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.
Winter
August
On the 1st, people drink carrulim to ward off August's ills. On the 15th, Asunción celebrates its founding and its patron saint. It's chipa month: National Chipa Day on the second Friday and a festival in Eusebio Ayala. The Chaco holds the Trébol Rodeo Expo in Loma Plata, Itapúa hosts the WRC Rally round, and Concepción opens its big expo at month's end.
Events 12
Areguá Strawberry Fair
Three months of basket-fresh strawberries, smoothies, cakes and liqueurs on the main avenue of Paraguay’s ceramics town.
FairAreguá, CentralFeaturedAugAugust 15: Founding of Asunción and Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption
The birthday of the Mother of Cities coincides with the feast of its patron saint: Mass at the Cathedral, a public holiday and cultural events.
ReligiousAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)FeaturedAugTrébol Rodeo Expo
The Chaco’s great Mennonite livestock fair: rodeo, auctions, the Asadero Chaqueño barbecue contest and thousands of visitors.
ExpoLoma Plata, BoquerónFeaturedAugWRC Rally del Paraguay
The World Rally Championship races on the red-dirt roads of Itapúa, based in Encarnación.
SportEncarnación y Colonias Unidas, ItapúaFeaturedAugAugust 1: National Carrulim Day
On the first day of August people drink carrulim—cane liquor, rue and lemon—to ward off the ills of the most dreaded month.
TraditionAsunción y todo el país, VariosAugNational Chipa Day
A day for the cassava-starch and cheese bread that accompanies Paraguayans at breakfast, on the road and in their faith.
TraditionTodo el país (Coronel Bogado, Eusebio Ayala y Asunción), VariosAug→ SepConcepción Expo (formerly Expo Norte)
The north’s great livestock and trade fair, on the banks of the Paraguay River, relaunched in 2026 as Expo Concepción.
ExpoConcepción, ConcepciónAugYguazú Expo
The colony founded by Japanese families in 1961 celebrates its anniversary with shows, Nikkei culture and great food.
Heritage communitiesYguazú, Alto ParanáAugItaju (Gold) Festival of Paso Yobái
In the “gold capital,” the festival raffles off chests of rocks hiding gold nuggets, amid dances and music.
FestivalPaso Yobái, GuairáAugParaguay Rembi’u Food Festival
Cooks from dozens of towns bring more than eighty regional dishes to the capital, cooked on the spot, with free entry.
FoodAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)AugEusebio Ayala National Chipa Festival
Chipas from the historic bakeries of Barrero Grande, music contests and dancing in the town square.
FoodEusebio Ayala, CordilleraJul→ AugCordillera Rally (National Rally Championship)
Rally stages among the hills and villages of Cordillera, an hour from Asunción.
SportDepartamento de Cordillera, CordilleraPatron-saint festivals 25
Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles · Simón Bolívar
Patron saintSimón Bolívar, Caaguazú8AugSanto Domingo de Guzmán · La Pastora
Patron saintLa Pastora, Caaguazú8AugSanto Domingo de Guzmán · Paso Barreto
Patron saintPaso Barreto, Concepción10AugSan Lorenzo mártir · Altos
A double patronal and founding festival with a civic and cultural parade in the «Terrace of the Cordillera».
Patron saintAltos, Cordillera10AugSan Lorenzo · Itakyry
Patron saintItakyry, Alto Paraná10AugSan Lorenzo · Ñemby
Patron saintÑemby, Central10AugSan Lorenzo · Quiindy
Patron saintQuiindy, Paraguarí10AugSan Lorenzo mártir · San Lorenzo
A double patronal and founding festival in the «University City», with a procession, civic ceremonies and festivities around the cathedral.
Patron saintSan Lorenzo, CentralFeatured11AugSanta Clara · Iturbe
Patron saintIturbe, Guairá15AugNuestra Señora de la Asunción · Asunción
Main Mass and a procession of the city's patroness and «Mariscala» (Marshal) from the Cathedral; coincides with the founding anniversary.
Patron saintAsunción, AsunciónFeatured15AugNuestra Señora de la Asunción · Hernandarias
Patron saintHernandarias, Alto Paraná15AugNuestra Señora de la Asunción · Paso Yobái
In the days before, the town holds the National Itaju Festival (itaju means «gold» in Guaraní), with a raffle of gold nuggets from the local mines.
Patron saintPaso Yobái, Guairá15AugNuestra Señora de la Asunción · San Bernardino
A boat procession on Lake Ypacaraí, from the Club Náutico to the Rotonda beach, after the main Mass.
Patron saintSan Bernardino, CordilleraFeatured16AugSan Roque · Eusebio Ayala
Patron saintEusebio Ayala, Cordillera18AugSanta Elena · Santa Elena
Patron saintSanta Elena, Cordillera22AugSan Sinforiano · Fulgencio Yegros
Patron saintFulgencio Yegros, Caazapá28AugSan Agustín · Emboscada
Since 2026 the city has been home to an 11-meter monumental statue of Saint Augustine.
Patron saintEmboscada, Cordillera30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · Benjamín Aceval
Patron saintBenjamín Aceval, Presidente Hayes30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · Domingo Martínez de Irala
Patron saintDomingo Martínez de Irala, Alto Paraná30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · José Falcón
Patron saintJosé Falcón, Presidente Hayes30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · Santa Rosa
A town of Jesuit origin: the festival revolves around its church and the old Loreto chapel.
Patron saintSanta Rosa, Misiones30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · Santa Rosa del Aguaray
Patron saintSanta Rosa del Aguaray, San Pedro30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · Santa Rosa del Mbutuy
Patron saintSanta Rosa del Mbutuy, Caaguazú30AugSanta Rosa de Lima · Santa Rosa del Monday
Patron saintSanta Rosa del Monday, Alto Paraná31AugSan Ramón Nonato · Puerto Casado
Patron saintPuerto Casado, Alto ParaguayWeather, nature and tips for August
Weather
Dry, and warming up. Asunción: highs of 25–26 °C and lows of 15 °C; Central Chaco: highs of 30 °C and lows of 15 °C. Expect some hot north-wind days mixed with cold ones.
Rain
Asunción: about 40 mm over 5 days, the driest month. Chaco: under 10 mm.
Nature
Peak bloom for pink lapachos; yellow lapachos (tajy sa'yju) join in toward month's end. Ñangapiry (Surinam cherry) flowers. Flamingos in the Chaco. In dry years, wildfires and smoke increase.
In season
Peak strawberry season in Areguá; citrus.
Tips
An ideal season for the Chaco and the Pantanal, but check for wildfires before you go. For the Rally and the Trébol Expo, book a hotel months ahead.
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. |