Blumenau, in the southern state of Santa Catarina, is a fun town that hangs on to the traditions of its German immigrants The major event is the annual Oktoberfest, which began in 1984 and brings in more then 500,000 visitors each year. The celebration spills from the festival area into downtown, with celebrants consuming almost 100,000 gallons of beer in three weeks.

Blumenau's downtown has a German architectural flavor of half-timber construction with clean streets affording dining, lodging, and shopping that may make you forget you're in South America. You'll find German cuisine, pastries, and music throughout this town, plus a growing glassware industry with high-quality products. And to top off your visit, you'll want to tour the Blumenau Brewery.

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Festivals:
Oktoberfest starts toward the beginning of October and runs for about two weeks.