Stardew Valley Festivals Calendar — All Year-Round Events Explained
Festivals Calendar — All 14 Events by Season
| Festival | Date | Key Activity | Reward Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg Festival | Spring 13 | Egg Hunt mini-game | Strawberry Seeds (only Spring 13 sale!) |
| Flower Dance | Spring 24 | Group dance, ask a villager | Tub o' Flowers, friendship boost |
| Trout Derby (1.6 patch) | Summer 20–21 | Catch tagged trout, exchange tickets for prizes | Bobber Hat, Trout Derby Wallpaper |
| Luau | Summer 11 | Submit ingredient to soup pot — Governor's review | Friendship hearts with every villager |
| Moonlight Jellies | Summer 28 | Watch jellies at the beach (no objective) | Atmospheric event |
| Stardew Valley Fair | Fall 16 | Grange Display contest, mini-games for star tokens | Star Tokens shop — rare items |
| Spirit's Eve | Fall 27 | Haunted maze, scavenger hunt | Golden Pumpkin, Stardrop opportunity |
| Festival of Ice | Winter 8 | Ice Fishing contest, mini-games | Decorative items |
| Squidfest (1.6 patch) | Winter 12–13 | Catch squid, exchange tickets for prizes | Squidfest Hat, decorative items |
| Feast of the Winter Star | Winter 25 | Secret Santa gift exchange | Friendship boost, unique gift from villager |
Spring Festivals — Strawberry Seeds and Flower Dance
Egg Festival (Spring 13): The first major festival. Pierre's traveling tent sells Strawberry Seeds at 100g each — and this is the ONLY day in Year 1 to buy them. Buy 20–30 seeds; strawberry is one of the most profitable Spring crops. Also during the festival, you can win the Egg Hunt mini-game (collect 9+ eggs by the time limit) — the prize is a Straw Hat, decorative.
Flower Dance (Spring 24): At 9:00 AM, ask one of the 12 single villagers to dance with you (each villager has different requirements — Sebastian needs 4+ hearts, etc.). Successfully completing the dance gives a Tub o' Flowers (decorative for your farm), the Flower Dance Pile (decorative), and a significant friendship boost with all villagers (each gets +250 friendship for attendance).
Tips: Save up money for Egg Festival strawberry seeds — they're season-locked Year 1 only (year 2+, you can buy from Oasis later). The Flower Dance dance partner is a one-time per save — pick the villager you want to romance early for relationship-building.
Summer Festivals — Luau Soup and Jellies
Luau (Summer 11): The most consequential festival. You submit ONE ingredient (any item from your inventory) to the communal soup pot. The Governor tastes the soup and his reaction depends on what you contributed. Highest tier (Iridium-quality crops, Lobsters, Sturgeon, Ancient Fruit) = the Governor LOVES the soup; +friendship with every villager. Lowest tier (Joja Cola, trash, sea urchin) = Governor HATES it; -friendship with every villager. Choose a high-tier ingredient (Iridium-quality Watermelon, Hot Pepper, or Pufferfish are excellent picks).
Trout Derby (1.6 patch, Summer 20–21): New as of patch 1.6, the Trout Derby is a 2-day fishing contest where you catch trout (regular trout count, but tagged 'Lucky' trout reward bonus tickets). Tickets exchange for: Bobber Hat (cosmetic), Trout Derby Wallpaper, decorative items. The Trout Derby is enjoyable but skip if you're prioritizing main-season crops.
Moonlight Jellies (Summer 28): Atmospheric event with no quest objective. Just watch the jellies at the beach with the rest of the town. No reward, but it's a beautiful event and contributes to the late-summer atmosphere.
Fall Festivals — Stardew Valley Fair and Spirit's Eve
Stardew Valley Fair (Fall 16): The biggest festival of the year. The Grange Display contest is the centerpiece — submit 9 items from your farm (crops, animals products, fish, foraged, minerals, cooked dishes, etc.) for the judges. The display is scored on diversity (mix of categories) and individual item quality (Iridium > Gold > Silver > Normal). Submit 1 of each: fruit, vegetable, foraged item, fish, animal product, mineral, and cooked dish. Maximum score is 175. Winning gives 1000g + the Stardew Hero Trophy plus 500 star tokens.
Star Tokens shop at the fair sells unique items: Pufferchick (decorative animated pet), Light Sword (weapon), Rare Seed (purple bag — grows into Sweet Gem Berry, valuable), and the Triple Shot Espresso recipe (cooking). Buy the Triple Shot Espresso recipe (5 star tokens) — it's a permanent unlock. Pufferchick (15 tokens) is a one-time decorative pet that follows you.
