Obon Festival coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons- Dates, items, significance and more

Following the 1.11.0 update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there were several new seasonal changes. The update added things for the fireworks event, brought back some old events, added items for upcoming seasons like Halloween and added some new festivals and new items to go with them. The update wasn't exactly what Animal Crossing players were hoping for, but it still brought a lot of great seasonal additions. One of the new seasonal events added this year is the Obon Festival.

why doesn’t animal crossing have an obon festival?

— ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@keysmashconnor) July 27, 2020

The Obon Festival kicks off tomorrow, August 10th, and will have lots of items, rewards and other things. Here's everything about the upcoming Obon Festival in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

New Obon Festival in Animal Crossing

The Obon Festival is a new seasonal event celebrating the Japanese holiday where it is believed that their ancestral spirits will return home. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the event will run from August 10 to August 16. In Japan, however, it lasts from August 13 to August 16. It is also commonly referred to as the Bon Festival.

Finally…. The long awaited return of the Eggplant cow/Cucumber Horses from the Obon Summer Festival pic.twitter.com/XCrDLrX331

— Arty the Goth 🅱unBoi (@SuperiorArtemis) August 1, 2021

Two new, purchasable items will be coming to the world of Animal Crossing with this new event: Cucumber Horse and Eggplant Cow. This has been pretty highly anticipated since it was learned of in the wake of the 1.11.0 update. One of the coolest aspects of these items is that they come directly from the Bon Festival in Japan.

Cucumber horse and eggplant cow. Image via Nintendo

The new addition of this festival is pretty significant. It has been a part of Animal Crossing in the past, but this is the first time it has joined New Horizons. With the world still dealing with a COVID-19 resurgence, many are still in some form of quarantine or lockdown. A good portion of Japan is in a state of emergency and won't be able to participate in the real world festival.

Nintendo is a Japanese company and their decision to add the beloved Japanese festival at a time when many can't enjoy it is very significant.

This Animal Crossing festival will still be enjoyed by players who participate, though, regardless of where they are now. Kicking off tomorrow, the Obon Festival is sure to be one of the best events of the season for Animal Crossing players.