Revision as of 22:27, 28 March 2024 by Bluestblur(talk | contribs)(→Skull Cavern: Added in-game pop-up descriptions for Calico Statues. There are 18 possible effects. Still looking at data from the code - please correct if I read the numbers wrong.)
This page or section contains unmarked spoilers from update 1.6 of Stardew Valley. Players may want to avoid or be cautious toward reading this article/section.
The Desert Festival is a festival that happens every year in the Desert on Spring 15th, 16th, and 17th. Unlike non-festival days, players may enter the desert prior to when Pam arrives at the Bus Stop, though it officially starts at 10am. On the final day of the festival, the player must wait until Pam arrives to drive the bus at 10am. This event requires the Bus to be repaired in order to visit the festival.
Sandy's shop will not be open for the duration of the festival, however the player may still enter the Oasis. The Desert Trader is still present and her shop is accessible.
Several challenges and attractions offer the ability to earn this festival's currency, Calico Eggs. Calico Eggs are physical items within game that can be used to purchase several different items from the various shops during the Desert Festival. Eggs appear to carry over from day to day and can be saved until the last day of the festival. However, they will disappear from chests or inventory at the end of the festival and do not appear to be able to be saved for the following year. The eggs can be sold in the player's shipping bin, but they yield no gold. (more investigation needed).
Throughout the day, players may bet on races that take place on the hour and, if the chosen contestant wins, will receive data-sort-value="20"> 20 Calico Eggs per win. This is repeatable up until 11pm when the final race of the day ends.
The player can also cheat the race by giving the Suspicious Man next to the Oasis data-sort-value="1"> 1 in exchange for one of the race contestants of the player's choosing possibly losing the race.
The contestants include King Sting, Speed Rooster, Shoebiscuit (or Boot), Escar-go, Cactus Crawler.
Calico Egg Merchant
The Calico Egg Merchant sells several accessories and furniture items, as well as various usable items. Some items are sold every day, while others are only available on certain days.
Emily and Sandy offer the player a new outfit daily with a short cutscene in which she will pick the clothing that "embodies the player". The player's original outfit is placed in their inventory. If the player tries to re-enter the hut in which the clothing service happens, the player will be blocked from entering, with Emily saying that the player looks great in their new outfit.
On days where Emily runs a Villager Shop, Sandy will take over after a bit of hesitation.
Chef
The Chef gives the player a choice of ingredients to make them a meal with varying effects depending on the ingredients chosen. The player may do so repeatedly, and choose different ingredients each time. The meal will be eaten and any effects will be applied immediately, lasting for variable durations. The buffs from dishes are a combination of buffs from both ingredient choices, e.g; Crystal Cake would provide you with both Mining (+3) and Luck (+1) buffs. Any dish will restore the player's maximum health and energy.
Once per festival, the player may obtain a cactus decor item from the Cactus Salesman at the bottom of the map. This decor is one out of several, and its face, colors, and design vary.
Purple Flower Smiling Cactus.png
Purple Flower Cactus
Red Flower Sideeye Cactus.png
Red Flower Cactus
Sly Cactus and Free Cactus Salesman
Cat Cactus.png
Cat Cactus
Random Cactus Combinations
Skull Cavern
During the Desert Festival, Gil and Marlon of the Adventurer's Guild offer one-day quests that will award the player Calico Eggs if completed. These quests are Monster Slaying or Exploring Quests, in which the player must slay a number of monsters, or reach a certain level in the Skull Cavern. The player does not need to have obtained the skull key to enter skull caverns during the festival, and the skull caverns function as they normally do (including Treasure Rooms and hard-mode ("Dangerous", "Skull Cavern Invasion") skull caverns; as such, if hard-mode is toggled on, one may want to toggle it off before the festival!)
There are Calico Egg mining nodes which, when mined, yield data-sort-value="1-3"> 1-3.
"Egg Levels" are granted 1 every 5 floors and additionally every time a Calico Statue is activated. Talking to Gil presents the option to submit the day's egg level for a prize. This prize (is based on egg level?) can include eggs (100 on egg level 20?+), Triple Shot Espresso (x5 on egg level 20?+) and Gil's Hat (egg level 25?+).
Calico Statues may randomly appear once per floor (even Treasure Rooms). Activating the statue grants a random effect that lasts the (confirmation needed: visit to the mine? the day?) (plus the 1 additional "Egg Level").
If the player loses all health in the Skull Caverns and is knocked out, they will awaken at Harvey's "shop" located in the festival next to the Cavern entrance. The player will awaken with 10 health and will not lose energy or Gold. The player will keep their items but lose two Calico Eggs. Talking to Harvey will result in the same dialogue as before the player died.
Fishing Quests
Willy offers one-day fishing related quests, which will also award the player data-sort-value=""> Calico Eggs upon completion. These quests involve catching certain Desert Fish, like Sandfish, or involve festival-specific items.
Scholar
The Scholar gives the player a series of four questions, in exchange for a reward of event currency if all answers are correct. The player has one chance per day to achieve this. After a successful round of questions, the player must wait until next year to receive another reward. Questions are randomized from the table per event. Click below to see possible questions and their answers.
If successful, the player will receive data-sort-value="50"> 50 Calico Eggs.
Shrouded Figure
The Shrouded Figure offers to teleport the player back to their farm for data-sort-value="250">250g, like in the Night Market during Winter. It functions the same as the Warp Totem: Farm.
Traveling Cart
The Traveling Cart makes an appearance with her standard cart, sporting an umbrella over the pig's head. A selection of the usual items is sold (with a new re-randomized stock for each of the 3 days), including the Wedding Ring recipe in a Multiplayer game. The shop opens at 12 pm.
Villager Attendees
Like the Night Market, villagers will deviate from their regular schedules to attend the Desert Festival. Alongside the festival-goers, some villagers host their own shops during the festival. However, players are able to walk into the shops through the back, meaning these villagers are still available for gifting, talking, or quest completion while at their post. Which villagers host a shop on which day is seemingly random, and their shops are available from 12 pm to 12 am.
Notes
The trash bin next to the Calico Egg Merchant's shop can be checked and contains Calico Eggs once per day.
Warning: Spoilers 
Calico Eggs. Calico Eggs are physical items within game that can be used to purchase several different items from the various shops during the Desert Festival. Eggs appear to carry over from day to day and can be saved until the last day of the festival. However, they will disappear from chests or inventory at the end of the festival and do not appear to be able to be saved for the following year. The eggs can be sold in the player's shipping bin, but they yield no gold. (more investigation needed).
150g
Mining (+3) and 
Luck (+1) buffs. Any dish will restore the player's maximum health and energy.
Defense (+1)
Attack (+1)
Speed (+1)
Fishing (+3)
Energy and 
Health restored to max