Here’s a celebration you don’t normally associate with South America: Oktoberfest. Yet there it is, nestled nicely in the middle of Blemenau, Brazil. The oompah bands strike up today and keep playing through Oct. 28.
These guys hale from Bavaria, worldwide epicenter of Oktoberfests everywhere. On the classic side of the ledger Die Karolinenfelder performs classics, and Frankenx-Press lets loose with rock as well as traditional tunes. In all this year’s celebration is attracting some 45 bands.
Blumenau is no stranger to Germanic influence. The place was founded back in the mid-19th Century as a German colony. And, of course, where there’s German culture there’s beer – very, very good beer. At last year’s Oktoberfest more than half-a-million fans consumed upwards of 626-thousand liters of the heady stuff.
Lest you quaff too much on an empty stomach know that the local police have scant patience with drunken drivers.
On the other hand, you’re not going to be penalized for piling on the wurst and strudel. Food vendors abound in Blumenau this time of year, as do things for kids to do. Take them by the hand to Kinderplatz where you’ll find wall climbing for the older kinder, inflatable toys for the younger, and plenty of arts for all comers.
Blumenau isn’t exactly a village. It’s a city of some 300-thousand-plus souls in the State of Santa Catarina. That’s in the southern part of Brazil. For reference sake, that places it 130 km from the capital of Florianopolis. While the geography and he climate may not conjure up Germany, the culture assuredly does. Some folks label Blumenau Brazil’s “Tropical Germany.”
(Image: Vitor Pamplona)
