Animal Crossing: New Horizons is full of many events. You’ve got holidays, Nook Shopping seasonal specials, and big bonanzas. There are also fishing tournaments and bug offs. While these events are set on the same dates each year, it’s good to know exactly what’s happening and when. For example, you have the Bug-Off happening on the third Saturday of January in the southern hemisphere, but it’s easier if someone could give you the exact date. That’s what this guide is for.
This guide will provide you with a list of all the dates of events in 2023, as well as the hemisphere they’re taking place in. Here, you’ll also have a reminder of seasonal changes, such as when the snow arrives and melts, when to start collecting those summer shells, what Nook Shopping items to look out for, and more. We’ll make sure you don’t miss a thing! If you want a more detailed overview of each month, be sure to check out our in-depth guides.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on Nintendo Switch.
For more New Horizons guides, take a look at our complete collection of Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2023 Events Dates
Here, we’ll list every event you need to know of in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, marking the actual date it’s occurring in 2023. A note will be made of which hemisphere the event will take place in. We’ll list the events in order of the dates, starting in January.
In this guide, expect to see the dates for the following:
- Events such as seasonal holidays
- Bug-Offs and Fishing Tournaments
- Nook Shopping seasonal items
- Any notable seasonal changes
January
It’s January, the beginning of a new year. The Christmas season is wrapping up, but the New Year celebrations continue with plenty of items from Nook Shopping to decorate your home with. There’s also the Fishing Tournament, taking place in both hemispheres on the 14th. The Bug-Off is also taking place on the 21st, but only in the southern hemisphere.
One other thing: do not forget to get up early to watch the spectacular sunrise on the 1st of January. You should see the sun first appear at 7am over the horizon. You’ll see the sun again as it lowers in the sky at around 4pm, finally disappearing at around half five. It’s a sight to behold!
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our January Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
New Year’s Sunrise and Sunset | 1st | Both |
New Year’s Day Items Ends | 5th | Both |
Nanakusa Gayu Item Available | 5th – 7th | Both |
Festive Series Ends | 6th | Both |
Fishing Tournament | 14th | Both |
Big Game Celebration Items Available | 15th | Both |
Bug-Off | 21st | South |
Groundhog Day Item Available | 25th | Both |
Setsubun Item Available | 25th | Both |
Lunar New Year Items Available | 30th | Both |
Seollal Item Available | 30th | Both |
February
In February, any remaining New Year’s celebrations ends. The big event of February in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is Festivale, a huge party that cannot be missed. This year, it’s taking place on the 20th. For southern hemisphere players, the Bug-Off is back on the 18th. Meanwhile, seasonal changes are happening in the north. The snow will be gone on the 25th, and spring will officially begin, with spring bamboo available to chop down from bamboo to craft unique items.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our February Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Valentine’s Day Items Available | 1st – 14th | Both |
Lunar New Year Items Ends | 6th | Both |
Seollal Item Ends | 6th | Both |
Carnival of Venice Item Available | 7th | Both |
Big Game Celebration Items Ends | 15th | Both |
Bug-Off | 18th | South |
Festivale | 20th | Both |
Frozen Series Ends | 24th | North |
Snowflake Series Ends | 24th | North |
Winter Clothing Ends | 24th | North |
Spring Bamboo Series Starts | 25th | North |
Hinamatsuri Item Available | 25th | Both |
Snow Melts | 25th | North |
Summer Clothing Ends | 28th (29th in Leap Year) | South |
Summer Shells Ends | 28th (29th in Leap Year) | South |
March
March is a pretty quiet month in New Horizons for both hemispheres. However, there are Nook Shopping items to look out for. In the south, this is also the month when fall arrives, where you can find Acorns and Pine Cones in trees.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our March Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Acorn & Pine Cone Season Begins | 1st | South |
Pi Day Item Available | 1st – 14th | Both |
Hinamatsuri Item Ends | 3rd | Both |
Shamrock Day Items Available | 10th – 17th | Both |
April Fool’s Day Item Available | 26th | Both |
April
April hosts another big unmissable event in both hemispheres in New Horizons: Bunny Day! While the big day itself is on the 9th, the week leading up to it (starting the 2nd), you can start gathering those all-important eggs around your island. Also, don’t forget other important events like the Fishing Tournament on the 8th, the beautiful Cherry Blossom season in the first third of the month (north only), plus Prom Season is taking place all throughout April, with special items available at Nook Shopping and the Able Sisters.
