What's on
Paraguay month by month
Patron-saint festivals, fairs, carnivals and the weather of every month. Pick when you travel and we will tell you what is on and where to go.
Spring
October
On the 1st, people eat jopara to scare off Karai Octubre. It's the beer month: Oktoberfest on Asunción's riverside promenade, and toward month's end, the colonies' chopp festival season kicks off. There's the Japanese Nihon Matsuri festival, films at ASUFICC, the Leather Expo in Atyrá, expos in Amambay and Guairá, and the Festival de la Raza in Villarrica. Late in the month come the Transchaco Rally and the Ñandutí Festival.
Events 13
Lake Ypacaraí Festival
The country’s most iconic cultural festival: folk music, dance, theater, poetry, jazz and rock in the lake town.
FestivalYpacaraí, CentralFeaturedOct→ NovNational Ñandutí Festival
Folk music, dance and ñandutí lace in the town of weavers: two nights of competition for the Golden Ñandutí.
MusicItauguá, CentralFeaturedOctNihon Matsuri Japanese Festival
Taiko, Japanese food and Nikkei culture at the biggest festival of Paraguay’s Japanese community.
Heritage communitiesLuque (Parque Olímpico), CentralFeaturedOctAsunción Oktoberfest
Draft beer, sausages and Bavarian bands by the river: Paraguay’s German heritage is celebrated in the capital every October.
Heritage communitiesAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)FeaturedOct→ NovTranschaco Rally
The country’s toughest and most iconic race: rally cars flat out on the dusty roads of the Chaco.
SportMariscal Estigarribia y Chaco Central, BoquerónFeaturedOct→ NovColonia Independencia Chopp Fest
Draft beer, German cooking and national bands at the foot of the Ybytyruzú, in the colony of grapes and wine.
Heritage communitiesIndependencia, GuairáFeaturedSep→ NovSugarcane Spirit Route (Piribebuy)
A day among sugar mills and distilleries of Paraguayan caña, with tastings and the story of the national spirit.
FoodPiribebuy, CordilleraOctOctober 1: Jopara against Karai Octubre and the Jopara Festival
A pot of jopara to ward off hard times: beans, corn and shared abundance on the first day of October.
FoodPresidente Franco (y todo el país), Alto ParanáOctASUFICC – Asunción International Contemporary Film Festival
Paraguayan and international art-house cinema at cultural centers in the capital, with screenings and filmmaker Q&As.
CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)OctAmambay Expo
The north’s biggest agricultural fair, in the border city of Pedro Juan Caballero, right next to Ponta Porã.
ExpoPedro Juan Caballero, AmambayOct→ NovGuairá Expo
Guairá’s big farming, livestock and industry fair, with shows for the whole family.
ExpoMbocayaty del Guairá, GuairáOctAtyrá Leather Expo
The country’s biggest showcase of leather goods, on the pedestrian street of Paraguay’s “cleanest town.”
FairAtyrá, CordilleraOctFestival de la Raza
One of the oldest folk festivals outside the capital, with artists from Guairá and a “Giant Night.”
MusicVillarrica, GuairáPatron-saint festivals 30
Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús · Escobar
A procession through the main streets with a caravan of horsemen and the saints from the chapels of the outlying rural communities.
Patron saintEscobar, Paraguarí1OctSanta Teresita del Niño Jesús · Fram
Patron saintFram, Itapúa3OctSanta Teresita del Niño Jesús · Nanawa
Patron saintNanawa, Presidente Hayes4OctSan Francisco de Asís · Arroyos y Esteros
Patron saintArroyos y Esteros, Cordillera4OctSan Francisco de Asís · Atyrá
A procession of the patron saint with the saints from every rural community, a crafts fair, karu guasu (a big communal feast) and jineteada (bronc riding).
Patron saintAtyrá, Cordillera4OctSan Francisco de Asís · Lima
Patron saintLima, San Pedro7OctVirgen del Rosario · Acahay
Patron saintAcahay, Paraguarí7OctVirgen del Rosario · Caapucú
Patron saintCaapucú, Paraguarí7OctVirgen del Rosario · Coronel Oviedo
Dawn rosary, Mass, procession and the «Jajotopapa Oviédope» food fair, with dance and live artists.
Patron saintCoronel Oviedo, CaaguazúFeatured7OctVirgen del Rosario · General Artigas
A serenade and kermesse (village fair) that bring the whole town together before the procession.
Patron saintGeneral Artigas, Itapúa7OctVirgen del Rosario · Horqueta
Patron saintHorqueta, Concepción7OctVirgen del Rosario · Isla Pucú
A procession of the Virgin through the streets with a little brass band and booming firecrackers.
