Festivals Guide
Stardew Valley features seasonal festivals that bring the community together. Festivals are a great way to build friendship, earn unique items, and experience the gameโs charm. Most festivals occur on fixed dates and replace the normal day schedule. This guide covers every festival in complete detail.
Spring Festivals
Egg Festival (Spring 13)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | Pelican Town square |
| Weather | Always sunny |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
The Egg Festival is your first festival and one of the most important events in Year 1. The main event is an egg hunt where you compete against other villagers to collect colored eggs hidden in the town square.
Egg Hunt Rules:
- 28 eggs are hidden in the town square
- You need to collect at least 9 eggs to win (Abigail always wins with 9)
- You have a limited time to find eggs
- Eggs are hidden in grass, behind objects, and in corners
- Walk over eggs to collect them
Egg Hunt Rewards:
- First place (9+ eggs): Straw Hat
- Lose: No reward, but no penalty
Strawberry Seed Shopping (CRITICAL):
During the Egg Festival, Pierre sets up a shop selling strawberry seeds for 100g each. This is the only way to get strawberry seeds in Year 1. Buy as many as you can afford.
| Item | Cost | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Seeds | 100g each | HIGHEST PRIORITY - only available here in Year 1 |
Tips:
- Buy as many strawberry seeds as possible. Even spending all your gold is worthwhile.
- Plant strawberry seeds immediately after the festival (before sleeping).
- With 3 harvests from Day 13 planting, each plant yields 260g net profit.
- If you have saved strawberry seeds from a previous year, plant them on Day 1 for up to 6 harvests.
Flower Dance (Spring 24)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Location | Forest above the wizard tower |
| Weather | Always sunny |
| Requirements | 4+ hearts with a dance partner |
Activities:
The Flower Dance is a social festival where villagers pair up and dance. You can dance with a villager if you have at least 4 hearts of friendship with them.
How to Dance:
- Talk to your chosen partner before the festival begins
- Ask them to dance when the option appears
- They will accept if you have 4+ hearts
- During the dance, talk to your partner to dance together
Tips:
- Ask your partner before the festival starts (talk to them in town)
- You cannot dance with another playerโs spouse in multiplayer
- Dancing gives a friendship boost with your partner
- If you do not have 4 hearts with anyone, you can still attend and watch
Summer Festivals
Luau (Summer 11)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | The Beach |
| Weather | Always sunny |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
The Luau takes place at the beach. The governor tastes a soup made from ingredients provided by the villagers. You can place one ingredient into the soup pot.
Scoring:
| Ingredient Quality | Governorโs Reaction | Friendship Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Gold or Iridium item | โMagnificent!โ | Large boost |
| Silver item | โVery good!โ | Medium boost |
| Normal item | โNot bad.โ | Small boost |
| Disliked/Hated item | โDisgusting!โ | Negative reaction |
Best Items to Bring:
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Gold Melon | High quality, governor loves it |
| Gold Starfruit | Best possible ingredient |
| Gold Pumpkin | High quality, impressive |
| Gold Corn | Easy to grow, good quality |
| Truffle | Always impressive |
Tips:
- Bring your highest quality item to the festival
- Gold-quality crops or animal products work best
- The reaction affects friendship with all villagers present
- Plan ahead: grow a gold-quality crop specifically for the Luau
Dance of the Moonlight Jellies (Summer 28)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 10:00 PM - 12:30 AM |
| Location | The Beach (dock) |
| Weather | Always clear |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
This is a peaceful, non-competitive festival. Watch jellyfish float by the dock and interact with villagers. There is no scoring or competition.
Tips:
- Talk to every villager for friendship points
- This is one of the most beautiful scenes in the game
- No items needed, just attend and enjoy
- The festival ends at 12:30 AM
Fall Festivals
Stardew Valley Fair (Fall 16)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | Pelican Town (fairgrounds) |
| Weather | Always sunny |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
The Stardew Valley Fair is the biggest festival of the year. You can display items for judging, play games, and shop with Star Tokens.
Grange Display Scoring:
Place up to 9 items in the Grange Display for scoring. Items are scored based on quality and category diversity.
| Category | Items | Max Points per Item |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Product | Large Egg, Large Milk, Cheese, etc. | 30 (Iridium) |
| Crop | Any crop | 30 (Iridium) |
| Fish | Any fish | 30 (Iridium) |
| Foraged | Any forageable | 30 (Iridium) |
| Artisan Good | Wine, Jelly, Cheese, etc. | 30 (Iridium) |
| Flower | Any flower | 30 (Iridium) |
| Mineral | Any mineral or gem | 30 (Iridium) |
| Cooking | Any cooked dish | 30 (Iridium) |
| Other | Anything else | 30 (Iridium) |
Scoring Tiers:
| Score | Star Tokens | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| 90+ points | 1,000 tokens | 1st place (or tied) |
| 0-89 points | Fewer tokens | Lower placement |
Star Token Shop:
| Item | Cost | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Stardrop | 2,000 tokens | Permanently increases max energy |
| Ring (various) | 500-1,000 tokens | Combat/accessory rings |
| Furniture | 100-500 tokens | Decorative items |
| Food | 50-200 tokens | Various cooked dishes |
Tips:
- Display 9 gold-quality or iridium items from different categories
- Best items: Gold Starfruit Wine, Gold Ancient Fruit Wine, Gold Rabbitโs Foot, Gold Pumpkin, Gold Large Milk, Gold Cheese, Gold Truffle, Gold Nautilus Shell, Gold Fiddlehead Fern
- Save your best items throughout the year for this festival
- The Stardrop is the most valuable purchase (only 7 Stardrops exist in the game)
Spiritโs Eve (Fall 27)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 6:00 PM - 12:00 AM (maze accessible after 10:00 PM) |
| Location | Pelican Town (maze in the forest) |
| Weather | Always dark/foggy |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
Navigate a spooky maze in the forest to reach a treasure chest. The maze has narrow gaps and dead ends. Note that Pelican Town becomes accessible at 6:00 PM, but the maze cannot be entered until 10:00 PM.
