SDV Almanac

Verified for game version 1.6.x

Festivals break up the farming calendar with unique minigames, rare rewards, and free friendship. Missing one means waiting a full year to try again, so knowing the dates and the optimal play matters. This guide runs through the year in order.

How festivals work

Most festivals trigger at a set time (usually 10:00 AM) and warp you to a special location; you cannot do farm work that day, and the festival ends at 2:00 AM back home. The in-game calendar (gift from the Wizard’s first letter, or check the community center guide) shows each date. Arrive on time — leaving early forfeits rewards.

Spring

Egg Festival (Spring 13): a timed egg hunt in town. Collect the most eggs to win a Strawberry Seeds prize — buy as many as you can afford; strawberries are your first big money crop. Even if you lose, the seeds are sold here for the rest of the day.

Flower Dance (Spring 24): a dance in the Cindersap Forest. Dance with a villager to gain friendship hearts (unlocks dating). Talk to candidates beforehand so the option appears; a gift that day helps.

Summer

Luau (Summer 11): the beach potluck. You add one ingredient to the communal soup. A high-value item (e.g., a gold-quality crop or a Diamond) makes the Governor happy and grants a large friendship boost to the whole town. A low-value or trash item earns a penalty. This is one of the best friendship opportunities in the game — bring something good.

Trout Derby (Summer 20 & 21, 1.6): a fishing contest at the mountain lake. Catch trout for points and redeem for tackles and bait. Good for anglers.

SquidFest (Winter 12-13, see below): a winter squid-fishing event.

Fall

Fair (Fall 16): the Stardew Valley Fair. Play minigames to earn Star Tokens, then spend them at the booths. The Grange Display is the highlight: place up to 9 of your best items (high quality, rare, or valuable) for a token payout. The Stardrop (a permanent max-energy boost) costs 2,000 tokens — save for it. Also grab the rare merchandise and the Fair Horse if you can.

Spirit’s Eve (Fall 27): a maze at the Wizard’s tower with spooky decor and a reward at the center (often a rare item or gold). Fun and low-stakes.

Winter

Night Market (Winter 15-17): three evenings of boats. Take the submarine ride to see rare fish, buy a Magic Rock Candy or a recolor, watch the ice-fishing contest, and eat at the food stalls. The scroll merchant offers unique purchases. One of the richest festivals for variety.

Feast of the Winter Star (Winter 25): a secret-Santa event. You are assigned a villager to gift and assigned one to gift you. Giving their loved gift earns big friendship. Check the gift guide for ideas.

Festival of Ice (Winter 8): a fishing contest on the frozen lake; catch at least 5 fish to win.

Desert Festival (1.6, Spring 15-17 in the Calico Desert)

Added in 1.6, this three-day event brings vendors, minigames, and unique rewards to the desert. Requires the bus repaired (Vault bundle or Joja). Worth the trip for exclusive items.

Strategy tips

Why festivals matter for progression

Beyond fun, festivals hand out Stardrops (permanent energy), unique cosmetics, rare seeds, and big friendship jumps that would otherwise take weeks of gifting. For a completionist, the calendar is as important as the crop schedule.

What to bring to each

Pack a small “festival kit” so you never miss a reward: a stack of your highest-value crops for the Luau soup, a Diamond or Ancient Fruit in reserve, a full inventory of display-worthy items before the Fair, and a gift you already know a villager loves before the Winter Star. Most festivals punish showing up empty-handed far more than they punish showing up late, so preparation matters more than punctuality.

The Stardrop sources

Permanent max-energy Stardrops are rare and precious. One comes from a festival: the Fair (2,000 Star Tokens). The Night Market sells rare fish and items but not a Stardrop. The others come from the Mines, the Secrets of the Universe quest, the Spouse, and the Desert. Because festival Stardrops are on a fixed yearly calendar, they are the most reliable ones to plan around — never skip a Fair or Night Market if you are hunting them.

If you miss one

Festivals are once per year, so missing the Luau means waiting 12 months to retry the friendship boost, and missing the Fair delays your Stardrop by a full cycle. The cost is rarely fatal to a playthrough, but for a completionist it is lost time. Set a calendar reminder for the big three — Luau, Fair, Night Market — and treat them as immovable appointments.

Festival prep checklist

Festival fatigue

It is tempting to treat every festival as a must-win contest, but most are low-stakes fun. The only ones that truly matter for progression are the Luau (friendship), the Fair (Stardrop), and the Night Market (rare goods). The others are bonuses. If a festival falls on a day you wanted to mine, skip it without guilt — the year is long and the loss is minor. Save your energy for the three that pay permanent dividends.

Next

For the friendship angle, read the gift guide and villagers overview. The community center guide explains how the calendar unlocks.

Sources & verification