“Echoes and Melodies of the Chaco 2026” Expedition Will Bring Art to Historic Chaco Forts

A new artistic expedition will take music into Paraguay’s Chaco region, visiting historic forts and communities from September 25 to 27.

Called “Echoes and Melodies of the Chaco 2026,” the project aims to connect music with the region’s history, heritage and communities. Paraguayan guitarist and composer Fito Espínola is leading the initiative with historian and writer Luis Agüero Wagner.

“

the most remote places in the country

The route is expected to include Campo Vía, Campo Aceval and Gondra, among other locations. Espínola will perform his own compositions and works inspired by Paraguayan and Latin American folk music. The concert was designed to engage with the spaces and historical setting of the journey, while local artists will contribute singing, dancing and a float parade.

“

I learned to value what that feat of defending the country in such an inhospitable place meant.

The National Fund for Culture and the Arts, known as Fondec, and private companies support the expedition. Fondec counselor Mariví Vargas said the project received unanimous approval because it seeks to reach “the most remote places in the country.” Counselor Graciela Meza also highlighted its personal resonance, saying her father fought in the Battle of Nanawa.

Espínola said the Chaco represents more than Paraguay’s history. “With this expedition, we want music to engage with our memory, for new generations to discover these places through a living experience, and for each performance to become a tribute to those who built our identity,” he said. The organizers said members of the public will be able to follow the expedition independently.

“

With this expedition, we want music to engage with our memory, for new generations to discover these places through a living experience, and for each performance to become a tribute to those who built our identity.