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As a long-time Stardew Valley fan, I remember back in the old days when the game was brand new, and players were enjoying the vanilla version of the game.
Those that jump into the old versions of Stardew Valley experience now having experienced the incredible additions that updates over the years have brought to the game would probably be left audibly gasping with the number of features that would be missing.
Features that we Stardew Players in 2022 have taken for granted. We have the wonderful Eric Barone to thank for this, an incredible indie developer that has gradually refined this game over the course of over half a decade at no further cost to the player. He’s a man who bucks the money-grabbing trends present within the industry, and for that, we salute him.
Players, thanks to these updates, have access to some incredible features like the vast new area of Ginger Island. Players were finally given the ability to play online multiplayer and split-screen couch co-op. They have access to the challenging remixed bundles, a variety of new farm layouts, tonnes of end game content to keep the player engaged long term, and, perhaps most importantly, you can put hats on your Horse!
A lot of the biggest updates have come courtesy of the huge 1.5 updates, but even before that, we were being spoiled with rather sizable additions, and one of the most notable was the Night Market. This was a new event on the calendar that introduced new fish, new items, and new attractions, one of which was The Mermaid Show.
However, you may have never visited The Night Market, and even if you have, The Mermaid Show can be a rather obtuse and confusing experience.
So with that in mind, I have taken the liberty of putting together an informative guide that gives you all the info you could possibly need regarding this attraction, so you can attend the Night Market and get the most out of this interesting show. So without further delay, here is our Mermaid Show Stardew Valley Guide.
What is The Mermaid Show In Stardew Valley?
The Mermaid show is an attraction that comes to Stardew Valley when The Night Market rolls into town. This is a three-day event where the player can head down to the beachfront and play some games, catch some fish and peruse the inventories of some rare merchants that only roll into town once a year.
The Mermaid show is found on the far east side of the boardwalk and is an attraction where a Mermaid will be up on stage singing and putting on a show for the player. It seems like nothing more than a fun easter egg at first, but as you’ll see down below, there is a little more to this attraction than that.
When Can You Attend The Mermaid Show?
The Mermaid show happens every night that you attend the Mermaid Show Boat when the Night Market is in town. Just to make players aware, The Night Market is an event that takes place from the 15th to the 17th of the winter season, and on these days, the player can attend The Night Market from 5 pm right through to 2 am.
However, by 2 am, all of the merchants and attractions will be closed for the night. In general, the Night Market’s festivities stop for the night at 11 pm. This is when the Merchants shut up shop, for example. However, the player can attend the Mermaid Show a little bit later, as this opens at 5 pm and closes as late as 12:30 pm.
Solving the Mermaid’s Puzzle?
So, you may have stepped into the Mermaid Show Boat and witnessed the show from start to finish. The Mermaid will sing and perform for approximately one hour and forty minutes of in-game time.
However, once this show ends, the game doesn’t make it clear if there is a way to interact with this attraction, and the less perceptive of players will simply leave this attraction and never pay it any mind ever again. Well, we want to inform all of you guys that this attraction does have something to offer, but only for those that can decipher the puzzle that the wily Mermaid has set.
You see, when the Mermaid finishes performing, a musical sequence will play, and the player will need to mimic that sequence somehow.
Some players may have noticed that interacting with the clams on the stage will trigger a musical note. So through some trial and error, players will be able to play around with these notes and eventually crack the code, playing the correct notes and being rewarded with a fun prize.
This can be a little bit of a pain, though, especially if you have not found Secret Note #15, which makes the sequence of this attraction clear to players. So we will bridge the gap and give you the solution to this puzzle. Check it out below:
- First Note: 1st clam
- Second Note: 5th clam
- Third Note:Â 4th clam
- Fourth Note:Â 2nd clam
- Fifth Note:Â 3rd clam
- When you complete this sequence, you will receive the reward, and the Mermaid Show will be complete. You can come back anytime you like and see the show, but the reward will no longer be up for grabs.
Rewards For Solving The Mermaid Show Puzzle
So, you now know the sequence to earn the reward, but you’ll want to know what you get for your efforts here. Well, the player will be gifted a Pearl for successfully completing the Mermaid puzzle.
A Pearl is an item in Stardew Valley that has limited uses in truth and mainly serves as a high-value item that can be sold for 2,500G. However, this item can also be used to make clothing items, can be used to trade with the Desert Trader for a Birch Double Bed which looks quite snazzy in your bedroom, or you can use this as a universally loved gift to make fast friends with the townsfolk.
Now, you may be thinking to yourself, Pearls aren’t impossible to get outside of the Mermaid show, and you would be right; there are actually quite a few ways to get your hands on multiple pearls. However, they are relatively rare within the Stardew universe.
