Chaco Events

The Chaco’s calendar is small and local, built around the colonies and the national commemorations.

Trans-Chaco Rally — September

The region’s one internationally known event, and a serious one. Run since 1971 over three days and around a thousand kilometres of the Chaco’s sand, dust and thorn, it has a reputation as among the toughest rallies in the world — heat above 40°C, no shade, punishing surfaces and enormous distances between service points. It is part of the South American championship, draws crews from across the continent, and effectively takes over Filadelfia and the colony towns for the duration, filling every bed for a hundred kilometres. For most Paraguayans it is the one time of year the Chaco is on the news for something other than deforestation, and the colonies treat it as a festival.

Chaco War commemorations — 12 June

The anniversary of the 1935 ceasefire is a national holiday, marked with ceremonies at the war memorials and the old fortines across the region.

Colony anniversaries — varies

Each of the three colonies marks its founding with a week of events, agricultural shows, choir concerts and communal meals.

Independence and national holidays — 14 and 15 May

Marked in the colony towns and the settlements with parades, school displays and asado, and one of the few occasions the three communities of the Chaco appear at the same events.

Expo Pioneros — usually July, Loma Plata

An agricultural and livestock fair showing what the colonies produce, with machinery, cattle and a great deal of dairy.