Everyone has heard about Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich. However, most people have no idea that a mid-sized city in southern Brazil is home to the second-largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world, and it is the largest outside of Germany!
Brazil is known for its lively street parties like Carnival, and Oktoberfest in Blumenau, Brazil is no exception. It’s a month-long celebration going on 40 years of tradition. There is beer, lederhosen, music, parades, and more!
This blog post covers everything you need to know about visiting Blumenau and going to Brazil’s Oktoberfest.
Where is Oktoberfest in Brazil
Blumenau, Brazil
The city of Blumenau is found in the Vale do Itajaí, also referred to as the Vale do Europeu or European Valley, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Caterina.
The region gets its nickname “European Valley” because the majority of the population has familial ties to Germany, Italy, and parts of Eastern Europe.
It is roughly 80 miles northwest of Santa Caterina’s capital city – Florianópolis.
Every October, Bluemanu hosts Oktoberfest in the Parque Vila Germânica or the German Village Park. An area of the city was built to look and feel like a storybook German village. And it really does.
How to get to Blumenau, Brazil
Unfortunately, there are no airports within the city limits. The closest airport is in the city of Navegantes, Aeroporto Internacional de Navegantes, which is 33 miles east of Blumenau.
From the Navegantes airport, you can take a 1.5-hour bus through the company Executivo. One way is R$60.00 or roundtrip R$109.00 (2024 pricing).
Flights in and out of Navegantes can be pricey and limited.
Another airport with more options is Florianópolis’ airport, Aeroporto Internacional de Florianópolis Hercílio Luz. From Florianópolis, grab a bus ticket with bus company Catarinense for R$66.00 one way and get to Blumenau in under 4 hours.
There are also bus routes to Blumenau from most major cities in the southern region of Brazil. Check routes from the following cities:
- Balneário Camboriú
- Joinville
- Curitiba
- Foz do Iguaçu
- São Paulo
What to know about the city of Blumenau, Brazil
- The city was founded in 1850 by a German chemist, Hermann Blumenau, who came to Brazil with 17 other Germans. Later more European immigrants arrived from Italy and Poland.
- By 1880 the city was officially recognized and had a population of 13,000. Today, 361,855 people call Blumenau home.
- Its founders’ German influences are still present in the city’s architecture, cuisine, and culture.
- Blumenau isn’t just known for its Oktoberfest, the city also hosts several other nationally recognized festivals including its Christmas and Easter celebrations.
- In 2017 Brazil signed a bill declaring Blumanau the Brazilian Capital of Beer. There are over 120 beer producers in the region and the city hosts the largest beer festival in Latin America each year.
- Blumenau’s residents enjoy a high quality of life and the city is very safe for tourists.
The reason behind Oktoberfest in Blumenau
In the mid-80s Blumenau experienced terrible flooding and loss of life. To help rebuild the city’s spirit and economy, the local government and its residents held the first Oktoberfest in 1984.
That year, 102,000 people participated in the Oktoberfest and collectively drank 103 liters of beer over 10 days. Since then, the celebration has grown into a three week festival.
In October 2022, over 634,700 people attended the event.
When does Oktoberfest take place in Blumenau
Oktoberfest always takes place during the first 3 weeks of October! In 2024 the event will run October 9th through October 27th. You can check out the official site for more information about the dates.
How much are tickets to Oktoberfest
In 2024 the ticket prices range from R$11 to R$60 depending on the day of the week and type of ticket.
In Brazil, by law, all events must offer tickets known as “meia-entrada” or “half entry”. These tickets are discounted by 50% and are only available to students, minors under 18, people over 60, teachers, and people with disabilities. You must provide documentation.
The first few days of the event are often free along with the very last day of the festival.
Below are the 2024 “free entry” days for everyone:
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The first day, 09/10
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Monday, 14/10
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Tuesday, 15/10
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Monday, 21/10
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Tuesday, 22/10
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The last day, 27/10
On Sundays (except the last day – free), Wednesdays (except the first day – free), and Thursdays tickets are only $22 reais (full price) and $11 reais (meia-entrada).
On Fridays, full-price tickets are $50 reais, and half-priced (meia-entrada) are $25 reais.
On Saturdays, the most expensive and buisiest day to attend, full-priced tickets are $60 reais, and half-priced (meia-entrada) are $35 reais.
During the week, entry is almost always free until 6 pm and on the weekends until 1 pm. Expect long entry lines on the weekends around these times as people will try to arrive just in time to secure free entry.
Discounted entry with lederhosen
Attendees who arrive wearing their Lederhosen can receive discounted or free entry depending on the day of the week.
Check the official site for the most up-to-date information.
Where to stay in Blumenau for Oktoberfest
There are two main areas to consider staying in, each with pros and cons.
Around the Parque Vila Germânica
Benefit:
A quick walk to Parque Vila Germânica where the main festivities are held. Staying in this area you have the option of coming and going to and from the festival throughout the day without needing to drive or Uber.
Downside:
The noise from the festival travels anywhere from 2-3 blocks depending on the night. We stayed in an Airbnb two blocks away and the music was loud until about 5 am on Friday and Saturday nights.
The festival parade is closer to the river and the main road – Rua XV de Novembro, as are most restaurants and bars.
Near Rua XV de Novembro
Benefit:
Close to the river around one of Blumenau’s main streets – Rua XV de Novembro. This is where many shops, restaurants, and bars are located.
This is also where the parades take place.
Downside:
It’s a 30-minute walk or an annoyingly short 5-minute drive to and from Parque Vila Germânica. The parade route may impact your ability to drive around your lodging depending on where you are staying
Personally, I think staying near the river and Rua XV de Novembro is more advantageous. Here there are more options for food and lodging outside of the Parque Vila Germânica.
