BRAZIL · FESTIVALS
Key Facts
- —What is happening Oktoberfest Blumenau, a German beer festival in southern Brazil, ended on Sunday, 25 October, after 19 days, with more than 580,000 visits counted by Saturday, 24 October.
- —Why it matters Attendance ran about 15% above last year in the first 12 days, and a single-day record of 82,475 visitors was set on Saturday, 17 October.
- —The numbers The count passed 580,000 by 24 October, about 84% of last year’s 689,201 total, while the 2025 surplus was about BRL 12 million (about US$2.4 million).
- —Who is who Blumenau Eventos, led by president Guilherme Guenther, runs the festival at Parque Vila Germânica in Blumenau, a city in Santa Catarina state.
- —What to watch No final attendance total has been published, so whether the 41st edition beat last year’s 689,201 visitors is still open.
- —Power Index Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 75.0 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you Saturday, 17 October sold out, so US visitors planning a trip should buy day tickets early online; a full Saturday ticket cost BRL 80 (about US$16.02).
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Brazil’s biggest German beer festival closed on Sunday, 25 October. It set a single-day record on Saturday, 17 October, and passed 580,000 visits by 24 October.
Oktoberfest Blumenau, billed as the largest German festival in the Americas, ended on Sunday, 25 October, after 19 days. NSC Total, a Santa Catarina news site, counted more than 580,000 visits by Saturday, 24 October.
The 41st edition drew a record 82,475 visitors on Saturday, 17 October, and ticket offices closed at 8:15 p.m., ND Mais reported. Its last day, Sunday, 25 October, was the day of Brazil’s presidential runoff.
How Attendance Compares With Last Year
Organisers’ daily counts show 520,092 visits through Wednesday, 21 October, according to ND Mais, a Santa Catarina news site. NSC Total then reported more than 580,000 visits by Saturday, 24 October.
In the first 12 days, through Sunday, 18 October, the festival drew 459,913 visitors against 400,191 in the same days of 2025. That is 59,722 more, or about 14.9%, ND Mais reported.
Last year’s full 19-day total was 689,201 visitors. The count of more than 580,000 by 24 October equals about 84% of that figure, with the weekend still under way.
For comparison, the original Oktoberfest in Munich drew about 7.4 million visitors in 2026, according to the city’s preliminary report. It ended on Sunday, 4 October.
Rain Cancels the Last Parade
Rain cancelled the last parade on Saturday, 24 October, NSC Total reported. The march had been set for 4 p.m. on Rua XV de Novembro in central Blumenau.
Concerts went ahead at the Parque Vila Germânica that day, the outlet said. The festival also ran a free-entry final Sunday, according to its official programme, which listed the royalty contest.
Queen Chosen and a German Band Looks Back
Blumenau chose its festival royalty for the 42nd edition on Sunday night, 25 October. Letícia Burckhart Lyra was elected queen, ND Mais reported at 10:40 p.m. local time.
Bianca Krisanski and Maria Eduarda de Castilhos Costa became first and second princess. Twenty-one candidates competed, and 10 reached the final.
The German band VoXXclub played from Thursday, 15 October to Saturday, 17 October, its eighth visit, Omelete reported on 25 October. Band member Michael Hartinger told the outlet, in Portuguese, that Blumenau is not a city but a feeling.
Omelete cited official data showing more than 25 million visitors since the first edition in 1984. That first edition drew about 102,000 people.
What the Festival Earned in 2025
The 2025 edition earned revenue above BRL 35 million (about US$7.0 million), Vinetur reported, citing Alesc, the Santa Catarina state legislature. It also posted a record surplus of about BRL 12 million (about US$2.4 million).
Conversions in this article use the exchange rate of 26 October 2026, BRL 4.995 per US$1. Figures for the 2026 edition have not been published.
What It Means for US Readers
Peak Saturdays can sell out, as 17 October did at 8:15 p.m., so US visitors should buy online early. A full Saturday ticket cost BRL 80 (about US$16.02) and half-price BRL 40 (about US$8.01) on 24 October, NSC Total reported.
Entry was free on Tuesday, 20 October and on the final Sunday, and children up to 12 enter free with an adult. Sponsors listed on the festival site include Bradesco, WEG, the ride-hailing app 99 and Fort Atacadista.
A Rio Times guide to the 2026 festival covers dates, tickets and parades. Other German-style events are in the São Paulo Oktoberfest report and the Brusque baking festival report.
What Is Not Known
No final attendance total for the 19 days had been published in the sources reviewed on Monday, 26 October. Whether the festival beat last year’s 689,201 visitors therefore remains open.
One ND Mais photo caption gave 416,000 visitors for the first 12 days, but its text gives 459,913. This article uses the text figure, which matches the 14.9% growth.
A regional site’s headline said attendance grew more than 26% on 2025, but the page could not be opened. That figure is not used here.
The organisers have not published 2026 revenue or surplus. The 2025 figures come from one Vinetur report citing Alesc, which could not be checked against the organiser’s accounts.
What Comes Next
No date for the final attendance count or the financial results appeared in the sources reviewed. ND Mais said the final tally would come on Sunday, 25 October.
The royalty chosen on 25 October will represent the 42nd edition. Its dates were not in the sources reviewed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Oktoberfest Blumenau 2026 end?
It ended on Sunday, 25 October, after opening on Wednesday, 7 October. Entry was free on the final day.
How many people attended?
NSC Total counted more than 580,000 visits by Saturday, 24 October. A final total for the 19 days had not been published in the sources reviewed.
Was there an attendance record?
Yes, for a single day: 82,475 visitors on Saturday, 17 October. That topped the 81,277 record set on Saturday, 18 October 2025.
Who was elected queen for the next edition?
Letícia Burckhart Lyra was elected queen on Sunday night, 25 October. Bianca Krisanski and Maria Eduarda de Castilhos Costa are the princesses.
Is Blumenau’s Oktoberfest bigger than Munich’s?
No, Munich is far larger. It drew about 7.4 million visitors in 2026, against more than 580,000 in Blumenau by 24 October.
How much do tickets cost?
A full Saturday ticket cost BRL 80 (about US$16.02) on 24 October, with half-price at BRL 40. Entry was free on Tuesday, 20 October and Sunday, 25 October.
Sources: Oktoberfest Blumenau, programme for 25 October; NSC Total, parade cancelled, 24 October; Vinetur, 2025 results citing Alesc; ND Mais, attendance, 22 October; ND Mais, organiser interview, 20 October; ND Mais, royalty, 25 October; Omelete, closing report, 25 October; City of Munich, Oktoberfest preliminary report (all accessed 26 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief