One of the best things about Animal Crossing: New Horizons is that the game continues to roll out fun new seasonal events and activities throughout the year. In November, we get to celebrate Turkey Day with our villagers and meet a new character named Franklin. Now that cooking has become part of Animal Crossing, you can set about making an elaborate feast of your own as well.
Note: To participate in the Turkey Day festivities, you must have Resident Services upgraded in your game.
What is Turkey Day?
Within the Animal Crossing universe, Turkey Day is akin to Thanksgiving and celebrates the harvest season within your region. Players in the US will celebrate this event on Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, 2021. Franklin was a central part of the Harvest Festival in past Animal Crossing games, but in New Horizons, he's at the center of Turkey Day. He's possibly named after Benjamin Franklin. You see, there's a myth surrounding the American Founding Father that he wanted the turkey to be America's national bird instead of the eagle.
What time does Turkey Day start?
Franklin will be on your island from 9 a.m. until midnight on Nov. 25, 2021. We've got some tips to help you prepare for this feathered friend's arrival.
What to do on Turkey Day Franklin the turkey chef
This bird sets up in the village near Resident Service during Turkey Day and will inform you that he is missing key ingredients for four different dishes. If the player helps him acquire the ingredients he needs, he'll reward them with Animal Crossing goodies. If you also bring him secret ingredients for all four dishes, you'll earn the Turkey Day DIY recipes. You can bring the secret ingredients to Franklin after he's already prepared the base dish.
How to get Turkey Day ingredients
If you don't have certain ingredients on hand like pumpkins, which take a few days to grow, you can get some from your villagers. You'll find some of your villagers cooking in their homes, and they will ask you to get them specific fish. If you fetch the requested seafood, they will not only give you a random ingredient, but will also drop a clue for what Franklin's secret ingredient is. Continue to fetch fish for your villagers to acquire more recipe items and get more clues. Here are the kinds of fish your villagers might ask for:
- Black Bass
- Carp
- Crucian Carp
- Horse Mackerel
- Sea Bass
- Seaweed
- Turban Shell
- Dab
- Oyster
- Yellow Perch
Not sure where to go fishing? Find out everything you need to know about these aquatic creatures with our Animal Crossing fish guide.
All Turkey Day dishes and ingredients
Spoiler Warning: There are four dishes that Franklin needs help cooking on Turkey Day. Two of the recipes have different ingredients depending on whether you live in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. If you don't mind taking a peak, you can start gathering the ingredients and secret ingredients you need for Turkey Day right away.
| Name | Ingredient | Secret Ingredient |
|---|---|---|
| Clam Chowder | 3 Manila Clams | Scallop |
| Pumpkin Pie | 1 Orange Pumpkin, Either 1 Green, Yellow, or White Pumpkin | Two Pumpkin colors you haven't already used |
| Gratin | Northern Hemisphere 1 Mussell and either 1 Round Mushroom, Flat Mushroom, Skinny Mushroom, or Oyster Southern Hemisphere 1 Squid, 1 Sea Urchin | Dungeness Crab |
| Fish Meunière | Northern Hemisphere 1 Sea Bass and either 1 Dab, Oliver Flounder, or Red Snapper Southern Hemisphere 1 Sea Bass and either 1 Oliver Flounder or Red Snapper | Barred Knifejaw |
All Turkey Day DIY recipes Turkey Day rewards
There are 12 items that players can collect on Turkey Day as a reward for helping Franklin out. To get the DIY recipes, you must give Franklin the secret ingredients for all four recipes!
| Name | Materials / How to acquire |
|---|---|
| Turkey Day Casserole | 8 Iron Nugget, 1 Clay |
| Turkey Day Chair | 5 Wood, 2 Hardwood, 2 Softwood |
| Turkey Day Table | 10 Hardwood, 5 Softwood |
| Turkey Day Table Setting | 4 Clay, 2 Iron Nugget |
| Turkey Day Garden Stand | 8 Stone, 3 Clay |
| Turkey Day Decorations | 2 Softwood, 2 Clay, 5 Weed Clumps |
| Turkey Day Heath | 1 Campfire, 10 Clay, 30 Stone |
| Turkey Day Wheat Decor | 10 Weed Clumps |
| Turkey Day Flooring | Given by Franklin for completing first recipe |
| Turkey Day Wall | Given by Franklin for completing second recipe |
| Turkey Day Rug | Given by Franklin for completing third recipe |
| Cornucopia | Give four perfect ingredients to Franklin |
The Turkey Day Rug, Wall, Flooring, and Cornucopia are unlocked in that order after cooking each of the four recipes. Whenever you add a secret ingredient to a dish, you unlock one of the Turkey Day DIY recipes randomly.
Cook your own Thanksgiving feast
With the Animal Crossing 2.0 update, players can now cook their own dishes as long as they have access to a stove and recipes. It doesn't have to be the normal Turkey, and mashed potatoes fare either. Lay out a table with whatever dishes you love most. You can even show off your creations by choosing a dish from your inventory and then pressing. If you're with friends, this will make for a glorious Friendsgiving picture.
What if I miss Turkey Day?
If you weren't able to play Animal Crossing on Thanksgiving, you can still acquire all of the Turkey Day DIY recipes the next day. Simply head to Nook's Cranny and purchase the recipe cards from the cabinet. The entire Turkey Day DIY recipe collection will cost you 19,800 Bells.
Additionally, Turkey Day DIY furniture items can be purchased from the seasonal slot display at Nook's Cranny for the rest of November.
Franklin's amiibo card
Franklin's Animal Crossing amiibo card can be purchased on eBay. Scan it while visiting Harvey's Island. You'll be able to take pictures of this fowl in Photopia.
Invite Franklin over
Franklin is at the center of the Turkey Day festivities. If you have his amiibo card, you can invite him to have coffee or to take photos.
Animal Crossing Turkey Day with Franklin
There are plenty more exciting things coming our way within Animal Crossing in the months ahead. Hopefully, you have a good time running errands for Franklin and look forward to the next holiday events just around the corner.
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