Festivals are a great chance to talk to ALL the villagers, as they always attend. This can help boost your friendship rating simply by chatting with everyone while you are at the festival. Some festivals have events you can participate in, others may require you bring something, and some have shops you can buy special items from, including Rarecrows, so be sure to bring some gold!
It should also be noted that on festival days, you are not able to enter the area the festival will be held until it starts. Some villagers will also differ from their regular schedules on these days, for instance, Robin the Carpenter will not work on your farm buildings on festival days. Plan accordingly!
The Egg Festival
Spring, Day 13 | Pelican Town
You can enter the festival in Pelican Town between 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 10:00 PM.
Some of the Villagers and the player will participate in the Annual Egg Hunt. Talk to Mayor Lewis to start the event. In order to win, the player must find 9 colored eggs hidden in town and you will be rewarded with the Straw Hat. If you have already won during a previous year, you will receive 1,000 gold instead. If the player fails to find 9 eggs, Abigail will win.
Pierre will have a shop set-up during The Egg Festival. He sells Strawberry Seeds and a Plush Bunny (decorative). This is the only time you can buy Strawberry Seeds.
Flower Dance
Spring, Day 24 | Southwest of Cindersap Forest
You can enter the festival by going to Cindersap Forest and crossing the small wooden bridge south of the Wizard’s Tower between 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 10:00 PM.
During the festival, you can participate in the Flower Dance. You will need a partner, and you can ask any of the Bachelors or Bachelorettes to dance. They will decline unless you have a minimum of 4 hearts with them. Count on watching during year 1. Talk to Mayor Lewis to being the dance.
Pierre will have a shop set-up during the Flower Dance. He sells Dandelion, Daffodil, Tub o’
Flowers, Tub o’ Flowers crafting recipe, and Rarecrow #5 (my personal favorite).
spring
LuauSummer, Day 11 | The Beach
You can enter the festival on the Beach between 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 10:00 PM.
The Governor is attending the event and Mayor Lewis will ask you to bring an ingredient to put into the Soup. Once you place your ingredient into the soup cauldron, talk to Mayor Lewis. Depending on what you put in the Soup, the Governor will have different reactions.
There is no “winning” here, as it is all just for fun, therefore no wrong choice. I have had pos-itive reactions with putting in a gold Truffle. Not all items can be added to the soup.
There is no shop set-up during the Luau.
Stardew Valley Fair
Fall, Day 16 | Pelican Town
You can enter the festival in Pelican Town between 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 10:00 PM.
This is probably the most interesting festival as there are many things to do here and a Stardrop is up for grabs, which permanently increases your Energy Bar. You can play a variety of mini-games to earn Star Tokens. Star Tokens can be redeemed at the booth at the entrance of the festival in exchange for prizes. You can exchange your tokens for Dried Sunflowers (decorative), Fedora (hat), Rarecrow #1, and a Stardrop.
The festival also features the Grange Display contest. Mayor Lewis has asked you bring 9 items to the Fair to be judged. In order to win, you need 90 points and if you win, you will receive 1,000 Star Tokens. You get 14 points automatically and each unique item add 5 points (i.e. Vegetable, Fish, Fruit, Artisan Goods, etc.). You also want to bring gold quality items, each gold quality item will add 3 points. Silver is 2 points, regular is 1 point. If you bring a variety of gold quality items with a minimum sell value of 400 gold, you can receive the max number of points per item, which is 8 points. Here is a sample of items you could bring to win 1st prize (all items are gold quality); Dorado, Mayonnaise, Truffle, Pumpkin, Ancient Fruit, Blue Jazz, Rainbow Shell, Leek, and a Star Fruit. You will be competing against Marnie, Pierre, and Willy. Watch my video ‘Grange Display, How to Win 1st Prize’.
There are six mini-games you can choose to play to earn Star Tokens. Most cost gold to participate, although the Smashing Stone is free to play. Booths include the Fishing Mini-Game, Slingshot Mini-Mini-Game, Smashing Stone, Token Seller, Clairvoyant Booth, and the Spinning Wheel. Winning will reward you with varying amounts of tokens based on your performance or choices. Or you can just buy tokens for 50 gold each at the Token Seller.
Dance of the Moonlight Jellies Summer, Day 28 | The Beach
You can enter the festival by going to the Beach between 10:00 PM - 11:50 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 12:00 AM.
During the festival, there isn’t much to do other than admire the beautiful Jellies. You can talk to all the villagers and when you are ready, you can talk to Mayor Lewis to start the event. Note, once you talk to Mayor Lewis, you are triggering the event to end and will not be able to return.
There is no shop set-up during the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies.
fall
Spirit’s Eve
Fall, Day 27 | Pelican Town
You can enter the festival in Pelican Town between 10:00 PM - 11:50 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 12:00 AM.
The player can journey into the Haunted Maze during the festival north of Pierre’s Shop. If you can find your way through the maze to the secret chest, you will be rewarded with a Golden Pumpkin. While it is not used for anything, it is valuable and can be sold for 2,500 gold. Watch my video ‘How to open the Chest in the Haunted Maze’.
Pierre will have a shop set-up during Spirit’s Eve. He sells Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern crafting recipe, and Rarecrow #2.
Festival of Ice
Winter, Day 8 | Cindersap Forest
You can enter the festival in Cindersap Forest between 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. When you de-cide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 10:00 PM.
At the festival you will see the Villagers working on igloos and building snowmen. If you talk to Penny, you can help decide what her and Jas’ snowman will look like. The festival hosts an Ice Fishing Competition. To start the event, talk to Mayor Lewis. Note, once you decide to start the fishing competition, you will no longer be able to explore the festival. Watch my video ‘How to Win the Ice Fishing Competition’. To win, you will need to catch at least 5 fish and you will be competing against Pam, Willy, and Elliott. If you win, you will receive three Tackles and a Sailor’s Cap (hat). If you have already won during a previous year, you will be rewarded with gold.
There is no shop set-up during the Festival of Ice.
Feast of the Winter Star
Winter, Day 25 | Pelican Town
You can enter the festival in Pelican Town between 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. When you decide to leave, you will be returned to your doorstep at 10:00 PM.
The Feast of the Winter Star is an event similar to a Secret Santa gift exchange. You are assigned a person to give a gift to, Mayor Lewis will send a letter to your mailbox telling you who your assigned person is on Day 18, so you’ll have plenty of time to prepare a gift for them. Likewise, someone will be assigned you. Be sure to bring your gift to the event, locate the person you were assigned to and give them their gift. After you give your gift, a cut-scene will start and the villager who was assigned you, will arrive with a package. You will open your gift and receive an item, or multiples of that item. The gift you receive it based on that Villagers loves, for instance, Marnie will give you a dozen Eggs while Vincent will give you Pink Cake.
If you talk to Willy while at the event, he will tell you a story of a mysterious Stardrop. Require-ments for this Stardrop, or if it even exists, are still unknown. You can also talk to Gus and he will tell you a long winded story about how he hand crafts candy canes. You can talk to all the Villagers at the festival, but Willy and Gus are the stand-outs.
There is no shop set-up during the Feast of the Winter Star.