Spirit's Eve (Fall 27): Halloween-themed festival with a Haunted Maze you navigate at night. The maze has a Golden Pumpkin (Stardew Valley equivalent of a treasure) hidden somewhere — finding it grants a Stardrop chance (rare item that increases your max energy by 34). The maze can be done multiple years in a row for repeated chances.
Festival Priority — Which to Prep For
| Festival | Prep Required | Reward Value | Skip If... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg Festival | Cash (~3000g) | High — Strawberry seeds for Year 1 | You don't plan to plant strawberries |
| Flower Dance | Reach 4+ hearts with desired partner | Medium — Tub o' Flowers + relationship | Skip in Year 1 if no romance target |
| Luau | Iridium-quality crop or fish | High — relationship boost | Skip soup contribution = -friendship; always attend with good item |
| Stardew Valley Fair | 9 high-quality items for grange + cash | Very High — Pufferchick + Star Tokens shop | Never skip — biggest reward festival |
| Spirit's Eve | Nothing | High — Stardrop chance | Always attend for the Stardrop chance |
| Feast of Winter Star | Save gift for villager (random secret Santa) | Medium — friendship + unique gift | Always attend for the unique villager gift |
| Trout/Squidfest (1.6) | Rod + bait | Low — cosmetic only | Skip if you have high-priority crops to harvest |
| Festival of Ice | Tackle + bait for Ice Fishing | Low — decorative | Skip if not prioritizing fishing |
Verdict: Never skip: Stardew Valley Fair, Spirit's Eve, Luau, Egg Festival, Feast of Winter Star. Optional: Flower Dance, Festival of Ice, Squidfest. The big-three (Fair, Spirit's Eve, Luau) give the largest rewards and friendship boosts.
Winter Festivals — Festival of Ice and Winter Star Feast
Festival of Ice (Winter 8): Two contests — Ice Fishing (catch the most fish in time limit, prize is decorative items + 200g) and Crab Cake-Eating Contest (fastest to eat 5 crab cakes, decorative ranking). Both are minor in reward but contribute to festival enjoyment. Save buff potions and bait for the Ice Fishing contest if you're competing.
Squidfest (1.6 patch, Winter 12–13): New 1.6 addition. Catch squid at the beach (squid only spawn in Winter rain or storms). Tagged Lucky Squid give bonus tickets. Ticket prizes: Squidfest Hat (cosmetic), decorative items. Like Trout Derby, skip if you have other priorities — the rewards are minor.
Feast of the Winter Star (Winter 25): Secret Santa exchange. The festival starts at 9 AM. Each villager is paired with another villager to exchange gifts; you're paired with a random villager. The gift you give must be on their loved list (max friendship boost) or liked list (minor friendship boost). The gift you receive depends on who pulled your name — you'll always get something. Plan gift donations 1 in-game day in advance using the in-game character relationship screen.
Festival Mistakes to Avoid
- Missing the Egg Festival = no Strawberry Seeds in Year 1 (without traveling vendor luck). This is the single biggest Year 1 mistake.
- Not preparing 9 Grange items before Fall 16 = forfeit Stardew Valley Fair prize. Lock down 1 of each category (vegetable, fruit, fish, animal product, foraged, mineral, cooked dish, gem, artifact) ahead of time.
- Submitting a Joja Cola or Sea Urchin to the Luau soup = the Governor hates it = friendship loss with EVERY villager. Always submit a high-quality crop or fish.
- Choosing a low-heart Flower Dance partner = rejection at the dance request. Reach 4+ hearts with your chosen partner before Spring 24.
- Not playing the Spirit's Eve maze in Fall = missed Stardrop chance (every year). Always play the maze at least once.
- Forgetting to prepare a Secret Santa gift for Feast of the Winter Star = give a default item (no friendship benefit). Check who you're paired with and bring a 1-loved gift.
- Skipping festivals because of 'farm work' = the festival days don't progress crops anyway. Always attend; you lose nothing by participating.
- Treating the Trout Derby/Squidfest like a major event — they're minor cosmetic festivals. Don't sacrifice main crop harvesting for them.
Year 1 Festival Prep Checklist
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 13 — Egg Festival | Save 3000g + cash for Strawberry Seeds | Buy 20–30 seeds. Strawberries are one of the most profitable Spring crops. |
| Spring 24 — Flower Dance | Reach 4+ hearts with chosen partner | Ask via dialogue at the dance. Wears nice outfit; no special prep. |
| Summer 11 — Luau | Have Iridium-quality crop OR Lobster/Sturgeon ready | Pufferfish (caught in beach during Summer rain) is also perfect for Luau. |
| Fall 16 — Stardew Valley Fair | 9 items for Grange Display: 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 fish, 1 animal product, 1 foraged, 1 mineral, 1 gem, 1 cooked dish, 1 artifact | Bring extra cash (~1500g) to buy Star Token items at the booth. |
| Fall 27 — Spirit's Eve | Just attend; explore the maze | Stardrop opportunity if you find the Golden Pumpkin. |
| Winter 25 — Feast of Winter Star | Check who you're paired with (in-game letter Day 24); bring their 1-loved gift | Friendship gift + unique item from paired villager. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I miss festivals if I'm working on something else?