Patron saintIsla Pucú, Cordillera7OctVirgen del Rosario · Itacurubí de la Cordillera
Patron saintItacurubí de la Cordillera, Cordillera7OctVirgen del Rosario · Itauguá
In the birthplace of ñandutí (Paraguay's delicate spiderweb lace): procession, arts festival, torín (Paraguayan-style bullfighting), asado a la estaca (meat roasted on stakes) and jineteada (bronc riding).
Patron saintItauguá, CentralFeatured7OctVirgen del Rosario · Lambaré
Patron saintLambaré, Central7OctVirgen del Rosario · Luque
The folk procession «Bandera jere», an aerial procession, a folk Mass and karu guasu (a big communal feast) in the sanctuary gardens.
Patron saintLuque, CentralFeatured7OctVirgen del Rosario · Natalicio Talavera
Patron saintNatalicio Talavera, Guairá7OctNuestra Señora del Rosario · Pirayú
Patron saintPirayú, Paraguarí7OctVirgen del Rosario · Villa del Rosario
Patron saintVilla del Rosario, San Pedro7OctVirgen del Rosario · Villa Franca
Patron saintVilla Franca, Ñeembucú7OctVirgen del Rosario · Villa Oliva
Patron saintVilla Oliva, Ñeembucú7OctVirgen del Rosario · Villeta
Patron saintVilleta, Central7OctVirgen del Rosario · Yataity del Guairá
Festival of the home of ao po'i, the handwoven cotton cloth that is Guairá's signature craft.
Patron saintYataity del Guairá, Guairá7OctVirgen del Rosario · Ybytymí
Patron saintYbytymí, Paraguarí7OctVirgen del Rosario · Yhú
Patron saintYhú, Caaguazú11OctNuestra Señora de la Victoria · Villa Hayes
A procession along Avenida Mariscal López, horse events, torines (Paraguayan-style bullfights) and a family lunch on the parish grounds.
Patron saintVilla Hayes, Presidente HayesFeatured12OctNuestra Señora del Pilar · Pilar
A procession through the central streets, a solemn Mass at the basilica and a free concert on the Plaza de los Héroes.
Patron saintPilar, ÑeembucúFeatured12OctNuestra Señora de Fátima · Teniente Esteban Martínez
Huge barbecues for the whole town, rodeo and jineteadas (bronc riding), hugely popular in the Lower Chaco.
Patron saintTeniente Esteban Martínez, Presidente Hayes15OctSanta Teresa de Jesús · Doctor Moisés S. Bertoni
Horse races, bullfights, sortija (ring-lancing on horseback) and the «Isla Susu» festival with local and national artists.
Patron saintDoctor Moisés S. Bertoni, Caazapá15OctSanta Teresa de Jesús · Mariscal Francisco Solano López
Patron saintMariscal Francisco Solano López, CaaguazúWeather, nature and tips for October
Weather
Heat returns. Asunción: highs of 30 °C and lows of 19–20 °C (record highs top 40 °C); Central Chaco: highs of 35 °C and lows of 21 °C.
Rain
Asunción: about 160 mm over 8 days, with strong thunderstorms. Chaco: about 50 mm.
Nature
Guavirá and other native fruit trees in bloom, migratory birds in the wetlands, and forests turning green after the first rains. In dry years, wildfire risk still lingers in the Chaco and the north.
In season
Ñangapiry (Surinam cherry) and the first native fruits; late-season citrus.
Tips
Bring an umbrella — storms arrive suddenly. Book ahead for the Transchaco, Oktoberfest and the Guairá Expo.
Best regions
Seasons
Dec · Jan · Feb
Summer
Asunción: average highs of 33–34 °C and lows of 22–23 °C; Central Chaco: highs of 35–36 °C. Heat waves can push past 40 °C.
Intense, humid heat in the eastern region, with heavy but short-lived afternoon storms and about 130 to 180 mm of rain a month in Asunción. The Chaco gets somewhat less rain, but the heat is extreme and dirt roads turn to mud. It’s the season of school holidays, carnivals, river beaches and swimming holes in the streams.
Best for
- Paraná River beaches in Encarnación and Ayolas
- The carnivals of Encarnación and Villarrica
- Streams and swimming spots in Cordillera and Guairá
- Summer festivals in the interior (Ykua Bolaños, Hawaiian Party, Misiones Tradition)
Keep in mind
The Chaco and the Pantanal (extreme heat, roads cut off by rain), and hiking or outdoor sightseeing between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The fishing ban (veda) runs through November and December and, in waters shared with Brazil, until the end of January.
What to pack
Mar · Apr · May
Autumn
Asunción: from highs of 32 °C and lows of 21 °C in March to highs of 25 °C and lows of 15 °C in May. Central Chaco: highs from 34 °C down to 27 °C.
