IN CAXIAS DO SUL, THE MOST ITALIAN OF BRAZILIAN CITIES, THE MAIN INDUSTRY IS WINE - AND EVERY YEAR THIS FACT IS CELEBRATE WITH A "FESTA DA UVA" (GRAPE FESTIVAL). ON MONDAY (MARCH 3) THE 1969 FESTIVAL WAS HELD WITH ALL THE TRADITIONAL FLOATS, QUEENS AND DISTRIBUTION OF FREE BUNCHES OF GRAPES.

CAXIAS DO SUL IS IN BRAZIL'S SOUTHERNMOST PROVINCE, RIO GRANDE DO SUL, AND LIES SOME MILES NORTH OF PORTO ALERGRE, THE COUNTRY'S THIRD-MOST IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL CITY. AS THE ANNUAL "FESTA DA UVA" INDICATES, THE MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE 136,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CAXIAS DO SUL IS WINE, GRAPES AND HEIR DERIVATIVES.

THEY ALSO RUN ONE OF BRAZIL'S MOST ADVANCED EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS FOR THE STUDY OF VINICULTURE - WHERE THEY GROW DOZENS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VINES TO CONTINUALLY TEST FOR IMPROVED QUALITY IN GRAPES AND WINES.

CAXIAS DO SUL WAS FOUNDED BY ITALIA IMMIGRANTS IN 1875 AND WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED CAMPO DOS BUGRES, CHANGING ITS NAME IN 1877. IT BECAME A CITY IN 1910. THE INHABITANTS ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THEIR IMMIGRANT ORIGINS, AND THE AREA IS FAMOUS FOR ITS CELEBRATIONS, MONUMENTS AND PARKS COMMEMORATIVE OF THIS FACT.