Those wanting to celebrate all things German may want to look to South America this year. Blumenau, a city in southern Brazil, is home to one of the world’s largest Oktoberfests, second only to the main one in Munich, Germany, reports the Daily Mail.
The city of Blumenau was founded in 1850 by a handful of German immigrants, and still boasts a large population of German descendants today. These ethnic communities, wanting to pay homage to their ancestors, established their own Oktoberfest in 1984, and it has grown into one of the largest in the world.
Spanning 18 days – from October 6 to 23 – over 400,000 people will descend upon this small Brazilian city. By the time the festival is through, over 600,000 liters of beer – from famous lagers to local draughts – will be consumed.
The event is a celebration of all things German, but with a Brazilian twist: tanned beach babes will compete for the crown in the Queen of Oktoberfest contest to determine who will lead next year’s parade, and samba music plays alongside traditional and techno German tunes.