The heat eases off gradually. March still feels like summer; April and May bring mild days, clear skies between rainy fronts (April is one of Asunción’s wettest months) and cool nights. In the Chaco, rainfall drops sharply from May and the ideal season for a visit begins.
Best for
- Holy Week in Misiones and Cordillera
- Cities and Jesuit reductions in pleasant temperatures
- Hiking in Cordillera and the Ybytyruzú hills
- Expos in the Chaco and the east (Neuland, Santa Rita, Pioneros)
Keep in mind
In March, the still-fierce midday heat. During Holy Week, highways and accommodation in the interior are overwhelmed: book weeks ahead.
What to pack
Jun · Jul · Aug
Winter
Asunción: average highs of 22–26 °C and lows of 13–15 °C, with cold fronts that can drop below 5 °C and occasional frost. Central Chaco: days of 26–30 °C and nights of 12–15 °C.
The dry season: Asunción gets less than 50 mm of rain in July and August, and the Chaco almost none. Sunny, mild days alternate with cold snaps, especially in June and July; homes usually have no central heating. It’s the best time for the Chaco, city sightseeing and hiking, and the season of San Juan, the Expo and the lapacho trees in bloom.
Best for
- The Central Chaco, salt lagoons with flamingos, and the Pantanal
- San Juan festivals and Kamba Ra’anga
- The Mariano Roque Alonso Expo and Areguá’s Strawberry Fair
- Pink lapachos in bloom from July
- Walking Asunción and the historic towns
Keep in mind
Swimming in rivers and streams (the water is cold). In dry years, fires and smoke increase between August and October in the Chaco, the Pantanal and the north: check before you go.
What to pack
Sep · Oct · Nov
Spring
Asunción: from highs of 28 °C and lows of 16–17 °C in September to highs of 31 °C and lows of 20 °C in November. Central Chaco: highs of 33 °C to 35 °C.
The heat returns and, with October, the rains: October and November are Asunción’s wettest months, with intense thunderstorms. September is usually dry, bright and full of flowers. It’s the season of the yellow lapachos, the arrival of migratory birds, the beer festivals of the German colonies and the big cultural festivals.
Best for
- Lapachos and blossoms in cities and along highways
- Migratory birdwatching
- Oktoberfest and the colonies’ Choppfests
- The Lake and Ñandutí festivals
- The Transchaco Rally
Keep in mind
Dirt roads after storms (the Chaco, the north and rural areas). From November 2 the fishing ban (veda) is in force: this is not sport-fishing season.
What to pack
Public holidays
Paraguay has used UTC-3 year-round since October 2024 (Law 7354/2024, which repealed the daylight-saving system set out in Law 7115/2023): clocks no longer change. It's the same time as Buenos Aires, Montevideo and São Paulo, and one hour ahead of Bolivia (UTC-4).
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day Fixed holiday. New Year’s Eve on the 31st is celebrated with family, with cider, clericó (a wine-and-fruit punch) and fireworks. |
| 1 Mar | Heroes’ Day Commemorates the death of Marshal Francisco Solano López at Cerro Corá (1870). It can be moved by decree to the preceding or following Monday: in 2026 it was moved to Monday, March 2. |
| 25 Mar | Holy Thursday Movable date (Holy Week). 2026: April 2; 2027: March 25. Cannot be moved. |
| 26 Mar | Good Friday Movable date (Holy Week). 2026: April 3; 2027: March 26. A day for chipa and the Tañarandy procession. Cannot be moved. |
| 1 May | Labor Day Fixed holiday. |
| 14 May | National Independence Day Fixed holiday; the first day of the patriotic celebrations. |
| 15 May | National Independence Day and Mother’s Day Fixed holiday. Restaurants are packed for Mother’s Day. |
| 12 Jun | Chaco Peace Day End of the Chaco War (1935). Can be moved to the preceding or following Monday; in 2026 it fell on a Friday and stayed put. |
| 20 Jun | Swearing-in of the National Constitution A new holiday since 2026 (Law 7544/2025). In 2026 it fell on a Saturday and the Executive moved it by decree to Monday, June 22. The same law allows the Executive to declare up to three additional holidays a year (in 2026, Tuesday, June 30, after the national team’s World Cup win over Germany). |
| 15 Aug | Founding of Asunción Fixed holiday; also the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption, patron saint of the capital. |
| 29 Sep | Victory of Boquerón Chaco War battle (1932). Movable: in 2026 it was moved by decree to Monday, September 28. |
| 8 Dec | Our Lady of Caacupé (Immaculate Conception) Fixed holiday; the main day of the pilgrimage to Caacupé. Highways toward Cordillera are heavily congested. |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day Fixed holiday. Christmas Eve on the 24th is the big family dinner. |