Overkill53 · CC BY-SA 4.0Jopara (yopará)
jopara («mezcla»)
A stew of locro corn and beans eaten on October 1 to ward off Karai Octubre.
What it is
It is a mix (that is what jopara means) of locro corn and beans slow-cooked with meat, vegetables and seasonings; there are versions with offal, with cheese and milk (jopara kesu) and without meat. On October 1, families, parishes and town councils cook huge pots and hand it out or sell it by the portion. For visitors it is a rare chance to taste real home cooking and join a custom that is very much alive.
Ingredients
History
Tradition holds that October is a long, lean month, personified by Karai Octubre, a goblin who brings hardship to the home. Eating a hearty jopara on the first day of the month is said to keep food on the table for the rest of the year. The same word names the everyday mix of Guaraní and Spanish that Paraguayans speak.
Did you know…?
Presidente Franco (Alto Paraná) holds a Jopara Festival, which reached its fifth edition in 2025.
When
October 1.
Where
Homes, parishes and community soup kitchens nationwide; the festival in Presidente Franco.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.