The nearest village to us is tiny Pueblo Edén, with an international population of about 85, including expats from Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France, United States, Holland, Germany, and Argentina.  
     I love panoramic views of hills as you drive into tranquil Pueblo Edén.  Hand-painted signs all around the village tell visitors to "Go Slowly; Don't Fly" and "This is a quiet town". 
     Pueblo Edén celebrates their founding anniversary with a gaucho (cowboy) parade and festival every August.  
     I'd recommend a gaucho celebration any day, any time.  Gauchos are skilled horsemen (and women) and are both a symbol and a tradition of Uruguayan culture.  The Pueblo Edén parade is made up of the Sociedad Criolla of Maldonado and other departments in Uruguay.
     I love the hoopla and everything about the celebration.  Aromas abound, such as meat grilling on the parilla and horse poo mixed with Uruguay's fresh air.  LOTS of horse poo!  The eyes behold sights of beautiful horses, colorful dresses for the ladies, and traditional gaucho clothing for the men.  It's loud; horses whinnying, dogs barking, children laughing, gauchos yelling directions, and even a symphony orchestra playing in the background.
(Look in the Photo Gallery in the Menu for more photos of Gauchos!)