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Overview
The Chinese New Year Festival (also called the Spring Festival) is a major seasonal event in Starsand Island that celebrates traditional Chinese New Year customs. The event runs from Winter 25 at 6:00 AM through Spring 4 at 2:00 AM roughly ten in-game days spanning the transition from Winter to Spring. It features over a dozen sub-events, three minigames, a Five Blessings collection system, a communal New Year's Eve dinner, a midnight countdown with fireworks, and red envelopes as special rewards.
The festival takes place at the Spring Festival Plaza, a special event area built during the preparation phase, and at the Starsand Stage for the New Year's Eve celebration. Solara is the main organiser.
Quick reference
Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Dates | Winter 25 (6:00 AM) to Spring 4 (2:00 AM) |
Location | Spring Festival Plaza, Starsand Stage |
Organiser | |
Key mechanic | Five Blessings collection (Longevity, Wealth, Peace, Ascendance, Harmony) |
New Year's Eve | Winter 28 evening, communal dinner, countdown at midnight, fireworks |
Special rewards | Red envelopes, firework blueprints, exclusive recipes, Affection gains |
Chinese New Year Furniture & Fashion DLC (free with Standard Edition during Early Access) |
Preparation phase
On Winter 25, Solara gives the quest "Let's Build the New Year Square Together". You must complete this by Winter 27 to unlock all festival content. The quest involves building and decorating the Spring Festival Plaza. Completing it rewards 500 Coins, 60 Starsand, 60 Affection with Solara, and 4 Blessings.
From Winter 26 onward, individual NPC sub-events become available throughout the plaza. Complete Solara's main quest first to unlock them all.
Five Blessings system
The core reward mechanic of the Chinese New Year Festival. Five types of Blessings (Fu) can be collected throughout the event:
Blessing | Meaning |
|---|---|
Longevity Blessing | Long life |
Wealth Blessing | Prosperity and fortune |
Peace Blessing | Tranquility and safety |
Ascendance Blessing | Growth and advancement |
Harmony Blessing | Completeness and balance |
Blessings are earned from completing sub-events, winning minigames, and photographing festival-decorated locations around town. Collected Blessings can be exchanged at the Blessing Exchange Shop for firework blueprints and other exclusive items. The shop closes when the event ends on Spring 4, so spend your Blessings before then.
Photography Blessing locations
Use the in-game Camera to photograph nine festival-decorated locations around Starsand Town to earn Blessings:
Location | Blessing earned |
|---|---|
Longevity Blessing | |
Wealth Blessing | |
Peace Blessing | |
Wealth Blessing | |
Wealth Blessing | |
Peace Blessing | |
Longevity Blessing | |
Longevity Blessing | |
Midnight Curiosity Shop | Wealth Blessing |
NPC sub-events
Over a dozen sub-events become available from Winter 26 onward. Most are given by romanceable characters and reward 800 Coins, 30 Starsand, 4 Blessings, and 30 Affection with the quest-giving NPC.
Sub-event | NPC | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Busy Preparations | Help five NPCs prepare for the festival, then visit the Spring Festival Plaza. Rewards 1,000 Coins. | |
Fruit Gathering Conversation | Place fruits on the table at the Spring Festival Plaza, then speak with Graminova. | |
Fireworks Gazing | Learn a firework blueprint from the Blessing Exchange Shop, craft 10 fireworks, and load them onto the fireworks platform. | |
Warm Cooking Steam | Deliver 6 Eggs and 3 Milk to the cooking station at the Spring Festival Plaza. | |
Traditional New Year Cuisine | Add ingredients to the communal pot in four stages: shellfish (clams, mussels, scallops), winter vegetables (cucumber, carrot, winter melon), spicy crops (garlic, green onion, chili pepper), and seasonings (sugar, vinegar, oil, refined salt). | |
Lantern's Warmth | Craft 5 lanterns and decorate 5 locations in the Spring Festival Square. | |
Sewing New Festival Clothes | Photography quest, photograph buildings in New Year decorations, people wearing New Year attire, and animals in New Year clothing. | |
New Spring Gift for Elderly | Deliver gifts to elderly residents, then report back to Solara. | |
Holding Balloons Together | Crying child (near lantern stall) | Obtain the Year Beast Balloon blueprint, craft the balloon, and give it to the child. Rewards: 25 Starsand, 1 Blessing, and a Red Envelope. |
Lost Little Ant | Crying girl (NW of plaza) | Find and reunite the lost child with her mother. Rewards: 25 Starsand, Peace Blessing, and a Red Envelope. |
Important: The Fireworks Gazing sub-event requires firework blueprints from the Blessing Exchange Shop. Prioritise exchanging Blessings for these blueprints early in the event so you have time to craft the 10 fireworks needed.
Minigames
Three minigames are available at the Spring Festival Plaza. Each attempt costs Coins. They award Blessings on completion and can be replayed.
Minigame | Description |
|---|---|
Spring Couplet Matching | A matching game themed around traditional Chinese spring couplets (duilian). Pair the correct halves of festival couplets. |
Lantern Riddle Solving | A puzzle game based on the custom of guessing riddles written on festival lanterns. Solve riddles to earn Blessings. |
Year Beast Balloon | An activity themed around the mythological Nian beast. Complete the challenge to earn Blessings. |
New Year's Eve celebration (Winter 28)
The highlight of the entire festival. The evening of Winter 28 is the in-game New Year's Eve.
