Paraguay National Day

Paraguay National Day

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  1. 1811Independence movement began
  2. 1811Independence secured from Spain
  3. 1842Independence formally proclaimed

The story behind the day

Paraguay celebrates Independence Day on 14 and 15 May, marking the 1811 movement that ended Spanish rule. The overnight events in Asunción are remembered as the birth of the nation.

The holiday often blends civic ceremony with Mother's Day, which is observed on 15 May in Paraguay. Family gatherings therefore sit close to patriotic celebration.

Asunción hosts official ceremonies, while families mark the date with flags, music, traditional food and visits. Harp music and Guaraní language give the day a specifically Paraguayan voice.

  1. 202614 May 2026 · Thursday
  2. 202714 May 2027 · Friday
  3. 202814 May 2028 · Sunday
The flag
Paraguay flag

The Paraguayan flag has red, white and blue horizontal bands and is unusual because its two sides have different emblems. The colours are linked with courage, peace and liberty.

Paraguayan independence food is sopa paraguaya — a corn bread that is the pride of the nation — alongside chipa cheese bread and the slow-cooked meat dishes of the Chaco and Paraná.

What to eat

Sopa paraguayaParaguay's national dish — a dense savoury corn cake with cheese and onion, despite its name it is solid, not soup.
ChipaRing-shaped cheese bread made from manioc flour and eggs — eaten for breakfast and sold at every roadside in Paraguay.
Bori-boriChicken soup with corn flour and cheese dumplings — warming, thick and deeply Paraguayan.
MbejúThin crispy manioc starch pancake with cheese — cooked on a clay griddle, a traditional Paraguayan snack.
Asado paraguayoParaguayan barbecue of beef ribs and sausages over wood coals — similar to Argentine asado with its own cuts and seasoning.
Dulce de mamónGreen papaya cooked in sugar syrup until translucent — Paraguay's most beloved traditional dessert.

What to drink

TereréCold yerba mate drunk with iced water and sometimes medicinal herbs — Paraguay's national drink, consumed all day in the subtropical heat.
CañaParaguayan sugarcane spirit — consumed straight or mixed in the clericó fruit punch.
MostoFresh-pressed sugarcane juice — drunk straight from the press at markets and street fairs.
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Culture on National Day

Paraguay is the only country in the Americas where the Indigenous language — Guaraní — is co-official with Spanish and spoken by the majority of the population. Its culture blends Guaraní tradition with Spanish colonial heritage uniquely.

Guaraní languageGuaraní is spoken by 90% of Paraguayans — the most widespread Indigenous language in the Americas and co-official with Spanish.
Ñandutí laceIntricate circular lace from Itauguá — spiderweb-patterned textile art that is Paraguay's most distinctive craft.
Arpa paraguayaThe Paraguayan harp — a 36-string instrument that plays the national folk music and is heard at every celebration.
Asunción carnivalParaguay's carnival season — comparsas dance through the streets of Asunción to cumbia and guarania music.