Most Useful In-Game Events, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Stardew Valley offers a cozy yet challenging gaming experience with innovative mechanics and seasonal events.
• Some in-game events, like Dance of the Moonlight Jellies and SquidFest, offer unique items and rewards.
• Events like Spirit’s Eve and the Desert Festival are essential for completing achievements and provide valuable and fun activities.

With its charming cast of characters and special seasonal events, Stardew Valley provides a cozy yet still challenging gaming experience. While each seasonal event is unique and enjoyable in its own right, some are more beneficial to progressing the game than others.

Some of Stardew Valley‘s events are more focused on building friendship and players’ skills, such as the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies or the Trout Derby, and are quite jovial and laid back. Others, meanwhile, are essential in providing items to complete the game, and are not ones to miss. These are the most useful in-game events in Stardew Valley based on both their entertainment value and the practicality of the rewards they offer.

10 Dance Of The Moonlight Jellies

• Date: Summer 28
• Time: 10 pm–12 am
• Location: The Beach

In Stardew Valley, the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies is an event to commemorate the end of the Summer season. Players venture to the beach to experience the Moonlight Jellies (or ‘Lunaloos’, as the Wizard calls them) as they swim up to the Valley’s docks.

This event features some of the most beautiful and calming visuals throughout the game, complemented by a charming musical score. There are unique furniture items in Pierre‘s stall, including the Cloud Decal and the Moonlight Jellies Banner, as well as Seafoam Pudding, which is an excellent food item to boost the player’s fishing level.

9 Trout Derby

Great Rewards In The Early Game

• Date: Spring 20-21
• Time: All Day
• Location: Cindersap Forest

The Trout Derby is one of two fishing mini-festivals added to Stardew Valley in its 1.6 update. The main goal of the festival is to catch Rainbow Trout that hold a Golden Tag, as the tags can be exchanged for prizes at the Trout Derby stand.

The event lasts for two days, is optional, and does not halt in-game time. Rewards for Golden Tags include Mystery Box, Diamond, Quality Sprinkler, Tent Kit, and Warp Totem: Farm among others. This makes it a worthwhile venture for at least a couple of hours per event day even if fishing is not a favorite game mechanic.

8 SquidFest

Catch As Many Squid As Possible

• Date: Winter 12-13
• Time: All Day
• Location: The Beach

The second fishing mini-festival added to Stardew Valley in the 1.6 update is SquidFest. For this event, players must catch as many Squid as they can to receive prizes from the stand located to the north of the beach.

SquidFest is a little more worthwhile than the Trout Derby due to the increased quality of the prizes. Rewards for day 1 of the festival can include The Art O’ Crabbing, Mystery Box, Pearl, and ‘Squid Kid’ (Painting). On day 2, players can receive rewards such as Treasure Chest, Trap Bobber, and Squid Hat. All of these are either very useful items, or very fun exclusives.

7 Luau

Funny Secret Event And A Good Shop Inventory

• Date: Summer 11
• Time: 9 am-2 pm
• Location: The Beach

In this event, the Governor visits the valley to observe the town and taste the famous Luau soup. Players can gain friendship points with the villagers depending on what they decide to place within the soup potluck, making it very useful for farmers who are trying to build relationships.

What makes this event so entertaining is a secret response from Lewis and the Governor only possible when players place Mayor Lewis’ Lucky Purple Shorts into the Potluck. This has no effect on friendship, so it’s worth trying out for some mischievous entertainment. In addition, Pierre‘s stall at the festival contains exclusive seasonal items and a Starfruit, a valuable crop.

6 Spirit’s Eve

Essential For Achieving Perfection

• Date: Fall 27
• Time: 10 pm-11:50 pm
• Location: Town Square

Spirit’s Eve is Stardew Valley‘s version of Halloween, where players can explore a scary maze in order to receive either a Golden Pumpkin or Prize Ticket as a reward. A Golden Pumpkin is a universally loved gift and can be sold for 2,500g, making it a useful item. The event is also well-themed, with spooky incidental music.