Yes, but you lose the unique rewards permanently for that year. The Egg Festival's Strawberry Seeds, Stardew Valley Fair's Pufferchick, Luau's friendship boost, and Feast of Winter Star's villager gift are all year-locked. Most festivals are also tied to friendship gains, so missing them slows down your relationship-building. Attend all festivals; they replace your normal day so you lose nothing else.
What if I don't have an Iridium-quality crop for the Luau?
Submit a Gold-quality crop, a Sturgeon (best fish at any quality), or a high-tier cooked dish (Eggplant Parmesan, Survival Burger, Pumpkin Soup). The Governor's reaction tiers are: HATES (Joja Cola, trash, sea urchin), DISLIKES (low-quality items), NEUTRAL (regular quality), LIKES (gold quality), LOVES (iridium quality or specific items like Sturgeon or Pufferfish). Even a 'LIKES' reaction gives small friendship boost; HATES gives -friendship with every villager.
Is the Trout Derby worth it?
For most players, no. The rewards (Bobber Hat, decorative wallpaper) are cosmetic. The time spent at the Derby (2 days) is significant. Skip the Derby if you have crops to harvest or you're saving energy for other tasks. If you enjoy fishing as a hobby, the Derby is fun and rewarding to participate in.
How do I win the Stardew Valley Fair Grange Display?
Submit 9 items spanning all categories (fruit, vegetable, fish, animal product, foraged, mineral, gem, cooked dish, artifact). Use Iridium-quality whenever possible. The diversity bonus from spanning all categories adds significant points. Some specific high-value items: Sweet Gem Berry, Diamond, Iridium-quality crops, Sturgeon Roe. Combine for an optimal display.
Can I attend festivals with my spouse?
Yes — spouses attend festivals alongside you and contribute to the social dialogue. Some festivals (Flower Dance, Feast of Winter Star) have spouse-specific dialogue and interactions. Friendship gains during festivals are doubled (or more) when your spouse is present.
What happens if I miss the Egg Festival in Year 1?
You won't get Strawberry Seeds in Year 1. They're available in Year 2 from the Traveling Cart (occasional sale). This significantly delays your strawberry farm by 1 year. Plan your Spring crops differently if you missed it: Parsnips (basic), Cauliflower (high-tier), and Garlic (after Year 1) are alternatives.
Do mods affect festival rewards?
Most quality-of-life mods don't affect festival rewards — they remain as designed. Content mods (Stardew Valley Expanded, Ridgeside Village, etc.) sometimes add their own festivals with unique rewards. Check the mod documentation if you're using major content mods to understand new festival mechanics.
What's the most overlooked festival reward?
The Triple Shot Espresso recipe at Stardew Valley Fair (5 star tokens). This recipe gives you a 4-hour speed boost from a single cooking. Combined with Coffee Beans (passive farming) you can sustain speed boosts for entire days. The Pufferchick (15 tokens) is also rewarding for collectors. Many players forget to buy these because they're tucked in the Star Tokens menu.
Sources & verification
Continue this guide path
- ›Stardew Valley Year 1 Complete Plan — Season-by-Season Strategy GuideA full Year 1 roadmap covering the best crops per season, key festivals, Community Center bundles, fishing, relationships, and money milestones — everything you need to finish Year 1 strong.
- ›Best Spring Crops in Stardew Valley — Strawberries vs Cauliflower ProfitSpring is your first full season in Stardew Valley, and the crops you choose can set you up for a strong Year 1 or leave you struggling. We compare Strawberries, Cauliflower, and Rhubarb with full profit math.
- ›All 12 Stardew Valley Marriage Candidates Ranked — Best Spouse Gifts & PerksStardew Valley has 12 marriageable characters, each with unique gifts they leave in the farmhouse, spouse rooms, and personality perks. This ranked breakdown helps you decide who to pursue based on practical in-game benefits and gift quality.
- ›Friendship Mechanics in Stardew Valley — Hearts, Decay & EventsFriendship with Pelican Town's residents is one of Stardew Valley's most rewarding systems, unlocking heart events, recipes, gifts, and eventually marriage. This guide covers exactly how the friendship point system works, gift limits, decay rules, and how to build hearts efficiently.
- ›Best Fall Crops in Stardew Valley — Cranberries vs Pumpkin vs GrapesFall offers some of Stardew Valley's most profitable crops. Cranberries deliver reliable multi-harvest income, Pumpkins excel for high-quality single-harvest value, and Grapes can be turned into wine.