Fall Season Guide
Fall is the season of harvest and preparation. With the most profitable regular crop (Cranberries) and two major festivals, Fall balances farm income with social events. This guide covers all Fall foraging, fishing, festivals, and a week-by-week plan.
TL;DR
Fall priorities: plant Cranberries on Day 1 (best gold/day at 18.89g/day, multiple harvests), plant Pumpkins (525g sell, 16.92g/day), catch the legendary Angler fish (900g, Fall only), don’t miss the Stardew Valley Fair (Fall 16) for Star Tokens and the Spirit’s Eve maze (Fall 27) for the Golden Pumpkin. Key forageables: Chanterelle (160g), Hazelnut (90g), Blackberry (Fall 8-11).
Fall Overview
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration | 28 days (Fall 1 - Fall 28) |
| Forage | Blackberry, Common Mushroom, Chanterelle, Hazelnut, Wild Plum, Purple Mushroom, Red Mushroom |
| Fish | Salmon, Walleye (rain), Tiger Trout, Albacore, Midnight Carp, Catfish (rain), Eel (rain), Angler (legendary) |
| Festivals | Stardew Valley Fair (Fall 16), Spirit’s Eve (Fall 27) |
| Special Events | Blackberry Season (Fall 8-11), Hazelnut drops from Maple Trees (Fall 14+) |
Fall Foraging
Fall has seven forageable items with generally higher values than Spring:
| Item | Locations | Sell (N/S/G/I) | Energy/Health | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackberry | Bushes everywhere (Fall 8-11 only) | 20/25/30/40g | 25/11 | Free berries from bushes; Blackberry Jelly |
| Common Mushroom | Cindersap Forest, Secret Woods, Mountain, Backwoods | 40/50/60/80g | 38/17 | Field Snack recipe; common |
| Chanterelle | Secret Woods (38%), Farm Cave (Mushroom) | 160/200/240/320g | 75/33 | Highest regular forage value |
| Hazelnut | Backwoods, Mountain, Bus Stop; shake Maple Trees (Fall 14+) | 90/112/135/180g | 30/13 | Good sell price; easy to find |
| Wild Plum | Bus Stop, Railroad, Backwoods, Mountain | 80/100/120/160g | 25/11 | Plum Pudding recipe from Evelyn |
| Purple Mushroom | Farm Cave (Mushroom), Forest Farm | 250/312/375/500g | 125/56 | Very valuable; Mushroom Cave only |
| Red Mushroom | Secret Woods, Farm Cave (Mushroom) | 75/93/112/150g | -50/0 | Negative energy; Life Elixir ingredient |
Best Foraging Strategy
- Days 1-7: Collect Common Mushrooms and Hazelnuts daily from standard forage locations
- Days 8-11: Blackberry Season — pick every berry from bushes in Pelican Town, Cindersap Forest, and Railroad
- Day 14+: Shake Maple Trees for free Hazelnuts (90g each)
- Secret Woods: Chanterelle (160g) is the most valuable regular forageable — visit daily
- Farm Cave (Mushroom option): Purple Mushroom (250g) and Chanterelle (160g) spawn here
Fall Fishing
Fall introduces the legendary Angler fish and several valuable catches, especially on rainy days.
