Stardew Valley Festival of Ice Guide: Schedule, events and more

The Festival of Ice in Stardew Valley marks the first festival of the winter season. It’s a fun event where you can find the whole of Pelican Town enjoying the snow by building snowmen, ice sculptures, and igloos. You can join this celebration in the Cindersap Forest and socialize with various NPCs to take part in their preferred snow activities. The festival also features event-exclusive shops that sell unique items.

However, the main highlight of this festival is the fishing competition organized by Mayor Lewis where you can unlock various rewards by winning against other residents. This guide will walk you through tips for winning the fishing competition, rewards, and everything else you need to know about the Festival of Ice in Stardew Valley.

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Festival of Ice date and time in Stardew Valley

The Festival takes place on Winter 8 every year (Image via ConcernedApe)

The Festival of Ice is held every year on Winter 8 in Cindersap Forest. You will receive mail from Mayor Lewis on Winter 7 informing you about the date, time, and venue for the festival.

You can participate in the Festival of Ice by heading to Cindersap Forest on Winter 8 between 9 AM and 2 PM. If you enter the forest after festival timings, you will miss the whole event and must wait until next year to participate again.

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Fishing competition in the Festival of Ice explained

Winning the fishing contest rewards player with rare items (Image via ConcernedApe)

The main highlight of the Festival of Ice event is the fishing competition organized by Mayor Lewis. Simply talk to him during the festival to trigger the event. You will need to catch five fish to win the competition. Failing to do so will let Willy win and you will not receive any prize.

Winning the competition for the first time will reward players with the following items:

• Barked Hook
• Dressed Spinner
• Magnet
• Sailor’s Cap
• Prize Ticket

Any subsequent wins will reward you with 2,000 gold and a Prize Ticket. The latter is a rare item that can be exchanged for various items in Stardew Valley.

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How to win the fishing competition in Stardew Valley

Stand close to the pond and cast while the bar is still red (Image via ConcernedApe || YouTube@LifeByLacy)

Investing in a good quality fishing rod in Stardew Valley can definitely help you win the fishing competition. It's also recommended that you practice fishing in the ocean before the competition to further familiarize yourself with the fishing mechanics in the game.

On the day of the competition, you need to catch five or more fish in under two minutes to win. For a better chance, simply stand as close to your pond as possible. Cast your rod while the bar is still red. The cast should then land inside the pond, increasing your chances of securing a fish relatively quickly.

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Limited-time shopping booth during the Festival of Ice

The Traveling Merchant sells rare items during the event (Image via ConcernedApe)

The Traveling Merchant sets up a booth in Cindersap Forest that offers exclusive items you can only buy during this festival. Here’s a list of items sold by the merchant:

Item	Price
Cranberry Sauce	200 g
Frozen Dreams	2,000 g
Icy Banner	800 g
Icy Rug	4,000 g
Pumpkin Soup	250 g
Rarecrow	5,000 g
Stuffing	200 g
Tree of the Winter Star	5,000 g
Wall Sconce	1,000 g
Winter Dining Table	3,000 g
Winter End Table	1,000 g

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This concludes our guide for the Festival of Ice in Stardew Valley. For more festival guides, check out the following articles:

Fair guide || Flower Dance guide || Egg Hunt guide || Luau Festival guide