Every Festival Ranked in Stardew Valley

In Stardew Valley, the annual festivals provide a significant dose of excitement when you encounter them for the first time. Over time, as you continue to play, these events may start to lose their charm and feel less engaging.

Players generally view these events as chances rather than challenges, primarily because they offer opportunities to acquire novel items, serve as rewarding objectives to work towards on the day of the event, or provide an effortless means to interact with every NPC (Non-Player Character).

Based solely on practical value, this ranking of festivals holds no sentimental bias. Regardless of how worn out the atmosphere may feel, attending the festival remains an appealing option.

Although I find many of these lower-ranked places exude a fantastic atmosphere, I will primarily evaluate them based on their potential to enhance your farm, develop your skills, or increase your wealth, and for not much else.

12. Flower Dance

A Mild Inconvenience

Date(s) Items
Spring 24th, 9 AM – 2 PM , , Rarecrow, Decorative Items.

In the early stages of playing Stardew Valley, you’ll encounter The Flower Dance event rather quickly. However, during subsequent plays or in instances where strawberries are scarce, purchasing a Rarecrow is the only option available, which holds no significance.

One advantage you gain from dancing is extra points, but this benefit is significant only if you’re in Year 2 and still have room to level up your preferred Bachelor character.

In an ideal world, you should be free to dance with anyone you choose without restriction. However, in this game, you can only dance with those who have at least four hearts with you, which means that if you don’t have a strong connection with someone, it becomes a disadvantageous or frustrating situation for both parties.

11. Dance of the Moonlight Jellies

Flying One-Note

Date(s) Items
Summer 28th, 10 PM – 12 AM , Decorative Items.

Even though the Moonlight Jelly Dance happens late at night (at 10 PM), it renders the beach unusable for a full day, offering little to no reward for the lost time.

While it is visually appealing, it’s important to note that after initially appreciating the attractive cutscene, there isn’t much else to do here except quickly farm Seafoam Pudding for 5000g, with minimal additional content.

This event offers a simple method to interact with all villagers, and the merchandise in the store is quite appealing, though that’s essentially all there is to it. It’s a very singular experience, one that you might find yourself visiting just once to catch the ambiance.

10. Festival of Ice

Fishing Forever

Date(s) Items
Winter 8th, 9 AM – 2 PM , , , , Rarecrow, , , , Decorative Items.

At this festivity offering tangible rewards, the Festival of Ice features enticing edibles provided by the Roaming Vendor, and triumphing in the contest holds a certain value.

As a devoted angler, I can’t help but appreciate the patience fishing requires. But it’s worth it! Each catch comes with not one, but two fishing tackles, magnetic bait, and a snazzy cap to top it off. Or, if you’re particularly lucky, you might even score a Prize Ticket upon multiple victories, making each catch all the more rewarding!

While it might offer a chance for a prize, I wouldn’t call it extraordinary. If you’re looking for a prize ticket, it could be worth checking out, but generally speaking, I believe your time would be more effectively used elsewhere, making this something that can easily be passed over.

9. Spirit’s Eve

Free Gains

Date(s) Items
Fall 27th, 10:00 PM – 11-50 PM Rarecrow, , Decorative Items.

Despite Spirit’s Eve causing a town-wide lockdown for nearly the entire 27th day of Fall, the prize obtained by navigating the labyrinth is both swiftly attainable and highly valuable.

The Adored Gourd, or the Golden Pumpkin, is something cherished by many, and its allure lies in the fact that it comes at no cost. If your aim is to bring joy and warmth to another person’s heart, this could serve as an excellent alternative to a more traditional gift.

As a gamer, I find it’s not all that bad since I can still venture into the Mines and the Beach, even with the town being temporarily shut down. Sure, I’m only earning repeat year prize tickets right now, but it’s manageable for me.

8. Luau

Friendship Can’t Hurt

Date(s) Items
Summer 11th, 9 AM – 2 PM , Friendship with all villagers, Decorative Items.

Instead of the Flower Dance, the Luau offers a noticeable improvement in relationship building with most NPCs within the game, which means it’s beneficial to invest in a quality ingredient even if it requires slightly less overall grinding.

In your initial year, you can easily find quality items, either top-notch silver or acceptable gold ones. After that, keep them safe to use later, perhaps even in a dish for cooking. And, this store isn’t too shabby either.

As a fan, I find that this hanging ornament isn’t just for aesthetics; it doubles as a convenient way to obtain a juicy Starfruit during the heart of summer. If you haven’t ventured into the Desert yet, this is an excellent opportunity to add one more item to your collection!

7. Trout Derby

Quality Varies

Date(s) Items
Summer 20th – 21st , , , , , , , , Decorative Items.

One interesting event to note is the Trout Derby, which stands out among many festivals because it allows participation without restricting any specific area. It offers a wealth of fishing experience just by taking part in it, and there are substantial rewards up for grabs if your skills shine through.

Capturing each Rainbow Trout could earn you a coveted Golden Tag, exchangeable for an array of top-tier goods such as Diamonds, freshly brewed Espresso, Omni Geodes, Farm Tokens, and enigmatic Mystery Boxes.

