Summer in Stardew Valley means green trees, grass, and butterflies. There are nine birthdays and two festivals, the Luau and the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. In the summer of the first year, the railroad and spa area of the game map is unlocked as well.

Every season in Stardew Valley has its quirks. As usual, players are expected to farm. However, the summer season influences the fish, crops, foragables, events, and weather. The best things players can do in summer includes finding what can profit them the best and what to prepare for in the events and coming fall season.

Updated April 5, 2024, by Alexandra O'Leary: One of the central things that makes Stardew Valley such an addictive and exciting game is the seasons. There aren't exactly months to keep track of time, but rather four seasons that last 28 days each. Each season brings with it a host of events, birthdays, animals and crops to keep players busy. The variety in seasonal content is what keeps this powerhouse indie game feeling so fresh and replayable. Now, with the release of the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, there's even more content and fun to be had during Summer, one of the most bountiful and beautiful seasons of all.

Buy & Plant Starfruit

Easy Money Maker

Starfruit is an incredibly profitable crop, but it's unlikely that players in their first year will have access to the Oasis store in Calico Desert where Sandy sells these seeds. However, in the second and third years, buying a few extra Starfruit seed packets is ideal for summer. It's the most profitable crop in the game, once processed into Wine a Keg and aged in a Cask.

A regular Starfruit will sell for 750 gold, but once processed in a Keg, the resulting Wine is bumped to 2250 gold. This processing price is the same for Starfruit of any quality, but is an especially nice boost for any regular quality Starfruit.

Complete Summer Bundles

Rebuild the Community Centre

The biggest priority for the summer of the first year is to complete all of the Community Center bundles that have to do with summer. If not, the next opportunity for this is in a year, which can get pretty frustrating for players. This includes the following items in these bundles:

• Summer Foraging Bundle: Grape, Spice Berry, Sweet Pea
• Summer Crops Bundle: Tomato, Hot Pepper, Blueberry, Melon
• Quality Crops Bundle: 5x Melon (Gold quality)
• Artisan Bundle: Peach and Orange from trees (this is unlikely for the first year)
• Fish for the fish tank: Sunfish, Shad, Carp, Sturgeon, Tuna, Red Snapper, Tilapia, Pufferfish

Make A Bigger Farming Area

Summer Is a Great Season for Money Making

Crops are a big money-maker in summer. To utilize that, it is a good idea to make larger fields to plant crops. Make sure the layout leaves room for scarecrows and sprinklers. If it is the player's first summer in Stardew Valley, then they will want to have a little of everything when it comes to crops.

Single harvest crops include melons, wheat, sunflowers, poppies, red cabbage, radishes, starfruit, and summer spangles. Crops that produce more than once include hops, coffee beans, blueberries, hot peppers, tomatoes, and corn.

Pro Tip: Get A Coop Or A Barn

For a first-year summer especially, if the player can afford it, it's a good idea to invest in a coop or barn at this point. Coops will be the most likely choice for most players and will help with completing community center bundles, as well as contribute extra profit from mayonnaise.

Make Bank With Blueberries

Multiple Harvests

Blueberries are known to be the most profitable crop of summer. They take 13 days to grow and produce three berries with every harvest. While the blueberries can be sold raw, they can also be turned into jelly or wine.

Make sure to plant blueberry seeds (bought from Pierre's shop) on the first day of summer. That way, players can harvest from the plant about four times before fall comes. Seeds only cost 80 gold while each berry sells for 50 gold. That is 150 gold per harvest since each harvest produces three berries.

Pro Tip: Use The Highest Quality For Kegs And Preserves Jars

Gold star blueberries should be a top priority for the player to place into kegs and preserves jars. Even on their own, they won't sell for as much as they will once they're turned into jelly or wine. The only difference is the time spent turning them into these products, so it depends on how fast the player needs a profit.

Buy And Plant Corn

Long-Lasting Crop

Corn is a little special because it grows throughout both summer and fall. So it can be a part of a farm for half of an entire year. Like blueberries, corn can be harvested multiple times.

It takes corn 14 days to grow. Each seed can be bought at Pierre's Shop for 150 gold. Every piece of corn sells for 50 gold, but profit is certainly going to happen with the crop regrowing for two whole seasons. Once fall comes, players will already have a mature crop ready.