If players wish to achieve perfection in Stardew Valley, this event is not one to miss. Pierre‘s shop contains the recipe for a Jack-O-Lantern and Rarecrow #2, both of which are necessary to complete the Craft Master achievement.

5 Festival Of Ice

Competitive Fishing With Useful Prizes

• Date: Winter 8
• Time: 9 am-2 pm
• Location: Cindersap Forest

Another essential event when aiming for perfection, the Festival of Ice features a fishing competition where players compete against Pam, Willy, and Elliott. Players recieve a Barbed Hook, a Dressed Spinner, a Magnet, and a Sailor’s Cap on their first win of the competition if they catch at least 5 fish. If they win again in the following years, they will be awarded a Prize Ticket. All of these items are useful to aid progression.

The Traveling Merchant appeas at this festival, selling a multitude of festive decor as well as Rarecrow #4, which is an essential item for achieving perfection.

4 Egg Festival

Great To Replay Each In-Game Year

• Date: Spring 13
• Time: 9 am-2 pm
• Location: Town Square

The Egg Festival is the first event players experience in Stardew Valley, occurring early in Spring. The main activity is the Egg Hunt, where players compete against the residents of Pelican Town to find eggs hidden around the town square. Since the 1.6 update, this event has become more appealing to replay each in-game year, as the locations of the eggs differ between odd and even years. The reward for winning the Egg Hunt for the first time is a Straw Hat, but subsequent wins willl earn players a Prize Ticket.

Pierre has a stall at this festival, which is one of only three places that sell Strawberry Seeds. As Strawberry is the most profitable Spring crop, Strawberry Seeds can prove a worthy investment for players.

3 Stardew Valley Fair

An Essential Shopping Opportunity

• Date: Fall 16
• Time: 9 am-3 pm
• Location: Town Square

At the Stardew Valley Fair, players are invited to display their best-quality goods and compete with the town’s merchants: Marnie, Pierre, and Willy. If a player’s display totals over 90 points, they will win 1,000 Star Tokens.

Star Tokens serve as the currency for this festival and can be purchased or won through fun and replayable minigames, including a fishing game, a spinning wheel, and a slingshot game. The shop at the festival offers perhaps the most essential item in Stardew Valley: the Stardrop, available for 2,000 Star Tokens. This item increases players’ maximum energy, making this festival well worth the visit.

2 Night Market

Three Days Of Shopping, Fishing, And Free Coffee

• Date: Winter 15-17
• Time: 5 pm-2 am
• Location: The Beach

The numerous shopping options at the Night Market elevate this event’s ranking. With a Decoration Boat, Famous Painter Lupini, a Magic Shop Boat, and an appearance from the Traveling Merchant, this festival provides many exclusive and useful items. The Magic Shop Boat is a particular highlight, as it allows players to buy out-of-season seeds.

Moreover, there are a multitude of fun activities to take part in. Catch new and profitable fish on the Submarine, or solve the Mermaid’s puzzle for a Pearl reward, all the while enjoying the perfect background music. With the free Coffee each night and the option to warp back to the farm, players can enjoy the market to its full potential without fear of running out of time.

1 Desert Festival

Lots Of Fun And Unique Attractions

• Date: Spring 15-17
• Time: 10 am-2 am
• Location: Calico Desert

Added in Stardew Valley‘s 1.6 update, the Desert Festival is a three-day-long event where players can take part in fun challenges to earn Calico Egg and purchase exclusive items. Each day, two random villagers have their own stalls, selling items of various qualities. Some of the best items sold include Emily‘s Prismatic Shard for 500 Calico Eggs, Robin‘s Furniture Catalogue for 1,000 Calico Eggs, and Alex‘s Magic Hair Gel for 100 Calico Eggs.

Emily also runs a daily outfit service, where players get a free makeover. The free cactus stall, Marlon‘s Skull Cavern quests, the Chef’s stall, and the Scholar’s quiz are more of the many highlights this festival has to offer. The Desert Festival stands out as the best in-game event due to the wide range of activities and the great utility of the items available.