The Centre Català in Asunción is celebrating Sant Jordi on Saturday, 25 April 2026, with a cultural and culinary fair at the Plaza Uruguaya in Asunción. The two main activities will be the book fair and several performances. The fair begins at 09:00 and runs until 12:00. Entry is free and open to the general public.
Several authors will also be presenting books, including Pedro Volpe, Luis Augusto Aldo Carisimo Cresta, and Nat Vera Scuderi. There will be more activities carried out with support from the Punto Divertido cultural centre.
Celebrating a martyr knight
Sant Jordi, or Saint George, is the patron saint of Catalonia, and his namesake is celebrated every 23 April. The celebrations honour culture and romanticism with the customary exchange of books and roses as symbols of love and knowledge. According to legend, Sant Jordi defeated a dragon to save a princess, and a rose grew from the blood of the slain dragon. He would later present that rose to the young maiden.
In time, this story evolved into the tradition of gifting roses on his day. The custom of gifting books was a later addition to honour William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, whose deaths coincidentally fell on this same date.
In Barcelona, Spain, and the greater Catalonia region, Sant Jordi is a massive, jovial spring celebration, where the streets are filled with books, flowers, and performances.
Sant Jordi dinner
To close off the Sant Jordi celebrations, the Centre Catalá (located at Cerro Corá 276 in asunción) will host a special dinner starting at 20:00. The evening offers a space for cultural exchange, featuring traditional Catalan cuisine and ambience. There will also be a raffle and a Concurso de Porró, a contest that involves drinking wine from a pitcher called porró.
Tickets cost ₲120,000 (approximately US$19) for members and ₲150,000 (approximately US$24) for non-members. Children under 10 pay half price. You can reserve a spot by contacting the Centre Català on 22 April.