Fall-Exclusive Fish
| Fish | Location | Time | Weather | Difficulty | Sell (N/S/G/I) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon | Town/Forest River, Forest Waterfalls | 6am-7pm | Any | 50 | 75/93/112/150g |
| Walleye | Town/Forest River, Forest Pond, Mountain Lake | 12pm-2am | Rain | 45 | 105/131/157/210g |
| Tiger Trout | Town/Forest River | 6am-7pm | Any | 60 | 150/187/225/300g |
| Albacore | Ocean | 6am-11am, 6pm-2am | Any | 60 | 75/93/112/150g |
| Midnight Carp | Forest Pond, Mountain Lake | 10pm-2am | Any | 55 | 150/187/225/300g |
| Catfish | Town/Forest River, Secret Woods | 6am-12am | Rain | 75 | 200/250/300/400g |
| Eel | Ocean | 4pm-2am | Rain | 70 | 85/106/127/170g |
| Red Snapper | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Rain | 40 | 50/62/75/100g |
| Sea Cucumber | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Any | 40 | 75/93/112/150g |
| Super Cucumber | Ocean | 6pm-2am | Any | 80 | 250/312/375/500g |
| Shad | Town/Forest River | 9am-2am | Rain | 45 | 60/75/90/120g |
| Angler | North of JojaMart, near waterfall (Fishing Lv 3) | Any | Any | 85 | 900/1,125/1,350/1,800g |
Fishing Tips for Fall
- Angler (900g base, 1,800g Iridium) is the most valuable non-legendary seasonal fish — requires Fishing Level 3, appears north of JojaMart near the waterfall. Only appears once per save file
- Rain days are critical: Walleye (105g), Catfish (200g), Eel (85g), Red Snapper (50g), Shad (60g)
- Tiger Trout (150g) is a great daytime catch at Town/Forest River
- Salmon is needed for the River Fish bundle along with Walleye and Catfish (all available in Fall rain)
- Midnight Carp (150g) only appears 10pm-2am at Forest Pond or Mountain Lake
Fall Festivals
Stardew Valley Fair (Fall 16)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | Pelican Town Square |
| Currency | Star Tokens |
Grange Display Contest:
| Placement | Star Tokens | Points Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | 1,000 | 90+ points |
| 2nd Place | 500 | 75-89 points |
| 3rd Place | 250 | 60-74 points |
| 4th Place | 50 | Below 60 |
Scoring tips:
- Bring up to 9 high-quality items
- Use items from 6+ different categories for maximum category bonus
- Gold/Iridium quality items score highest
- Items are returned after judging (v1.5+, uncollected items go to Lost and Found)
Must-buy items:
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stardrop | 2,000 tokens | Permanent max energy +34. One-time ever purchase |
| Other fixed items | ~2,900-4,900 tokens | Replenish each year |
Money-making tip: Play the fishing minigame (50g/play) — perfect catches earn 12-25 tokens each. Can earn 800+ tokens per play. Gus also serves free Survival Burgers near the fountains.
Spirit’s Eve (Fall 27)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Time | 10:00 PM - 11:50 PM |
| Location | Pelican Town (haunted maze) |
Maze Rewards:
| Year | Layout | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Odd years (1, 3, 5…) | Simpler maze | Golden Pumpkin (2,500g sell, universally loved gift) |
| Even years (2, 4, 6…) | More complex maze | Prize Ticket (redeemable at Mayor’s Manor) |
Navigation tips:
- General strategy: keep going left
- Find the secret passage near the ”?” signpost
- Odd years: navigate through the blind cave passage (Glow Ring helps)
- Even years: find unmarked secret passages, take the middle of three paths behind the chicken-legged house
- Minecart shortcut (v1.6.3+) for quick exit after getting the reward
Do not skip this festival — the Golden Pumpkin is worth 2,500g and is universally loved by all villagers. Pierre sells Rarecrow #2 (5,000g).
