Stardew Valley 1.6 Update Guide: Festivals, Perks, and Other Changes

Stardew Valley is a farming simulator with delightful cartoonish graphics that can be considered a reimagining of the classic Harvest Moon. You are offered the chance to plant and care for crops, raise livestock, mine for resources, trade, and gradually expand your plot of land. The simple concept has won over players — the project received excellent reviews and its sales have surpassed 30 million copies. In March 2024, Stardew Valley received a major 1.6 update. We will tell you all about the new features of this patch in our guide.

Please note. Although Stardew Valley has been released on current consoles and mobile devices, as of now, the 1.6 update is only available for the PC version of the game.

The three-day Desert Spring Festival will take place in the spring, on the 15th, 16th, and 17th. To participate in the event, you need a repaired bus. Come to the stop at 10 AM and head to the desert, to the Oasis. Calico eggs are used as currency here. You can exchange them for valuable resources with the merchant. After the festival ends, all unspent eggs will be burned.

During the festival itself, you can look forward to the following activities:

List of questions and answers for conversations with the professor.

In addition, at the event, there are shops with clothing and resources that accept calico eggs, a medical post where you can restore health, and also a car. The car is used as a teleport to your farm.

The Trout Derby takes place in the summer, on the 20th and 21st, from 6:10 AM to 2 AM. The required location is on the riverbank in Cindersap Forest, near Marnie's Ranch. Participants in the fishing event will have the opportunity to catch rainbow trout. Along with it, there's a chance to catch a golden tag, which can be exchanged at the local store for valuable resources. There's a small chance they will be found together with the trout itself or in a chest with fishing gear. To increase the chance of catching fish, it is recommended to make a bait crafting station in advance.

The Squid Festival is held in the winter, on the 12th and 13th. Depending on the number of caught animals, you can get copper, iron, iridium, and gold. It's worth exchanging them at the shop for prizes. To increase the chances of successful fishing, it's advisable to make a bait crafting station.

Before the 1.6 patch in Stardew Valley, there were seven types of farms, each with its own advantages and restrictions. With the March update, the Meadow farm will be introduced to the game. If you choose it, chewable grass that livestock love will grow next to you. Moreover, you will have a coop and two birds from the start. An excellent choice for those planning to focus on animal husbandry.

To unlock new perks, you need to perform a series of non-obvious actions. First, you need to level up all the main skills to the maximum tenth level. Then head to the southern part of the forest. Use our map for guidance.

There you will find an inconspicuous door in the rock. You can only open it if your skills are maxed out. Inside the room, you will find five totems corresponding to your skills. In the right corner, you can notice a letter from Grandpa. However, reading it is optional.

Return to the open world and open the skills menu. You will notice a bar called «Mastery». You need to fill it to the brim. To do this, engage in usual activities — fishing, livestock farming, and other activities.

When you accumulate 10,000 points, return to the cave and choose the skill that interests you. As a reward, you can receive either a unique perk or a valuable item related to that skill.