Ivoti and Igrejinha hold heritage festivals honoring colonists and immigrants

In the Rio Grande do Sul municipalities of Ivoti and Igrejinha, community festivals celebrated the region’s agricultural and immigrant legacy. Ivoti opened its 37th Kolonistenfest with free rural games at the Japanese Colony Memorial, featuring activities such as hand‑cart races, egg‑on‑spoon challenges and corn threshing. The event, coordinated by the town’s economic development office, also included a religious service, a parade with over 600 participants, a communal lunch and performances by the Super Banda Real.

The following day, Igrejinha hosted its traditional Desfile do Colono e Imigrante, a parade that traced the city’s origins and highlighted the contributions of German settlers and other rural communities. Local officials emphasized the importance of preserving customs like the gaúcho carreteada and passing the heritage to future generations.