So having the ability to get one via this guaranteed method can be great, especially if you are dying for a new Birch Double Bed. Here are the other ways that you can get your hands on a pearl in Stardew valley:
- Fishing at the Night Market
- Artifact Troves
- Fish Ponds with 9x Blobfish
- Solving a puzzle on Ginger Island
- Reward from Willy after filling a fish pond with 10x Crabs
- Mine Forage during specific quests (Shrine of Challenge & Danger in the Deep)
The Night Market’s Other Attractions
Then just before we sign off, we thought we would give you a quick rundown of the other attractions that you can find at The Night Market. It’s easily one of, if not the coolest event of the year, so it’s best to know what it has to offer ahead of time. Check it out below:
The Shrouded Figure
Perhaps the most straightforward of all the attractions at The Night Market. The Shrouded figure is able to teleport the player back to their farm at any time during the festivities. This will cost the player a very reasonable 250G. They can use this service as many times as they like. Who needs a Return Scepter?
The Desert Trader
The Desert Trader will pop in from his post out in the Calico Desert, but he won’t be doing any trading at The Night Market. Instead, he will be quite charitable during his three-night stint in town. He will hand out a free cup of Coffee to the player on all three nights of The Night Market. So if you want a little spring in your step, head over to his kiosk.Â
The Travelling Cart
This is essentially a chance to visit The Travelling Merchant that sets up shop on Fridays and Sundays near the Secret Woods. She will have new randomized stock every night.
Famous Painter Lupini
This is a famous painter within the region that sells one-of-a-kind paintings to the player. There are nine paintings in total and are sold in a three-year cycle, with one new painting every night of the market. These cost 1,200G each.Â
The Decoration Boat
Next, you have the Decoration boat, which is like Robin’s shop but on steroids. This shop stocks some rather out there and quirky furniture that can really spice up your farmhouse decor. This is also the only place where you can purchase seasonal decor out of season.Â
The Magic Boat
If the above entry was Robin’s shop on steroids, then this magic boat is Pierre’s General Store all juiced up. This is a store that will sell rare crop seeds that can only be acquired elsewhere from the second in-game year onwards. Plus, this store offers other decor items that you will be likely to find elsewhere. Plus, if you visit this shop on the second night, you will get an added discount.Â
The Fishing Submarine
Then lastly, we have the main attraction of the Night Market, the Fishing Submarine. This is a service that allows you to take the plunge to the bottom of the ocean and allows you to cast out your fishing line and catch some rare fish that simply wouldn’t be available to you fishing on land.
You could catch the rare Blobfish, a Spookfish, a Midnight Squid, or you might even get your hands on another Pearl if you are lucky. This service costs 1,000G, and you can fish right up until 2 am if you wish.Â
Come One, Come All to This Magical Show!
As you can see from the information above, the Mermaid Show has more to offer the player than they might have initially thought.
Upon your first encounter with this attraction, we would wager that most players thought this was nothing more than a simple little gimmick where players could spend a little time watching a show; however, if the player sticks around and then solves the hidden puzzle that the Mermaidsets for you, you will be handsomely rewarded.
We hope that this guide gives you all the answers that you were looking for, and I hope that you make the most of The Night Market when it comes to town. As always, thank you for reading SdewHQ.
Mermaid Show Stardew Valley Guide: FAQs
Question: Is The Night Market The Best Festival?
Answer: This is a tough question as all of the events in Stardew Valley have their own unique charms. Even those like The Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, which has no gameplay advantages to the player, is something that you should witness at least once. Plus, there are so many superb events like The Feast of the Winter Star and the Stardew Valley Fair.
However, I would personally say that The Night Market is certainly one of the best. In my eyes, it is the second-best behind The Stardew Valley Festival as it has more to offer the player from a gameplay perspective. However, being runner-up in a line-up of events such as these is high praise indeed.Â
Question: When Was The Night Market Introduced?
Answer: The Night Market was not an event that existed in the Vanilla game, which meant that trophy hunters would not need to catch the fish at this festival to earn the achievement. However, this all changed when this event was introduced in the 1.3 patch update, and from then on, the Night Market has been a key part of the Stardew Valley experience.Â
Question: Is The Night Market A One-Time Event?
Answer: Fear not, farmers, the Night Market is not a one-time event. This event always takes place from the 15th to the 17th of the Winter season, and this carries on throughout every following year during your Stardew Valley playthrough, much like the other festivals on offer. However, it’s worth noting that the Night Market is one of the very few festivals that remain relevant throughout the entire run of the game, so if you only go to one event a year, make it this one!