Fall Birthdays
| Day | Villager | Loved Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2 | Penny | Diamond, Emerald, Melon, Poppy, Pink Cake, Tom Kha Soup |
| Fall 5 | Elliott | Crab Cake, Duck Feather, Lobster, Pomegranate, Pumpkin Soup |
| Fall 11 | Jodi | Diamond, French Fries, Fried Calamari, Maple Bar, Pancakes |
| Fall 13 | Abigail | Amethyst, Chocolate, Pumpkin, Spicy Eel, Pufferfish |
| Fall 15 | Sandy | Crocus, Nautilus Shell, Sea Urchin, universal loved gifts |
| Fall 18 | Marnie | Farmer’s Lunch, Diamond, Goat Cheese, Pink Cake, Pumpkin Pie |
| Fall 21 | Robin | Goat Cheese, Mango, Peach, Pomegranate, Spaghetti |
| Fall 24 | George | Fried Mushroom, Leopard Squash, Parsnip, Potato, Yam |
| Fall 26 | Clint | Battery Pack, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Topaz, Universal loved gifts |
Week-by-Week Fall Plan
Week 1 (Fall 1-7)
- Day 1: Plant Cranberries (240g, 7 days, then every 4 days, 2 per harvest) — the best profit crop
- Day 1: Also plant Pumpkins (100g, 13 days, 525g sell) and Artichoke Seeds (30g, 8 days, 160g)
- Day 2: Penny’s birthday. Water crops, forage mushrooms
- Day 5: Elliott’s birthday. Continue foraging and fishing
- Day 7: First Cranberry harvest! (7 days from planting)
Week 2 (Fall 8-14)
- Day 8-11: Blackberry Season. Pick every berry from town bushes
- Day 8: Second Cranberry harvest (Day 11, 4 days regrowth)
- Day 11: Jodi’s birthday. Cranberry harvest again (Day 15)
- Day 13: Abigail’s birthday
- Day 14: Hazelnuts start dropping from Maple Trees. Shake them daily
Week 3 (Fall 15-21)
- Day 15: Sandy’s birthday. Continue Cranberry harvesting (Day 15, 19, 23, 27)
- Day 16: Stardew Valley Fair. Prepare 9 high-quality items for the Grange Display. Buy Stardrop if you haven’t already. Earn tokens via fishing minigame
- Day 18: Marnie’s birthday
- Day 21: Robin’s birthday. Pumpkin harvest if planted Day 1 (13 days)
Week 4 (Fall 22-28)
- Day 22-26: Continue Cranberry harvests. Catch Angler fish if not yet caught
- Day 24: George’s birthday
- Day 26: Clint’s birthday. Final Pumpkin harvest opportunity
- Day 27: Spirit’s Eve. Navigate the maze for the Golden Pumpkin (odd years) or Prize Ticket (even years)
- Day 28: Last day of Fall. Prepare for Winter: stockpile wood/stone, preserve crops, plan indoor activities
Fall Money Milestones
| Goal | Amount | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Seeds (50+) | 12,000g | Best gold/day fall crop |
| Pumpkin Seeds (20+) | 2,000g | High single-harvest profit |
| Seed Maker | 2,500g + 25 Coal + Gold Bar | Save Cranberry seeds for next year |
| Kegs (10+) | ~2,000g materials | Pumpkin Wine (1,050g with Artisan) |
| Greenhouse repair | 350 panes + visit Wizard | Year-round crop planting |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cranberries really the best Fall crop?
Yes. Cranberries produce 2 berries per harvest every 4 days after 7 days of initial growth. Over a full 28-day season planted Day 1, you get 6 harvests yielding 5.33g/day net (18.89g/day gross). Even better when processed into Jelly (155g) or Wine (750g with Artisan).
How do I get the Golden Pumpkin?
Enter the Spirit’s Eve maze on Fall 27 (odd-numbered years only) before 11:50 PM. Navigate the maze by generally going left, finding secret passages, and reaching the treasure room. The Golden Pumpkin sells for 2,500g and is loved by every villager as a gift.
What should I bring to the Stardew Valley Fair?
Bring 9 Gold or Iridium quality items spanning 6+ categories (vegetables, fruits, animal products, artisan goods, fish, foraging). Gold/Iridium Starfruit Wine, Truffle, Rabbit’s Foot, and Iridium Ancient Fruit are top picks. The fishing minigame is also great for earning extra Star Tokens.
When do Hazelnuts start appearing?
From Fall 14 onward, shaking Maple Trees has a chance to drop Hazelnuts (90g). This is a daily free forageable — shake every Maple Tree on your farm and in town for extra income.
Last Updated: July 2026 | Game Version: 1.6.15