Stardew Valley Festival Guide 1.6 — Schedule, Rewards & Tips
Detailed guide to all Stardew Valley 1.6 festivals by season. Don't miss rare rewards, exclusive items, and friendship point opportunities.
Each season has 2-3 festivals, and each one only happens once per year. Miss it and you wait 12 months. But if you plan ahead, you can walk away with rare items, massive friendship boosts, and a pile of gold.
Quick Summary: Festival Schedule by Season
- Spring: Egg Festival (Day 13), Flower Dance (Day 24).
- Summer: Luau (Day 11), Dance of the Moonlight Jellies (Day 28).
- Fall: Stardew Valley Fair (Day 16), Spirit's Eve (Day 27).
- Winter: Festival of Ice (Day 8), Night Market (Day 15-17), Feast of the Winter Star (Day 25).
- Special: Desert Festival (Spring Day 15-17, v1.6), SquidFest, Trout Derby.
Spring: Eggs and Dancing
Egg Festival — Spring Day 13
The first festival of the year. The main activity is the egg hunt — run around town collecting as many eggs as possible. Find 9 or more eggs and you'll win, earning Strawberry Seeds (10 seeds). Pro tip: eggs are blue and brown, scattered around the park, saloon, and residential areas. Go early before NPCs block your path.
Even if you don't win, you can still buy Strawberry Seeds from the stall. This is the only time of year they're sold, so buy as many as you can afford — this investment pays for itself many times over.
Flower Dance — Spring Day 24
A dance festival at Cindersap Forest. This is your first chance to date in the game — give a Bouquet to an NPC at 4+ hearts and you'll dance together. No special material rewards, but it's a major relationship milestone.
Summer: Luau and Jellyfish
Luau — Summer Day 11
The most important festival of the year that most players skip. You drop one ingredient into the communal stew pot. The quality of your ingredient directly affects friendship with every NPC.
| Ingredient | Effect | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Iridium-quality fish (Legend, Crimsonfish...) | +250 friendship (nearly max) | Hard |
| Prismatic Shard | +250 friendship | Extremely rare |
| Wine, high-quality fruit | +120 friendship | Medium |
| Common ingredients (snails, weeds...) | -30 friendship | Easy |
Don't throw random junk into the pot. I once dropped a regular fish and lost 30 friendship with the whole town. If you don't have anything good, it's better to not participate — just stand and watch.
Dance of the Moonlight Jellies — Summer Day 28
A mid-summer festival at the beach. No special interaction — just watch glowing jellyfish drift across the ocean. It's the last Summer festival, so enjoy it. Fall starts the next day.
Fall: Exhibition and Ghosts
Stardew Valley Fair — Fall Day 16
The biggest Fall festival. Two things matter here: the exhibition and the special shop.
For the exhibition, choose 9 items (crops, minerals, artisan goods, fish...) to display. Score 90+ points and earn Star Tokens (1 token per point). Pro tip: bring Iridium-quality items + diverse categories (no duplicates) for maximum score. The grand prize is a Stardrop (+34 max energy) — absolutely worth it.
The shop lets you spend Star Tokens on Deluxe Speed-Gro, a Torch, and most importantly the Mini-Jukebox — a decoration you literally cannot buy anywhere else.
Spirit's Eve — Fall Day 27
Stardew's Halloween. The main activity is the maze — there are two versions that alternate each year. Navigate it fast enough and you'll find the Golden Pumpkin — a rare item that sells for 2,000g or makes a great keepsake. The shop also sells a Cornucopia (decoration) and special Rarecrows.
Winter: Ice, Markets, and Christmas
Festival of Ice — Winter Day 8
An ice fishing contest at Cindersap Forest. Same concept as the Fishing Contest — catch fish to score points. Hit 3+ points for rewards. Bring bait and spinners to fish faster. Rewards include a Pirate Lure and a Sonar Bobber — both useful for fishing.
Night Market — Winter Day 15-17
The only 3-day festival in the game, running from 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM on the beach. This is the only place to buy the Decoration Boat, Bat Star, and many other rare decorations. There's also a submarine ride to explore the ocean floor — bring Coffee or a Triple Shot Espresso to swim faster.
Feast of the Winter Star — Winter Day 25
Stardew's Christmas. You'll be assigned a random NPC for a Secret Gift Exchange. Give them a loved gift and earn +5 friendship (5x the normal amount). Pro tip: check the NPC gift guide before the festival to prepare. Pierre sells Christmas trees and special decorations during this event.
Desert Festival (v1.6)
The Desert Festival runs Spring Day 15-17 in the desert. This is the newest festival (added in 1.6). The main activity is shopping at NPC stalls — each stall is run by a different NPC, and inventory changes daily. There are also races and special mini-games. Pro tip: bring plenty of Golden Walnuts and cash, since many items are only sold here.
Common Festival Mistakes
- Showing up late: Most festivals end at 10:00 PM. Set an alarm 1-2 hours early if you're busy farming.
- Ruining the Luau: Don't toss random ingredients into the stew. When in doubt, just stand outside and watch.
- Skipping Night Market: Only 3 days per year. Plan ahead — many rare items are sold exclusively here.
- Not preparing for the exhibition: Stardew Valley Fair happens once a year. Grow high-quality crops from the start of the season to display.
Related on StardewHub
- NPC Gift Guide — Essential for Luau and Feast of the Winter Star.
- Fishing Guide — Skills you need for Festival of Ice.
- Daily Planner — View festival schedule and prepare for each event.
Personally I always prepare hard for Luau and Stardew Valley Fair — these two give the most long-term value. Spirit's Eve I just do for the Golden Pumpkin. Who can resist a shiny golden gourd, right?
Updated for v1.6 — includes Desert Festival.