Itaju (Gold) Festival of Paso Yobái
In the “gold capital,” the festival raffles off chests of rocks hiding gold nuggets, amid dances and music.
What it is
Itaju means “gold” in Guarani, and Paso Yobái is the yerba mate town where, since the mid-1990s, small-scale gold mining has transformed the local economy. Its August festival combines folk dances and music with a very unusual raffle: chests of rocks containing gold nuggets. It’s also a window onto the environmental and social dilemmas of mining in Paraguay.
What to see and do
- Raffle of rocks with gold nuggets
- Folk dances
- Guairá’s yerba mate plantations
Tips
Stay in Independencia or Villarrica. Don’t enter mining areas without a guide or permission.
Dates may shift to the nearest weekend.
What to see
Paso Yobái · Guairá
Paso Yobái
Capital of gold and yerba mate: a yerba-growing colony transformed by a 1990s gold rush.
Festivals and events here
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.