Pro Tip: Save Some Corn For Oil

Corn can be used to make cooking oil in the oil maker. While the selling price of cooking oil isn't great, it's an important ingredient for a lot of good recipes. Players will want to cook a bunch of recipes to gain access to powerful buffs, so make sure to save a few pieces of corn for cooking purposes.

Catch Summer Fish

Seasonal Fish Collection

There are a lot of fish that are only catchable during the summer. These include Pufferfish, Tuna, Rainbow Trout, Octopus, Dorado, and Crimsonfish. For players that complete the main quest (the Community Center or Joja Community), some of these fish can be accessible during all seasons on Ginger Island. These fish include Tuna and Pufferfish.

Some are particularly hard to get, and not only because they are only around for one season. For example, Crimsonfish requires level five fishing and can only be caught at the East Pier on the beach.

Pro Tip: Crab Pots Are Great For Bad Fishers

The fishing mini-game can be a little challenging for newcomers to the game. If it gets frustrating, it's possible to also level up the fishing skill by purchasing or crafting crab pots and placing them in water. These are great all year, but especially useful at the beginning of the game.

Invest In Quality Sprinklers

Speed Up Farming Chores

Watering the crops every day is time-consuming. Summer is the perfect season to start using Quality Sprinklers. These craftable items water three-by-three areas every morning so players don't have to.

There are several ways to get them. To unlock Quality Sprinklers, players need to have a farmer at level six. It is also a reward for completing the Summer Crops Bundle or the Garden Bundle in the Pantry. On rare occasions, it can be in the stock of the Traveling Cart or be found in a treasure room in the Skull Cavern.

Quality Sprinklers are crafted with one iron bar, one gold bar, and one refined quartz.

Pro Tip: Krobus Sells Iridium Sprinklers Every Friday

For players who have unlocked the sewers with the Rusty Key and have extra money, Iridium Sprinklers are already a possibility as early as the summer of the first year. Every Friday, Krobus will sell one for 10,000 gold. It's a hefty price, but absolutely worth the investment.

Prepare For The Luau Event

Hold Onto Quality Produce

On the 11th of summer, the Luau event occurs between nine in the morning and two o'clock in the afternoon. The main event attraction is a potluck soup, and players are going to want to save a high-quality ingredient to add to the soup. While this won't net a profit of gold, it is a great way to boost a ton of villager friendships all at once. With a high-quality item added to the soup, players will get 120 friendship points with the villagers in attendance.

Keep in mind that only uncooked but still edible items are allowed to be added to the soup. Examples of items that work include wines, fish, milk, crops, and some foragables like mushrooms. Just make sure it is iridium or gold quality.

Pro Tip: Unlock A Secret Reaction During The Luau

If the player has managed to get a high enough friendship with Marnie to gain access to Lewis' purple shorts, there's a unique scene that plays out if those shorts are placed inside the Luau soup. Doing this won't affect the friendship levels, however, which will make players miss out on the powerful friendship buff.

Attend Summer Festivals

Bond with the Community

Although the Luau is the only Summer festival that requires any pre-planning, there are three different festivals that take place during Summer. Each of these festivals is very different from, but they offer a great chance to experience something wonderful with the denizens of Pelican Town.

Luau: 11th of Summer

The Luau takes place on the 11th of Summer, and is the first of the sunny festivals. It takes place on the beach and is a great opportunity for players to show off their high-quality produce by adding it to the potluck soup. The Governor is in town, though, so players should be on their best behavior — or not, if they want to pull a prank.

Trout Derby: 20th & 21st of Summer

The Trout Derby was introduced in the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, and it's one for fishing fans. The Trout Derby acts differently to most other festivals, since players can enter and leave the event at will. This means it's not mandatory for all players, like most other festivals are. The goal is to fish for Rainbow Trout, but while doing so, players can find Golden Tags, which can be traded in for unique prizes.

Dance of the Moonlight Jellies: 28th of Summer

The Dance of the Moonlight Jellies happens on the last day of Summer, and is a beautiful send-off for the sunny season. This event is mostly about bonding with fellow townspeople by experiencing a breathtaking natural phenomenon together. It takes place down at the docks, and various villagers will have lovely things to say to the player. Then, the town can watch the Moonlight Jellies as they swim by, and keep a longstanding tradition alive.

Prepare For Nine Birthdays

Improve Relationships with the Townsfolk

In order, the summer birthdays are Jas, Gus, Maru, Alex, Sam, Demetrius, The Dwarf, Willy, and Leo. To keep up with friendship points, it is a good idea to prepare gifts for these NPCs.

