May Day Animal Crossing New Horizons
Image: Nintendo Life

The Animal Crossing: New Horizons May Day event arrives, as you may well guess, at the start of May. It originally came to the game as part of an update along with the arrival of old favourite characters Leif the Sloth and (dodgy) art dealer Redd, Museum updates and much more.

But what exactly is this May Day event? Can we expect another festival like the egg-filled Bunny Day? In this guide we give you the lowdown on the May Day event in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: May Day Maze Event

May Day (in the real world) occurs on 1st May and traditionally celebrates the arrival of Spring, although for the last century or so the name has become synonymous with International Workers' Day. Obviously, Tom Nook has the utmost respect the rights of workers across the planet and the May Day event in Animal Crossing combines this with a more traditional, seasonal focus.

May Day Ticket Animal Crossing New Horizons
Image: Nintendo Life

When is May Day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

The May Day event in New Horizons lasts from 1st May to 7th May and overlaps with the Nature Day event. During the first week of May, players can talk to Tom Nook in Resident Services who sends a "one-time May Day Ticket" to your island airport.

You are only able to redeem the May Day ticket from the 1st May until 7th May. After that it won't be available until the following year, so make sure you don't miss out!

What happens on May Day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

The "one-time May Day Ticket" grants you access to a special limited-time tour to an island different from the usual mystery island tours.

This special May Day island features a hedge maze constructed by Tom Nook himself. You arrive on the May Day island with a totally empty inventory (don't worry, Dodo Airlines stores all your goodies safely at the airport on your own island until you return) and it's up to you to use a shovel and materials you collect to craft items and work your way through barriers and obstacles to the goal.

We won't spoil it with a 'How To...' guide here — it's really quite simple! — but you'll need to find and eat fruit, dig up trees and smash rocks if you want to navigate the maze to meet the "special visitor" at the end. There are also Bell Vouchers to collect.

As part of a modest update in April 2021, a new May Day event featuring a totally different maze island to the previous year was available to travel to, and the same is true in 2022... well, sort of. In fact, it's the same maze design from 2020:

If you do get stuck, you can always talk to Wilbur the dodo pilot for tips, or you can use your NookPhone and call rescue services to restart the maze entirely. Note that once you leave you can't return, so make sure you don't leave without getting your reward!...

Who is the May Day Island Tour "special visitor"?

Rover Animal Crossing New Horizons
Image: Nintendo

Well, fan favourite Rover was clearly visible in the trailer (see below for the entire video), so it's probably not much of a surprise to find him waiting for you at the end of the maze!

Rover is the very first character veterans of the series met in the very first Animal Crossing game back on GameCube (or N64 in Japan), so it's great to see him back in the Switch game.

Once you complete the maze and talk to him, he'll give you a special reward which Dodo Airlines posts to your house — a sticker-strewn traveller's briefcase.

If you already got the briefcase last year, Rover will give you his picture.

How can I prepare for May Day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

There aren't any specific requirements for the May Day Tour. You can't take any of your tools or items with you anyway, and everything you need to get through the maze is provided for you and besides Bell Vouchers and Rover's reward, you can't bring anything else back with you.

Therefore you can rest easy - you won't accidentally lose your shovel at an inopportune moment or end up missing out on materials and loot if you haven't upgraded your inventory.

This article is part of our Animal Crossing: New Horizons walkthrough, which includes a Complete Fish List, Complete Bug List and Complete Sea Creatures List. If you're looking for specific fish or bugs, we can tell you how to catch the elusive Coelacanth, Mahi-Mahi, Giant Trevally, Stringfish, Golden Trout and all the Sharks and Beetles, along with a full list of critters leaving at the end of the month (unless you visit Kapp'n's Boat Tour islands, of course!).

We can also help with How to Spot Redd's Fake Paintings and Statues, How to Make Bells Fast, How to Breed Flowers, How to Get more DIY Recipes, How to Upgrade Nook's Cranny, where and when to find special characters like Gulliver, Sable, Label, Wisp, Celeste, Pirate Gulliver and Jack, plus tips on using the Star Wand, Tool Ring, Rock Trick, Cutting Down and Moving Trees, using amiibo on Harv's Island, How to Back Up Your Island Data, How to Time Travel, How to Get a 5-Star Island Rating and a whole lot more.

If it's new content you're looking for help with, we can help you find gyroids, unlock Brewster's café, use the new Pro Camera App for selfies, enact new ordinances, get the beloved Froggy Chair, and even learn How to Cook.

And finally, Where to Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch, if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game, and How To Buy The Happy Home Paradise DLC, too!