Spending a considerable amount of time during the event is necessary for catching trout, yet I believe it’s worth the effort, particularly if your skills in fishing are sufficient.

6. SquidFest

On The Grind

Date(s) Items
Winter 12th – 13th , , , , , Coffee, , , , , (Only a few of these items can be earned on any given day)

As a passionate fan, I can’t help but share my excitement about SquidFest, an event that bears a striking resemblance to the Trout Derby in its concept. Just like the Derby, you’re tasked with catching various creatures (not trouts, though!) for some fantastic rewards. And So grab your gear and let’s dive in!

This event lasts just two days, but it’s definitely worth your time! You can snag the Iridium or Gold prizes on each day if you catch between 8 to 10 Squid. This will earn you some mystery boxes and fishing experience books as a bonus.

Or, more casually:

This event is only happening for two days straight, but it’s a great opportunity to win Iridium or Gold rewards by catching 8-10 Squid each day. You’ll receive mystery boxes and fishing experience books as extra perks!

It takes some effort, but the payoff is greater because you get a specific quantity of rewards using a fixed amount of squid, rather than having to provide an endless number of trout.

5. Egg Festival

Strawberry Maxxing

Date(s) Items
Spring 13th, 9 AM – 2 PM , , Decorative Items.

If not for Pierre, the Egg Festival would typically take place near where Spirit’s Eve occurs, as he single-handedly organizes, promotes, and essentially runs the event most of the year.

This method is essentially how one amasses a significant amount of the top-quality harvest during springtime, and when I engage in the game, I always set aside plenty for this celebration, ensuring I have enough seeds to cover two growing seasons.

The egg hunt, while average, offers a nice hat on your first try and a prize ticket on your second. Still, it’s slightly worth participating in, but the presence of strawberry seeds makes this event surpass it.

4. Feast of the Winter Star

I’m Dreaming of a Rainbow Shell

Date(s) Items
Winter 25th, 9 AM – 2 PM , , , , , , , , , , , , Decorative Items, and a massive random pool of items for your gift

In Stardew Valley, The Feast of the Winter Star is arguably one of its luckiest events, as the quality of your reward largely hinges on who presents you with a gift during this occasion.

One certain aspect is that friendships are bound to grow stronger when giving gifts, especially if you manage to find something they truly cherish. It essentially adds up to 400 friendship points in this scenario.

The variety of goods available in gifts spans from an Iridium Bar to fifty stones. Meanwhile, the diverse merchandise that Pierre rotates can offer anything from a Triple Shot Espresso to a single Winter Root. At its least impressive, it’s merely satisfactory; however, it has the potential to be truly remarkable.

3. Desert Festival

Seeds ‘n’ More

Date(s) Items
Spring 15th – 17th , , , , , , , , , , , An overwhelmingly large amount of items villagers can randomly sell, Decorative Items

In your initial year, you likely won’t be able to attend the Desert Festival since it takes place during springtime. However, it’s definitely worth considering a visit from the second year onwards, as there’s an array of exciting offerings to enjoy.

This place is great for procuring Strawberry Seeds, especially if you ran out during the Egg Festival. Additionally, it offers Mystery Boxes, Mega Bombs, Foraging Experience Books, and an array of delicious edibles.

The local stores can seem haphazard, but if you manage to find fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, or meat, your meal will be satisfying. If not, it might be wise to postpone your participation in the annual animal races until another time.

2. Night Market

Everything Must Go

Date(s) Items
Winter 15th – 17th, 5 PM – 2 AM , , , , , , , Seaweed, , All seeds sold by in Spring, Summer and Fall, Travelling Cart Selection, Decorative Items.

At the heart of this game lies the sprawling Night Bazaar, brimming with opportunities. Here, you can gather an abundance of decorative items, engage in profitable deep-sea fishing ventures, and even find rare, off-season seeds for sale.

You’ll receive a free Pearl in your save file if you have any musical ability, and finding items from the Traveling Cart will be easier for three consecutive days if it appears in your game.

At least once a year, it’s definitely worth taking a trip for the additional travel carts, complimentary coffee, and the handy teleportation feature back home after catching those special Super Cucumbers.

1. Stardew Valley Fair

So Much to Do

Date(s) Items
Fall 16th, 9 AM – 3 PM , , Rarecrow, , , , ,

At the heart of Stardew Valley lies a remarkable festival, standing out among others due to being one of only seven Stardrops scattered across the whole game. Therefore, it’s advisable to prepare an exceptional Grange Display prior to attending this noteworthy event.

Additionally, engaging in various entertaining mini-games or wagering activities could potentially earn you a Rarecrow, Prize Ticket, Mixed Seeds, Triple Shot Espresso, or even a Glowstone Ring.

Even though its value drops substantially during the initial year, it remains beneficial to participate annually due to the bonus ticket for additional prizes and variety of seeds. However, remember to consistently place your bets on Green.

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2025-01-05 17:09