For three days in winter, the Night Market takes over the docks of Stardew Valley. After 5 pm, visitors can enjoy special shops with changing inventories, free Coffee, access to deep-ocean fishing, and the Mermaid Show.

Of all the Night Market activities, the Mermaid Show may be the hardest to find, since the boat that hosts it is more remote than any of the others. However, tracking it down means you can enjoy a show unlike anything else in Stardew Valley, and you might even get a unique item if you find a secret note first.

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How to Reach the Mermaid Show

Stardew Valley Mermaid Show Path
Follow the red line to reach the Mermaid Show in Stardew Valley.

The Mermaid Show is far to the right of the main dock in the beach area of Stardew Valley. First, you need to head down to Willy's shack and keep going right. You can check out the two shops and the artist if you want, but to reach the show you'll need to head down across the green boat and walk along the planks to eventually reach the mermaid boat.

Everything will be silent once you step inside, but after a few seconds, the curtains will part and the mermaids will start singing. The show lasts a minute or two, and at one point it completely takes over the screen. Just be sure to keep an eye on the time, because the in-game clock will continue to tick during the show. Depending on when you enter the boat, you may have trouble getting back home before 2 am.

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The Mermaid Show Puzzle

Stardew Valley Mermaid Show Note
Secret Note #15 in Stardew Valley.

During the first winter, there's a good chance you'll start and complete the quest "A Winter Mystery." Your reward for doing so is the Magnifying Glass, a special Wallet item that lets you find Secret Notes. Once you read them, you'll add them to a special section of the Collections tab.

Secret Note #15 is short and simple: "Mermaid Show: 1-5-4-2-3." This note may not make sense at first, but it should become clear once you visit the Mermaid Show and notice the five clam shells that decorate the stage.

The first thing to know is that you have to wait for the show to end. You can interact with the shells during the song, but nothing will happen even if you touch each shell in the right order. You'll know when you can use the code when touching a shell causes it to flash a different color and produce a musical note.

Stardew Valley Mermaid Show Shells
The correct order for the shell puzzle in Stardew Valley.

If you interact with the shells in the order listed, from one to five, you'll solve the puzzle and get the prize: a pearl. Pearls are extremely rare items that sell for 2,500g and are universally loved by every single villager. The Mermaid Show puzzle is one of the few guaranteed ways to get one.

However, one is exactly how many you'll get. No matter how many more times you watch the Mermaid Show or how many more years you visit the Night Market, each player will only ever get one pearl by solving this puzzle. Keep this in mind when you consider what to do with it.

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Stardew Valley
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Released
February 26, 2016
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

ESRB
E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
Developer(s)
ConcernedApe
Number of Players
1-4
Platform(s)
PC, Xbox One, Android, iOS, PS4, Switch
Genre(s)
RPG, Simulation