Gifts For Jas

• Pink Cake
• Plum Pudding
• Fairy Roses

Gifts For Gus

• Diamonds
• Oranges

Gifts For Maru

• Strawberries
• Cauliflower

Gifts For Alex

• Salmon Dinner
• Complete Breakfast

Gifts For Sam

• Cactus Fruit
• Pizza

Gifts For Demetrius

• Strawberries
• Ice Cream

Gifts For The Dwarf

• Most Gems (for example, rubies and emeralds)

Gifts For Willy

• Pumpkins
• Catfish

Gifts For Leo

• Duck Feathers
• Mangoes

Gather Gifts for Romancing and Befriending

Make the Most of Summer Produce

During Summer, players will be able to collect certain crops and items that are the unlikely favorites of certain Stardew Valley characters. Those looking for love in the valley will want to make sure they stock up on certain things if they want to reach ten hearts with their beloved as soon as possible. Others who want to be best friends with everyone in town will also want to know how to maximize summer's produce to win people over.

Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas are liked by everyone apart from Clint, George, and Sebastian, so steer clear of giving this foraging item to them. However, Sandy in the Calico Desert absolutely loves Sweet Peas. Since it won't give the player any health or energy, they might as well save them for the sand saleswoman.

Grapes

While Grapes can be grown on the player's farm in Fall, during the Summer they're free to forage around Pelican Town. While they're worth turning into wine for those who want cash, these are actually a favorite of Vincent, Jodi and Kent's younger son. Most townsfolk are neutral to Grapes, apart from Abigail, Haley and Jas, who dislike them, and Penny, who hates them.

Pufferfish

Pufferfish are a summer catch that can only be found in the waters around Pelican Town during sunny days during Summer, or on Ginger Island during any season. These funny little fish are the favorite of well-known gamer Abigail, who has a habit of loving some bizarre things. Players should beware, though, as Abigail is the only villager who will respond well to being given a Pufferfish. They are also an item in the Specialty Fish Bundle.

Willy's Favorite Fish

It's safe to say that most people wouldn't respond well to being handed a slimy fish, but Willy is not one of those people. There are several different fish available in the summer that Willy absolutely loves — and he is the only one. Catfish can be caught during multiple seasons, including Summer, in the Secret Woods pond. Willy loves Catfish, and they're one of the items in the River Fish Bundle. Octopus can be caught at the Beach during the Summer, and are another big favorite of Willy's. Since they're a challenging catch, they're part of the Master Fisher's Bundle. Finally, Sturgeon can be caught during the Summer in the mountain lake, and are loved by Willy. They're also an element of the Lake Fish Bundle.

Melons

Melons are one of the most profitable single-harvest crops available during the Summer, with a base profit of 250g. They're also the perfect gift for shy teacher Penny, and a sure way to gain some hearts with her. Most players don't have a negative reaction to Melons, apart from Abigail, Jas, Haley and Vincent, who hate them.

Poppy

It's safe to say that Summer is the season of Penny, since she also loves Poppies. Funnily enough, every villager in Stardew Valley hates Poppies apart from Penny, proving her to be a flower enthusiast through and through.

Summer Spangle

While Summer Spangles aren't as polarizing as Poppies, they're another flower that's only loved by one person: Caroline. Those who want to improve their relationship with the green-haired grocery lady should be sure to grow a few Summer Spangles on their farm. They're liked by everyone else apart from Clint, George, and Sebastian, who dislike all flowers.

Invest In Hops To Make Pale Ale

Stock Up on Hops While They're In Season

Hops, a summer vegetable crop, matures after 11 days. Once harvested, place the hops into a keg to create Pale Ale, an item with one of the highest return investments in Stardew Valley. Pale Ale sells for 300 gold.

So be sure to get a keg. Players can get it at farmer level eight and it's a reward for completing either the Artisan Bundle or the Brewers Bundle in the Pantry. It's worth getting not just for the Pale Ale, but for making other goods like wine, beer, coffee, green tea, mead, and juice.

Pro Tip: Coffee Is Just As Important

Coffee is one of the best consumable items in the game since it gives the player a speed boost. This allows them to get more done during a day and is an essential consumable in dungeons like Skull Cavern that are swarming with enemies. Reserve a few kegs for coffee-making only, and make sure to grab the Triple Shot Espresso recipe from Gus for an even bigger boost.