Reward:
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Pumpkin | 2,500g sell | Universal loved gift, very valuable |
Tips:
- The maze requires navigating through narrow gaps between buildings and fences
- Follow the path carefully - there is only one correct route
- The Golden Pumpkin is a universal loved gift for almost every villager
- Save the Golden Pumpkin for a birthday gift or the Winter Star exchange
- Talk to villagers for friendship points before entering the maze
Winter Festivals
Festival of Ice (Winter 8)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | Mountain Lake |
| Weather | Always snowy |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
An ice fishing competition where you compete against other villagers to catch the most fish within a time limit.
Scoring:
| Placement | Reward |
|---|---|
| 1st place | 2,000g |
| 2nd place | 1,000g |
| 3rd place | 500g |
| Participation | Various items |
Tips:
- Use your Iridium Rod with the best bait and tackle
- Practice fishing before the festival
- Higher fishing skill makes the mini-game easier
- Eat fishing buff food (Dish oโ The Sea) before competing
Feast of the Winter Star (Winter 25)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Location | Community Center (or Pelican Town if Joja route) |
| Weather | Always snowy |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
A gift exchange festival. The Mayor assigns you a villager to give a gift to, and another villager is assigned to give you a gift.
Tips:
- Give your assigned villager a loved gift for maximum friendship boost
- The gift you receive is random but can include rare items
- Plan ahead: save your best universal loved gifts for this event
- The friendship boost from the gift exchange is significant
Night Market (Winter 15-17)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 5:00 PM - 2:00 AM |
| Location | The Beach (dock) |
| Weather | Always clear |
| Requirements | None |
Activities:
A special three-night market on the docks with unique shops and the Mermaid Show.
Shops:
| Shop | Items | Prices |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Shop Boat | Magic Rock Candy, Pearl, etc. | 1,000-5,000g |
| Furniture Boat | Unique furniture | 500-2,000g |
| Cloth Boat | Various clothing | 500-2,000g |
| Rare Goods Boat | Various rare items | Varies |
Mermaid Show:
- Stand on the end of the pier at 12:30 AM
- Watch the mermaid show (no interaction needed)
- Note the sequence of musical notes played by the mermaid
- Repeat the sequence on the shell instruments on the dock for a reward
Tips:
- Buy a Pearl if you can afford it (4,000g) - it is a universal loved gift
- Buy Magic Rock Candy for gifts (50 Qi Gems equivalent)
- The Mermaid Show is one of the most memorable scenes in the game
- Attend all three nights for maximum shopping opportunities
Complete Festival Calendar
| Date | Festival | Season | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 13 | Egg Festival | Spring | Town Square | 9AM - 3PM |
| Spring 24 | Flower Dance | Spring | Forest (above wizard) | 9AM - 2PM |
| Summer 11 | Luau | Summer | Beach | 9AM - 3PM |
| Summer 28 | Moonlight Jellies | Summer | Beach (dock) | 10PM - 12:30AM |
| Fall 16 | Stardew Valley Fair | Fall | Town (fairgrounds) | 9AM - 3PM |
| Fall 27 | Spiritโs Eve | Fall | Town (maze) | 6PM - 12AM (maze after 10PM) |
| Winter 8 | Festival of Ice | Winter | Mountain Lake | 9AM - 3PM |
| Winter 15-17 | Night Market | Winter | Beach (dock) | 5PM - 2AM |
| Winter 25 | Feast of the Winter Star | Winter | Community Center | 9AM - 2PM |
Festival Rewards Summary
| Festival | Reward | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Egg Festival | Straw Hat | Cosmetic |
| Egg Festival | Strawberry Seeds | 100g each (invaluable) |
| Stardew Valley Fair | Star Tokens (up to 1,000) | Buy Stardrop (2,000 tokens) |
| Spiritโs Eve | Golden Pumpkin | 2,500g + universal loved gift |
| Festival of Ice | Gold (up to 2,000g) | Direct income |
| Night Market | Pearl, Magic Rock Candy | Universal loved gifts |
| Feast of Winter Star | Gift from villager | Random valuable item |
Festival Tips Summary
- Talk to everyone at each festival for friendship points
- Save special items for festival competitions and gift exchanges
- Plan ahead for festivals that require specific items (Luau soup, Fair display)
- Check the calendar in your farmhouse for upcoming festival dates
- You cannot attend two festivals on the same day - if a festival overlaps with another event, you must choose
- Festivals freeze time - crops will not progress, animals will not produce, and machines will not process during festivals
- Bring items with you - some festivals require you to have specific items in your inventory
- Save gold for festival shops, especially the Night Market and Egg Festival
- The Stardrop from the Fair is one of only 7 in the game - prioritize buying it
- Golden Pumpkin from Spiritโs Eve is a universal loved gift - save it for a birthday