Traditional New Year Cuisine
Before the countdown, the communal feast is prepared as part of Aurelis's sub-event. You add ingredients to a large cauldron in the Spring Festival Plaza in four stages: shellfish, winter vegetables, spicy crops, and seasonings. This communal hot pot is the in-game equivalent of the traditional New Year's Eve dinner. A shared meal with the island's residents before the countdown begins.
Countdown and fireworks
8:00 PM: Residents begin gathering at the Starsand Stage.
11:50 PM: The countdown sequence begins.
Midnight: A special cinematic plays as the in-game calendar transitions from Winter 28 to Spring 1, the start of the new year. Fireworks light up the sky.
New Year greetings and Red Envelopes
After the midnight cinematic, you can greet residents you have built a bond with (high Affection). Greeting bonded residents gives a chance of receiving a Spring Festival Red Envelope, which can be redeemed for Coins. Build Affection with as many NPCs as possible before the festival for the best chance at Red Envelopes.
Red Envelopes
Red Envelopes are a special event item that can be exchanged for Coins. There are three ways to obtain them:
Source | Details |
|---|---|
Holding Balloons Together sub-event | guaranteed Red Envelope for crafting and giving the Year Beast Balloon to the crying child near the lantern stall. |
Lost Little Ant sub-event | guaranteed Red Envelope for reuniting the lost child with her mother. |
New Year greetings | chance of receiving a Red Envelope when greeting bonded residents after midnight on Spring 1. |
Craftable festival items
Item | How to obtain | Use |
|---|---|---|
Rocket Fireworks | Blueprint from Blessing Exchange Shop | Needed for the Fireworks Gazing sub-event and the New Year's Eve fireworks display |
Kaleidoscope Fireworks | Blueprint from Blessing Exchange Shop | Decorative firework variant |
Spray Fireworks | Blueprint from Blessing Exchange Shop | Decorative firework variant |
Lanterns | Craft during Alex's sub-event | Decorate 5 locations in the Spring Festival Square |
Year Beast Balloon | Blueprint obtained during the event | Give to the crying child for a Red Envelope |
Chinese New Year DLC
The Chinese New Year Furniture & Fashion DLC is free with the Standard Edition during Early Access. It includes:
DLC Content | Description |
|---|---|
Traditional Chinese New Year Furniture Set | ornate latticework, elegant furnishings, and authentic Chinese New Year decorations for your home. |
Neo-Chinese Outfit collection | clothing combining ink-wash landscape motifs and vibrant Chinese New Year symbols. |
Claim the DLC content at the Community Center's self-service terminal after completing the "Return to the Cabin in the Woods" main quest. The quest "Claim the Chinese New Year Furniture & Fashion DLC Reward" will appear in your Journal. The DLC furniture and outfits are permanent additions to your collection, usable year-round.
Preparation checklist
Stock up on these materials before Winter 25 to smoothly complete all sub-events:
Material | Purpose |
|---|---|
6 Eggs | for Pastelle's Warm Cooking Steam sub-event |
3 Milk | for Pastelle's Warm Cooking Steam sub-event |
Shellfish (clams, mussels, scallops) | for Aurelis's communal hot pot |
Winter vegetables (cucumber, carrot, winter melon) | for the hot pot |
Spicy crops (garlic, green onion, chili pepper) | for the hot pot |
Seasonings (sugar, vinegar, oil, refined salt) | for the hot pot |
Fruits | for Graminova's Fruit Gathering Conversation |
Crafting materials for 10 fireworks | blueprints obtained from the Blessing Exchange Shop during the event |
Crafting materials for 5 lanterns | for Alex's Lantern's Warmth sub-event |
Coins | for minigame attempts (each costs Coins) |
Tips
Complete the plaza construction by Winter 27. This is the gate for all other festival content. Do it as soon as Solara gives the quest on Winter 25.
Exchange Blessings for firework blueprints early. The Fireworks Gazing sub-event requires you to craft 10 fireworks, which means you need the blueprints first. Visit the Blessing Exchange Shop as soon as you have enough Blessings.
Photograph all nine decorated locations. Each photo earns a free Blessing. Walk through Starsand Town with your camera and snap every decorated shop.
Build NPC Affection before the festival. High Affection increases your chance of receiving Red Envelopes when greeting residents after midnight on New Year's Eve.
Attend the New Year's Eve countdown on Winter 28. The midnight cinematic and fireworks are a one-time experience per year. Head to the Starsand Stage by 8:00 PM.
Do not forget the two child NPC sub-events. "Holding Balloons Together" and "Lost Little Ant" are easy to miss but each give a guaranteed Red Envelope.
Stock up on ingredients early. Aurelis's hot pot quest requires shellfish, vegetables, spicy crops, and seasonings in specific stages. Gather these before Winter starts.
Claim your free DLC. The Chinese New Year Furniture & Fashion DLC is free during Early Access. Redeem it at the Community Center's self-service terminal after the "Return to the Cabin in the Woods" quest.