The 2026 National Cuca Contest reaches its final on Saturday, September 19, after a semifinal with 12 participants held on Friday morning, September 18, at Senac Gramado. Eight recipes advanced to the deciding round, scheduled for 10 a.m., again at Senac Gramado. For anyone planning to follow the contest, the key is to separate what has already been confirmed from details that have not been made public.
Who are the 8 finalists and which cities do they represent
The finalists come from six cities in Rio Grande do Sul and from Brusque, in Santa Catarina. Gramado is the only city with two competitors in the final.
| Finalist | City | State |
|---|---|---|
| Auzeni Maria Souza Haskel | Brusque | SC |
| Eliane Lutz Sandrin | Barão | RS |
| Evelin Elizabeth Fernandes | Arroio do Tigre | RS |
| Ezequiel Matias Andrada | Gravataí | RS |
| Julia Brezolla Fritsch | Gramado | RS |
| Ludmila Akemi Pinheiro | Canela | RS |
| Maicon Scaravonatti | Igrejinha | RS |
| Thais Mariana Gawenda Capelin | Gramado | RS |
The list was released after the September 18 elimination round. It can also be checked at Portal da Folha and Portal da Cidade Gramado.
When and where the September 19 final will take place
The final is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, at 10 a.m. at Senac Gramado. The contest announcement identifies the venue by the institution's name and does not repeat the street address in the semifinal notice. Senac Gramado's current campus opened in June 2026 at Avenida das Hortênsias, 516, Planalto, Gramado, according to coverage of the new facility.
For travel planning, that current address is a useful reference, but visitors should check event channels for any access instructions before leaving. The sources reviewed confirm the date, time and venue, but do not specify admission rules, reservation requirements, audience capacity or a livestream. Those details therefore should not be treated as confirmed.
Which criteria were used in the semifinal
Coverage of the September 18 round names four factors considered by the jury:
- Flavor
- Presentation
- Creativity
- Dough quality and doneness
These are the criteria publicly described for the semifinal. The sources reviewed do not publish weights, scores or a full scoring matrix, and they do not explicitly confirm that the final will use exactly the same criteria. That distinction matters because a description of the elimination round should not be presented as the final's complete rulebook.
How the qualifying round worked
The semifinal brought together 12 participants from different cities and was held on the morning of September 18 at Senac Gramado, which is responsible for the contest's curation. The jury for this first stage included Bruna Gotardo, a gastronomy chef at Senac Gramado; Bisa, an influencer and contest ambassador; Maria Garcês, representing Gramado's Agriculture Department; Rosana Goulart, representing Gramadotur; and journalist Flávio Prestes.
After the evaluation, eight contestants advanced. The jury lineup and the reported criteria are available at Acontece Gramado.
How the contest fits into Gramado's Oktoberfest
The National Cuca Contest is part of the second edition of Gramado's Oktoberfest. In 2026, the festival runs from September 18 to October 2, with activities across the city and its main structure at Expogramado. The program includes concerts, traditional bands, food and regional contests. The cuca contest final, however, is confirmed for Senac Gramado rather than Expogramado.
Broader event context is available in the 2026 program coverage from Acontece Gramado. The current Senac location is supported by coverage of the new Senac Gramado campus.
What to check before following the final
- Date: September 19, 2026.
- Time: 10 a.m.
- Confirmed venue: Senac Gramado.
- Current campus address: Avenida das Hortênsias, 516, Planalto, Gramado.
- Participants: the eight finalists listed above.
- Public access: not detailed in the sources reviewed.
Because the final takes place the day after the finalists were announced, anyone planning to attend in person should check the official Gramado Oktoberfest and Senac Gramado channels for last-minute changes involving entry, capacity or logistics.