There’s another event to watch out for. The May Day maze is available from April 29th and ends in May on the 7th. Note that you can only do the maze once, so pick a good time to do it and make the most of it!
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our April Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
April Fool’s Day Item Ends | 1st | Both |
Prom Season | 1st – 30th | Both |
Cherry Blossom Season | 1st – 10th | North |
Singmogil | 1st – 10th | Both |
Bunny Day | 2nd – 9th | Both |
Nature Day | 4th – 22nd | Both |
Fishing Tournament | 8th | Both |
Children’s Day Items Available | 28th | Both |
May Day Begins | 29th | Both |
May
The May Day event continues into May, if you haven’t done it yet. There’s plenty of time, and it’s fun! There’s also International Museum Day, where you can collect stamps around the museum. If you’re in the south, the fall is in full swing. Look out for mushrooms all month, as well as maple leaves in the second half. In the north, the spring ends on the 31st of May in New Horizons, so those spring bamboo won’t be available afterwards. There’s Nook Shopping stuff to look for as well.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our May Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Mother’s Day Item Available | 1st – 31st | Both |
Mushroom Season | 1st – 31st | South |
Children’s Day Items Ends | 5th | Both |
May Day Ends | May 7th | Both |
Maple Leaf Season | 16th – 25th | South |
International Museum Day | 18th – 31st | Both |
Cheese Rolling Item Available | 22nd – 31st | Both |
Spring Bamboo Season Ends | 31st | North |
June
June is another busy month in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The north and south hemispheres have contrasting experiences; north players will find summer shells washed up on their beaches, and the summer solstice takes place, while southern players will see snow from the 11th and celebrate the winter solstice. The northern hemisphere will also see its first Bug-Off of the year, now that summer has arrived. There are plenty of critters to catch!
The big event of June though, whichever hemisphere you’re playing in, is Wedding Season. Make sure to drop round to Harv’s Island and snap some romantic shots for Cyrus and Reese.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our June Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Summer Clothing Available | 1st | North |
Summer Shells Available | 1st | North |
Winter Clothing Available | 1st | South |
Father’s Day | 1st – 30th | Both |
Wedding Season | 1st – 30th | Both |
International Children’s Day | 1st – 15th | Both |
Dano Festival | 5th – 14th | Both |
Dragon Boat Festival | 5th – 14th | Both |
Acorn & Pine Cone Season Ends | 10th | South |
Snow Arrives | 11th | South |
Snowflake Season Begins | 11th | South |
Frozen Series Available | 11th | South |
Summer Solstice | 15th – 22nd | North |
Winter Solstice | 15th – 22nd | South |
Bug-Off | 24th | North |
July
There’s nothing too major happening in July, except for another Fishing Tournament on the 8th in both hemispheres and another Bug-Off in the north on the 22nd. There are some Nook Shopping items to grab as well, so make sure to pick those up while you can.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our July Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Tabanata | 1st – 7th | Both |
Fishing Tournament | 8th | Both |
Marine Day | 8th – 22nd | Both |
Le 14 Juillet | 10th – 20th | Both |
Cowboy Festival Item Available | 15th | Both |
Bug-Off | 22nd | North |
August
August is all about the spectacular fireworks shows you get to watch every Sunday night. This is the only time to watch fireworks, except for the New Year’s Countdown, so make the most of them. This is a month of things ending, such as snow melting in the south and marking the beginning of spring, as well as the end of summer in the north. Don’t miss the Bug-Off in the north on the 26th either.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our August Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Fireworks | 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th | Both |
Cowherd and Weaver Girl Day Items Available | 5th – 14th | Both |
Obon Items Available | 10th – 16th | Both |
Cowboy Festival Item Ends | 15th | Both |
