Nintendo has announced that the next free update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons will arrive later this week, bringing all sorts of feathers and festivities along for the ride.

The new update includes a Festivale event, new seasonal additions, new Reactions, and new items to purchase. It all kicks off on Thursday 28th January:


  • Festivale Event – Feel the heat with the colorful Festivale event filled with dancing and flying feathers! On Feb. 15, Dancer Pavé will arrive to your island’s plaza to usher in some confetti and carnival spirit. On the day of the event you can capture colorful feathers floating on your island with your net and trade them to Pavé to receive a passionate dance number in return. Rainbow feathers seem to be an especially rare sight, so be sure to catch them and trade them with Pavé. Invite friends over to your island or visit theirs to partake in the festivities together.
  • New Reactions – If you want to express your excitement for Festivale, you’ll now have a range of new Reactions to choose from. The Viva Festival Reaction Set can be purchased with in-game Bells from the shelf at Nook’s Cranny for a limited time and includes Feelin’ It, Let’s Go, Viva and Confetti.
  • New Clothing – Starting Feb. 1, Festivale clothing will be available at the Able Sisters shop for a limited time. Now you can get your Festivale groove on in style with these fashionable looks!
  • Seasonal Items – Make sure to keep an eye out for seasonal items at the Nook Stop in Resident Services and through Nook Shopping. Celebrate the sentimental season with chocolate hearts and heart-shaped bouquets, which will be available for purchase beginning Feb. 1 and running through Feb. 14. There will also be other items related to Groundhog Day and Big Game Celebration available for certain periods during January and February!

As you've probably come to expect by now, that's not all! The next free update has already been teased, with more free content planned to launch in March this year, and Nintendo has also revealed that the super-popular Animal Crossing x Sanrio amiibo cards are making a comeback.

Excited for some new Animal Crossing activities? Let us know if you'll be jumping into the Festivale Event with a comment below.