
Rock in Rio Card sales
The 2026 edition of Rock in Rio will be held at the City of Rock, located at Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Park, on September 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11, 12, 13.
The festival has confirmed the sale date for the Rock in Rio Card, a ticket that guarantees access to the event before the full line-up is revealed.
The Card offers the unique advantage of choosing the festival day later, regardless of the pace of general ticket sales next year.
Rock in Rio Cards for the general public will go on sale on December 9, at 7 p.m., exclusively through Ticketmaster Brasil.
Members of the Rock in Rio Club will have access to a pre-sale from December 4 at 7 p.m. until December 8 at 7 p.m.
Each Rock in Rio Card is valid for one single festival day, to be chosen later, and grants one entry to the general admission field area with free circulation and access to all shows and attractions.
Fans are encouraged to register in advance on the Ticketmaster platform to speed up the purchase process when sales open.
The Rock in Rio Card is a limited edition and sales are subject to availability.
High demand and sales history
In 2024, when the festival celebrated its 40th anniversary, Rock in Rio Card sales ended in 2 hours and 4 minutes.
All 180,000 tickets sold out quickly.
Fans from every Brazilian state and from 28 countries secured their place at the City of Rock.
At the end of sales, around 460,000 people were still in the virtual queue.
If the festival had opened general ticket sales on that day, the demand would have filled 1.5 full editions, considering an average of 1.8 tickets per buyer.
Prices, payment methods and half-price tickets
For Rock in Rio Brasil 2026, Rock in Rio Cards cost R$ 795 (full), R$ 397.50 (half-price) and R$ 675.75 (Itaú Ticket for payments made with credit cards issued by Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A).
No service fee will be charged.
Payments can be made by credit card or PIX.
Customers paying with Itaú Unibanco credit cards receive a 15% discount on tickets (not cumulative with half-price benefits) and can split payments into up to eight installments with no interest.
For other accepted credit cards, purchases can be split into up to six interest-free installments.
International cards do not offer installment options.
For PIX payments, buyers must use the QR Code shown on the final checkout screen.
The payment window is 10 minutes from the time the code is generated.
Tickets are only confirmed and available after payment is processed.
Each CPF (tax ID) can purchase up to four Rock in Rio Cards, with only one eligible for half-price within this limit.
People with Disabilities may select, in addition to their own ticket, one half-price ticket for a companion, within the four-Card limit per CPF.
Buyers in this category must upload documentation on the Ticketmaster website for validation and present it at the City of Rock entrance on the event day.
By law, half-price tickets are guaranteed for students, people under 21, people over 60, People with Disabilities and one companion, teachers and staff of Rio’s public and private school networks, low-income youth and municipal street cleaners.
The festival’s age rating is 16 years.
Children under 16 may enter only when accompanied by parents or legal guardians.
More information on half-price eligibility is available on Ticketmaster Brasil’s website.