That said if you plan on being out all night and are only concerned with going to Oktoberfest, staying near Parque Vila Germânica is a good option!
Book your hotel, pousada, hostel, or Airbnb in advance! Nearby lodgings can sell out during the weekends of Oktoberfest.
What to Wear to Oktoberfest
Expect almost everyone to wear festive attire, whether full-on lederhosen, plaid shirts, traditional hats, or a flowery headband.
Festival-goers can easily shop for lederhosen and Oktoberfest accessories in town or at the Parque Vila Germânica. There is no need to buy in advance unless you are going on one of the last few days of the event.
If you are going to the last weekend of the event, some of the stores might already be sold out of lederhosen.
What to Expect at Oktoberfest in Brazil
Blumenau’s Oktoberfest celebration feels very authentic and grand. The city spares nothing in preparing the dance halls, beer gardens, and parades.
Below are a few of my observations that will hopefully help you form your expectations and get you excited for your visit!
Size of the event
My first impression was that the event space and scale were enormous!
Four main sections make up the festival:
- Three massive gymnasium-like halls where most of the music and dancing take place. On the second floor of the halls are VIP areas called camarotes in Portuguese that overlook the stage and offer food and drink.
- One covered outdoor beer garden includes long wooden picnic tables and is surrounded by food stalls. There is also a stage where the Chope em Metro beer chugging challenge is held.
- In addition to these four areas, there are shops, beer stations, and food stands all along the main stretch of Parque Vila Germânica.
Parque Vila Germânica really does feel like a slice of Germany transplanted in Brazil.
Shopping at Oktoberfest
There are dozens of souvenir shops, mostly selling the same items. One of the most popular souvenirs is the Oktoberfest branded mugs and lanyards that attendees buy and use during the festival.
Beer at Oktoberfest
Beer is a major part of any Oktoberfest and at Oktoberfest in Blumenau is no different. The celebration showcases over 120 different types of beers or cerveja in Portuguese.
You could spend a whole day just sampling all the different beers. I enjoyed trying a variety of Brazilian craft beers and it was fun to see some familiar names from the US.
Don’t worry though, there is also plenty of German beer to be had.
Food at Oktoberfest
Come for the beer, eat the food because you have to eat something with all that beer!
The food options at Oktoberfest were the most underwhelming aspect of the festival in my opinion. Don’t expect anything gourmet or light.
To me, most of the food was attempting to be German but had an undeniable Brazilian touch to it. My favorite options were the loaded baked potato and the waffles.
Paying for Beer and Food
All beer and food are paid for using an Oktober Karte. This is a plastic card that you add money to and use inside Parque Vila Germânica.
There are machines located throughout the festival where you can upload funds to the card. If you don’t use all the funds on the card you can receive a reimbursement or choose to donate the funds to a cause chosen by the festival.
Chopp em Metro Competition
Are you a skilled beer chugger? Could you chug a meter of beer? If the answer is yes then the Chopp em Metro (600ml of nonalcoholic beer) challenge is for you. Chopp is what Brazilians refer to as draft beer.
The Chopp em Metro Competitions are held almost every evening and are free to sign up. You have to enter your name at a table near the beer garden stage and names will be called randomly.
You must be present at the time of the name-calling to participate.
Party Vibe
The whole town gets involved with Oktoberfest. The party isn’t just limited to the Parque Vila Germânica. The festival atmosphere spills out all through the streets of downtown Blumenau. You can tell that the residents of Blumenau have enormous pride in their Oktoberfest and want everyone who comes to have a good time.
There is a change in vibe from daytime to nighttime at Parque Vila Germânica. During the day, the festivities are laid back but still fun. It wasn’t very crowded during the day, you can easily find seating, and there aren’t lines to purchase beer or food. If visiting with children, going during the day or early evening will be more enjoyable for everyone.
The real party atmosphere kicks up after dark and goes on until 5 am. The dance halls and beer garden were packed with people in lederhosen, double-fisting beers and having a good time.
We were there the last Saturday night of Oktoberfest and it was so crowded that you couldn’t pass through areas of the festival without feeling like a sardine. On the heels of COVID, this was definitely the most people I’d been around in a couple of years.
Luckily, there were areas of reprieve and the bathroom lines always went quick. Most importantly, the wait for a beer refill was never more than 5 minutes.
Oktoberfest Parades
The parades, or desfiles in Portuguese, during Blumenau’s Oktoberfest are a must-see!
Get to Rua XV de Novembro early to secure a good spot along the route.
Grab a beer on tap sold by one of the many storefronts along the parade route and cheer on the local clubs, dance groups, and bands as they make their way along Rua XV de Novembro.
The parades take place every Wednesday and Saturday during Oktoberfest.
For more up-to-date information check the official parade website.
Singing and Dancing
Come prepared to dance and sing even if you don’t know what on earth is going on around you.
It’s easy to get lost in the energy and crowds on the dance floor. You will probably leave a little sweaty and missing your voice.
The live bands and DJs keep the crowds going all day and night long.
Where to go from Blumenau
Rio de Janeiro: Visiting Rio is a must on a Brazil trip. Spend a few days in South America’s most iconic city before jetting down to Blumenau for Oktoberfest. Read my blog “How to Organize the Ideal 5-day Rio Itinerary” for the perfect touristy weekend in Rio.
Iguazu Falls: A quick plane ride away is one of the World’s Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Iguazu Falls. Travelers can easily go from Blumenau to Iguazu Falls with direct flights from Florianópolis, Brazil. Read my blog “Iguazu Falls in Brazil and Argentina: The Best Itinerary.”
More places in Brazil to love
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