Rock in Rio's 2026 edition comes to a close in Rio de Janeiro this weekend, marking the festival's 11th outing in the city and leaving Brazilian fans without a major music festival for at least six months. The next big event on the calendar, Lollapalooza, already has its dates locked in for 2027, running from March 19 to 21.
Both festivals are staged in Brazil by the same company, Rock World, and are often described as sister events. Despite that shared ownership, Rock in Rio and Lollapalooza differ in several key ways, from where and when they take place to the kind of music they showcase.
Rock in Rio was first held in Rio de Janeiro in 1985 and has grown into one of the world's largest music festivals, later staging editions in cities such as Lisbon and Madrid. Lollapalooza has a similar international reach, having expanded well beyond its roots as a touring festival launched in the United States in 1991 by Perry Farrell, with editions now held in countries including Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo
The 2026 edition is the 11th time Rock in Rio has been held in its home city. The festival has also traveled abroad, with editions in Portugal and Spain, but it has never been staged in Sao Paulo.
The festival's home ground, known as Cidade do Rock, has moved locations over the years and is currently based at Parque Olimpico da Barra, the site used for the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Maracana stadium also hosted Rock in Rio back in 1991.
Lollapalooza's Brazilian edition, by contrast, has always been held in Sao Paulo. The festival, created by Perry Farrell, the vocalist of Jane's Addiction, is currently staged at the Autodromo de Interlagos racetrack, though it has also been held at the Jockey Club in the past.
Different Times of Year
Rock in Rio, the brainchild of Brazilian promoter Roberto Medina, held its earliest editions in January. Since 2011, though, fans have grown used to seeing the festival take place in September.
Lollapalooza, which arrived in Brazil in 2012, is a first-half-of-the-year event. It was originally held in April but now takes place in March.
How Often Each Festival Returns
Rock in Rio has, at times, gone as long as ten years between editions. Since 2011, it has settled into a two-year cycle. After the 2021 edition was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival shifted to being held in even-numbered years starting in 2022.
Lollapalooza fans do not have to wait as long between shows, since the festival is held every year.
Contrasting Musical Lineups
Rock in Rio built its reputation on booking major names from Brazilian and international music, not just acts within the rock genre. Bahian singer Ivete Sangalo, known for axe and pop, is one example, having performed on the Palco Mundo, the festival's main stage.
Lollapalooza has a different musical identity in Brazil. The festival arrived with a reputation for prioritizing alternative and contemporary music, and its lineups typically include heavy metal, alternative rock, indie, punk, grunge and rap.
With Rock in Rio's 2026 run now finished, attention turns to Sao Paulo, where Lollapalooza will next take over the Autodromo de Interlagos from March 19 to 21, 2027.
