Animal Crossing: New Horizons' free January update will get you in the carnival spirit

News by Stephany Nunneley-Jackson News Editor

Published on Jan. 26, 2021

A free update is coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons this week, and soon, Dancer Pave will arrive on your island for some carnival fun.

The free update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons will arrive on January 28. The free update contains plenty to get you in the carnival spirit and features new seasonal items.

This new update includes a "feather-filled" Festivale event, new Reactions, and new items to purchase.

Starting this week, the update will add the following features to the game:

Festivale Event – Feel the heat with the colorful Festivale event filled with dancing and flying feathers! On Feb. 15, Dancer Pave will arrive at 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 Pave 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 Pave. 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.

Also, starting March 26, the Animal Crossing Sanrio Collaboration Pack will be available for purchase exclusively at Target stores across the US. It will run you $5.99 and contains six amiibo cards you can use in compatible games. Further details will be revealed in the future.

Additionally, another update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons is planned for March, and it is Mario-themed.

As announced in September, Mario-themed furniture is coming to the game to celebrate the plumber's 35th Anniversary. But who knows, there may be more to it.