Social/Date Festivals
Each season, there will be a community festival where the villagers of all towns gather together to celebrate a local custom. The festivals need to be revived before everyone can participate, which begins after you clear the Harvest Sprite barrier surrounding the town where the festival occurs. Some festivals can be unlocked at that point, while others require you to reach 3 stars on the town's Cultural Level gauge.
To start the festival, talk to the town's Harvest Sprite guardian. You'll find them by the gate to the town. Talk to them again if you want to end the festival early and go home.
Since all the marriage candidates will be there, you can also ask one of them to attend the gathering as your date. First, start the festival by talking to the Harvest Sprite, then find the person you want as your party partner for the day. The marriage candidates are scattered around the town, so it may take some wandering to find the person. You can only ask one person, and they don't have the option to turn down your request! The festival celebrations will begin once you select "Yes" on the "Do you want to attend the ____ festival" dialog box.
You can attend these festivals with your spouse after marriage. Start the festival as normal, then talk to your spouse to have a special couple's version of the festival dialog.
Once your child has been born, they too will attend the festival. Talk to your spouse during the festival invitation period to start the event's family version. They'll even attend while in their newborn baby form.
Lectenbury Flower Festival - Spring 15
Talk to Nemo after Ver's wall around Lectebury is gone to help the traveling merchant restore the town's flower festival. He asks that you bring him 10 Marguerite, 10 Strawberry Pansy, and 10 Viola. You can find wisps carrying these seeds in Lectenbury and the Breezy Plains.
Once unlocked, talk to Ver on Spring 15 after 10:00 am to begin the festival. You can invite a marriage candidate to spend time under the pink blossoms. Despite the festival taking place in his hometown, Doc Jr does not make an appearance. Bah. This festival ends at 6:00 pm.
Lilikala Big Fish Festival - Summer 22
A festival to give thanks to the sea, this event unlocks after Aestas' wall is gone around Lilikala. Brenden at the Restaurant will ask that you help revive this festival by bringing him 5 Ahi Poke, 5 Jumbo Grilled Fish, and 10 Board Lumber. While the poke recipe requires Tuna (any variety), the grilled fish meal can be cooked using a variety of large-size fish such as Pollock and Sea Bass.
To start the festival, talk to Aestas after 8:00 pm. The Harvest Sprite will be slightly east of the Lilikala farm space; she won't be at her typical spot near the village gate. Select the person to spend the evening with, eating fish and watching the ocean. This festival ends at 11:00 pm.
Herbstburg Music Festival - Autumn 22
To revive this festival, clear Autumnus' wall around the town, unlock the Mining Festival with Tori, and reach 3 full stars of Cultural Level. Then bring Otto 5 Orange Juice, 5 Doria, and 10 Board Lumber. You can buy Orange Juice for 120 G at Lothar's Restaurant in Herbsturg, or you can buy the recipe from him for 1000 G and make it yourself. Lothar also sells the Doria recipe for 200 G. You can make the meal by combining 2 Rice, 1 Wheat, and 1 Milk.
Bring these items back to Tori to unlock the festival, which takes place on Autumn 22, starting at 10:00 am. Talk to your preferred festival partner to begin. Your date will then ask you to play music for them. You will then start the musical mini-game . The first time you participate, you don't have the option to select a song or difficulty level; it will be the Harvest Melody (i.e., the game's title theme) on Beginner level.
This is a rhythm game where the goal is to press an input button (A, Right Shoulder, Left Shoulder, B, X, or Y) when the music note is over the target. Points are awarded based on how close the note hits the circle target.
Your score doesn't affect the festival; your date will be impressed no matter your button-mashing skills (and mine are absolutely terrible).
This festival will end at 6:00 pm. From now on, you can play the Music Festival mini-game any time by interacting with the lute on the stage in Herbstburg. The Gold Metalist achievement requires you to pass one Advanced Class song.
Herbstburg Harvest Festival - Autumn 22
After you have participated in one Herbstburg Music Festival, return to Herbstburg the next day or later to trigger a cut scene with Doctor Sinel. The Music Festival reminded him of the old Harvest Moon Festivals. Once a year, everyone in Anthos would gather in Herbstburg to give thanks for that year's harvests. To revive this festival, Sinel will ask you to collect 5 Strawberry Milk, 5 Strawberry Pie, and 5 Strawberry Gelato. All three of these recipes appear in the Providence Restaurant after unlocking the town's 3-Star Lock. The recipe for Strawberry Milk costs 1000 G, and the other two recipes are 2000 G each.
- 5 Strawberry Milk: 5 Strawberry and 5 Milk
- 5 Strawberry Pie: 10 Strawberry, 5 Wheat, and 5 Egg
- 5 Strawberry Gelato: 5 Strawberry and 5 Milk
Once you have these items, visit Doctor Sinel in Zimagrad to complete the task to unlock the festival.
This festival will replace the Music Festival on Autumn 22 in Herbstburg. To begin the festival, talk to the Harvest Goddess at the entrance to the town, where she will make a once-a-year appearance outside of her pond. Give her a gift of Strawberry Jam before starting the festival if you want to raise her friendship.
In this social festival, everyone has gathered together from all of Anthos to give thanks to the Harvest Goddess and share their towns' bounty. Even the Harvest Sprites will be in attendance.
Talk to each marriage candidate to receive a goodie. It's similar to trick-or-treating! You'll get wild items, cooked meals, fish and fishing bait, fertilizer, and more. You'll have to decline the prompt to invite the person to attend the festival with you if you want to walk around and collect all the gifts.
Once ready, talk to your chosen festival partner to continue the event. You'll spend the evening looking up at the autumn full moon. This festival ends at 8:00 pm.
Zimagrad Aurora Festival - Winter 15
Once Zimagrad's wall goes away and the misplaced villagers return, talk to Gunnar to learn about the Aurora Festival. He asks that you bring him 5 Hot Milk, 5 Mushroom au Gratin, and 10 Board Lumber. To make these dishes, you'll need a total of 30 milk. Bring the materials back to unlock this social event.
This is a late-night festival starting at 8:00 pm. Talk to Hiems to begin the gathering, where you can ask a marriage candidate to watch the sky lights. This festival ends at 11:00 pm.