Tomato Festival T-Shirt Available | 20th – 31st | Both |
Bug-Off | 26th | North |
Snowflake Series Ends | 24th | South |
Snow Melts | 25th | South |
Spring Bamboo Season Begins | 25th | South |
Summer Shells Ends | 30th | North |
September
Autumn has begun in the north in September, and so the Acorns and Pine Cones are available to gather in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. There’s a Bug-Off as well on the 23rd. Also, don’t miss the Nook Shopping specials.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our September Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Acorn & Pine Cone Season Begins | 1st | North |
Grape Harvest Item Available | 1st – 30th | Both |
Chuseok Item Available | 12th – 21st | Both |
Moon Viewing Day Items Available | 12th – 21st | Both |
Bug-Off | 23rd | North |
October
October is all about one big spooktacular event: Halloween! You’ve got all month to prepare for this fun event. You should grow plenty of pumpkins so you can craft Halloween items with them. Meanwhile, the south gets to enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms, and both hemispheres can enjoy the Fishing Tournament on the 14th.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our October Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Halloween Items Available | 1st – 31st | Both |
Spooky Items Available | 1st – 31st | Both |
Cherry Blossom Season | 1st – 10th | South |
Fishing Tournament | 14th | Both |
Day of the Dead Item Available | 25th | Both |
Halloween | 31st | Both |
November
The fall colors have arrived in the northern hemisphere in November, as well as the mushrooms. The Bug-Off is taking place for the first time in a while in the south on the 18th. However, the big event overshadowing everything else in November is Turkey Day, where you get to help Franklin prepare some tasty dishes.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our November Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Mushroom Season | 1st – 30th | North |
Lantern Festival Item Available | 1st – 11th | Both |
Day of the Dead Item Ends | 3rd | Both |
Shichi-Go-San Item Available | 11th – 20th | Both |
Maple Leaf Season | 16th – 25th | North |
Bug-Off | 18th | South |
Turkey Day | 23rd | Both |
December
December is probably the biggest month in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, jam-packed with Nook Shopping purchases, events, and collectibles. In the north, watch out for the snow arriving on the 11th. You should see snow flurries before then, but it won’t settle until the 11th. In the south, you can find summer shells on the beaches. The summer and winter solstices are happening in December: the winter solstice in the north, and the summer solstice in the south. There’s also a Bug-Off in the south on the 16th.
There are 2 major events in December in New Horizons: Toy Day and the New Year’s Countdown. These events are certainly not ones to miss. Toy Day takes place on the 24th, and the New Year’s Countdown starts at 11pm on the 31st.
For more details, including birthdays and creatures, see our December Overview guide.
Event Name | Date | Hemisphere |
Summer Shells Available | 1st | South |
Summer Clothing Available | 1st | South |
Winter Clothing Available | 1st | North |
Toy Day Items Available | 1st – 24th | Both |
Acorn & Pine Cone Season Ends | 10th | North |
Snow Arrives | 11th | North |
Snowflake Season Begins | 11th | North |
Frozen Series Begins | 11th | North |
Festive Series Begins | 15th | Both |
Summer Solstice Items Available | 15th – 22nd | South |
Winter Solstice Items Available | 15th – 22nd | North |
Bug-Off | 16th | South |
New Year’s Eve Items Available | 22nd – 31st | Both |
Toy Day | 24th | Both |
Shōgatsu Item Available | 26th | Both |
New Year’s Day Items Available | 26th | Both |
Ōmisoka Item Available | 26th – 31st | Both |
Silvester Item Available | 26th – 31st | Both |
New Year’s Countdown | 31st | Both |
That’s a list of all events in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, from major holidays to Nook Shopping exclusives. Hopefully this list will help you prepare for 2023 in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and help you keep track of everything you need to know that’s going on, so you don’t miss anything.