New Leaf Events & Holidays Calendar
Every event in the New Leaf calendar, from New Year’s Day to the Countdown. Isabelle hosts most small holidays in the plaza with a free gift and a face-cutout standee; the big ones have their own hosts.
Edition: Nintendo 3DS game (2012–13) with the free 2016 Welcome amiibo update; dates are for the Northern Hemisphere. Wild World, City Folk and New Horizons work differently.
All events
| Event | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January | The new year starts straight after the Countdown; villagers wish you a happy new year. |
| Groundhog Day | 2 February | Isabelle gives a Resetti model, and there is a face-cutout standee in the plaza. |
| Valentine’s Day | 14 February | Villagers send chocolates, Mom sends a gift and Brewster serves hot chocolate. |
| Festivale | Carnival day, before Lent (February or March) | Pavé dances in the plaza. Catch coloured feathers with your net and trade them to him for Festivale furniture. |
| Shamrock Day | 17 March | Isabelle gives a shamrock hat, and clovers spring up around town. |
| Bunny Day | Easter Sunday (March or April) | Zipper hides six kinds of egg in trees, rocks, the ground, the river, the sea and balloons. Trade them for Egg furniture. |
| April Fool’s Day | 1 April | Blanca disguises herself as one of your villagers; find her and answer her questions. |
| Cherry blossoms | 1–10 April | Trees across town turn pink and petals fall. |
| Nature Day | 22 April | Isabelle gives a cool globe in the plaza. |
| Mother’s Day | 2nd Sunday of May | Mom sends a letter with a pink carnation. |
| Bug-Off | 3rd Saturday of June, July, August and September (9 AM–6 PM) | Nat judges the bugs you catch. New records earn Insect furniture, and the top three win trophies. |
| Father’s Day | 3rd Sunday of June | Dad sends a letter with a red carnation. Plant it next to the pink one for a white carnation. |
| Summer Solstice | 21 June | The sun never sets; Isabelle gives a pair of shades. |
| Fireworks | Every Sunday in August, 7 PM–midnight | Fireworks over the plaza. Isabelle can launch your own designs, and Redd sells fortune cookies at his stand. |
| Labor Day | 1st Monday of September (North America) | Isabelle gives a picnic basket. |
| Harvest Moon Festival | The full moon nearest the autumn equinox | Isabelle gives a wheat bundle (veggie basket in Europe) and talks about the moon. |
| Explorer’s Day | 2nd Monday of October (North America) | Isabelle gives a sailboat model. |
| Halloween | 31 October, from 6 PM | Villagers in masks want candy or play tricks. Give Jack candy for Spooky furniture. |
| Mushrooming Season | All of November until the Harvest Festival | Five kinds of mushroom grow around trees, plus one Mush furniture item a day. |
| Harvest Festival | 4th Thursday of November | Collect ingredients for Franklin’s four-course feast and win Harvest furniture. |
| Toy Day | 24 December, from 6 PM | Dress as Santa and deliver Jingle’s presents to your villagers for Jingle and Festive furniture. |
| Winter Solstice | 21 December | The sun never really rises, and the aurora shines until 10 PM. |
| New Year’s Eve | 31 December, countdown from 11 PM | A countdown clock in the plaza; Isabelle hands out a regional treat and Redd sells party poppers and hats. |
| Fishing Tourney | 3rd Saturday of January, March, May and November (9 AM–6 PM) 2nd Saturday of February, April, October and December (9 AM–6 PM) | Same contest as above. |
| Weeding Day | Last Friday of April (North America) or last Saturday of April (Europe), 6 AM–7 PM | Leif comes to the plaza and gives Flower furniture for weeds you pull. If the town has no weeds at all, he suggests three topiary projects instead. |
Month by month
January
New Year’s Day · Fishing Tourney
February
Groundhog Day · Valentine’s Day · Festivale · Fishing Tourney
March
Festivale · Shamrock Day · Bunny Day · Fishing Tourney
April
Bunny Day · April Fool’s Day · Cherry blossoms · Nature Day · Fishing Tourney · Weeding Day
May
Mother’s Day · Fishing Tourney
June
Bug-Off · Father’s Day · Summer Solstice
July
Bug-Off
August
Bug-Off · Fireworks
September
Bug-Off · Labor Day · Harvest Moon Festival
October
Harvest Moon Festival · Explorer’s Day · Halloween · Fishing Tourney
November
Mushrooming Season · Harvest Festival · Fishing Tourney
December
Toy Day · Winter Solstice · New Year’s Eve · Fishing Tourney
Other dates to know
- Your birthday: villagers throw you a party and Mom sends a gift.
- Villagers’ birthdays: visit on the day with a present.
- K.K. Slider plays live at Club LOL every Saturday night.
- Joan sells turnips every Sunday morning, 6 AM to noon.
- Meteor showers happen on random clear nights: wish on shooting stars and Wishy sends furniture.
- On event days the town hall closes, so no public works can be started.
FAQ
When is the Fishing Tourney in New Leaf?
On the third Saturday of January, March, May and November and the second Saturday of February, April, October and December, from 9 AM to 6 PM.
When is the Bug-Off in New Leaf?
On the third Saturday of June, July, August and September, from 9 AM to 6 PM.
When are the fireworks in New Leaf?
Every Sunday in August from 7 PM to midnight.
Is there Halloween in New Leaf?
Yes, on 31 October from 6 PM. Villagers in masks ask for candy, and Jack swaps candy for Spooky furniture.
Sources & picture credits
- Events (New Leaf), Animal Crossing Wiki
- Fishing Tourney, Nookipedia
- Bug-Off (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- New Year’s Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Groundhog Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Valentine’s Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Festivale (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Shamrock Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Bunny Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- April Fool’s Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Cherry blossoms (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Nature Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Mother’s Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Father’s Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Summer Solstice (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Fireworks (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Labor Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Harvest Moon Festival (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Explorer’s Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Halloween (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Mushrooming Season (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Harvest Festival (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Toy Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Winter Solstice (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- New Year’s Eve (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Fishing Tourney (Animal Crossing Wiki)
- Weeding Day (Animal Crossing Wiki)
Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Nookipedia and the Animal Crossing Wiki. Icons, renders and screenshots © Nintendo; local copies archived from Animal Crossing Wiki file pages (listed in the picture gallery).