Itacurubí Del Rosario: History and the Cachapé Tradition

The history of Itacurubí del Rosario is closely linked to its founding date and the Cachapé tradition. The Festival Nacional del Cachapé brings these two themes together in a recurring event: it is part of the celebrations marking the town’s founding anniversary and also puts a local type of vehicle in the spotlight.

Geographical Setting and Town History

The district of Itacurubí del Rosario is located in the south of the Department of San Pedro, in Paraguay’s Región Oriental. The town center lies roughly halfway along the section of Ruta 10 that runs west from Ruta 3. In 2011, the district gained paved access via Ruta 10 “Las Residentas.”

Itacurubí del Rosario was founded on June 21, 1787, by Commander Roque de Acosta Freire, on the orders of Don Pedro Melo de Portugal. The exact date anchors the town’s history to a specific event. The founding celebrations also provide the occasion for the Festival Nacional del Cachapé. Colonial houses in the town center retain their historic architectural style. They complement the founding date with an architectural perspective on the town’s history.

Cachapé and the Festival

The Cachapé is a traditional four-wheeled vehicle made in Itacurubí del Rosario. It is pulled by horses, donkeys, or mules. The Festival Nacional del Cachapé was launched in 2016 as part of the founding celebrations. In this way, local craftsmanship and the history of the festival are brought together.

The festival includes a large procession through town on Cachapés. It is followed by an arts and music program featuring traditional dance groups and artists from the region and the rest of the country. The procession takes place every June to mark the founding anniversary. The procession and the program that follows bring together different parts of the festival: the parade through town and the artistic performances.

A Dated Example from 2025

During the 2025 Cachapé procession, the route ran along Avenida Independencia Nacional in the town center. The parade was held as part of the celebration of the 238th founding anniversary and also served as the lead-up to the eighth edition of the Festival del Cachapé, announced for June 28. This provides the specific occasion and route for that edition, while the procession generally takes place every June.

This offers a useful distinction for planning your trip: the founding date and colonial houses provide historical context, while the procession is a recurring festival event in June. If you plan your trip around the festival, check the date of that year’s edition. This will help you decide whether the town’s history or a specific festival date is the main factor in your stay.

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Go to the main travel overview: Department of San Pedro.