May 2026 is an exciting month for Animal Crossing: New Horizons players, filled with seasonal shifts, limited-time events, exclusive items, and subtle island changes. Whether you’re in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere, there’s plenty to do, collect, and enjoy before the next season arrives. This guide covers all the ACNH May 2026 updates, including all events, their dates, unique items, seasonal changes, and other important tips to make the most of your island time.

ACNH Events in May 2026 (Dates & Items)

May 2026 is packed with events, from classic ACNH traditions to cultural celebrations. Below is a detailed breakdown of each event, including when it runs, what items you can get, and how to participate.

1. May Day Event (April 29 – May 7, 2026)

The May Day Event is one of the most fun and underrated events of the month, and in 2026, it starts a little earlier than in previous years! Thanks to ACNH version 1.10, you can collect your May Day Ticket from Tom Nook as early as April 29 (instead of May 1), giving you extra time to enjoy the event. Talk to Tom Nook at Resident Services between April 29 and May 7, and he’ll give you a May Day Ticket. Redeem this ticket at Dodo Airlines (talk to Orville) to travel to a special, maze-filled Nook Miles Island. This island has no inventory space for your items, so you’ll need to collect tools, fruit, and materials along the way to navigate the hedge maze. There are two different maze layouts, and which one you get depends on the year.

You can get Rover's photo and Rover's briefcase during the event. If you get stuck in the maze, you can call the Rescue Service (for 100 Nook Miles) to reset and start over. Any items you collect in the maze (except Rover’s reward) won’t stay with you when you return to your island, but any Bell Vouchers you find will be mailed to you the next day. Don’t forget to collect May Day DIY Recipes and Rare Maze Items as you navigate the maze—these are exclusive to the event!

2. Mother’s Day Nook Shopping Event (May 1 – May 31, 2026)

Mother’s Day is a heartfelt highlight of May, and this year, it’s available all month long in Nook Shopping. Celebrate the special day by picking up exclusive items to honor the mothers in your life (or your island villagers!). The following items are available to order from Nook Shopping (both in the app and at the Nook Stop) from May 1 to May 31:

• Thank-You Mom Mug: A cozy mug with a sweet message, perfect for decorating a kitchen or bedroom.

• Carnations: Pretty flowers that add a touch of warmth to any island garden or room.

3. Mushroom Season (Southern Hemisphere Only) (May 1 – May 31, 2026)

For SH players, May is all about mushrooms! Mushroom Season runs the entire month, from May 1 to May 31, and mushrooms will spawn randomly around your island, usually near trees (especially hardwood trees). These mushrooms are key crafting materials for exclusive DIY recipes. You can find different types of mushrooms around your island—some are visible on the ground, while rare mushrooms are hidden underground (marked by a star-shaped digging spot). Collect as many as you can to craft the following mushroom-themed items in ACNH:

• Mush low stool

• Mush log

• Mush table

• Mush lamp

• Mush parasol

• Mush partition

• Mushroom wreath

• Forest wall

• Mush wall

• Forest flooring

• Mush umbrella

• Mushroom wand

• Mushroom potage

• Mushroom salad

• Mushroom crepe

• Champiñones al ajillo

• Mushroom curry

• Mushroom pizza

• Sautéed olive flounder

• Jarred mushrooms

You can get these DIY recipes from balloons or message bottles around your island during the month. If you don’t collect all the recipes before May 31, you’ll have to wait until next year to get them (or ask a friend to share).

4. Maple Leaf Season (Southern Hemisphere Only) (May 16 – May 25, 2026)

SH players have another seasonal treat in May: Maple Leaf Season! This short event runs from May 16 to May 25, and it’s the last chance to collect maple leaves before fall ends and winter begins. Maple leaves are crafting materials that float through the air like cherry blossoms or snowflakes. Use your net to catch them—they’re easy to spot, as they spin slowly as they fall. You can use these maple leaves to craft exclusive DIY recipes (which you can find in balloons or message bottles) to decorate your island with fall-themed items. Maple Leaf Season overlaps with Mushroom Season, so SH players will be busy collecting both mushrooms and maple leaves in the middle of May! You can craft the following maple leaf theme items:

• Maple-leaf pond stone

• Red-leaf pile

• Leaf stool

• Tree's bounty big tree

• Tree's bounty arch

• Autumn wall

• Colored-leaves flooring

• Maple-leaf rug

• Maple-leaf umbrella

• Maple-leaf pochette

5. International Museum Day Event (May 18 – May 31, 2026)

If you love your island’s museum, you won’t want to miss International Museum Day! Hosted by Blathers, this event runs from May 18 to May 31 and features a fun Stamp Rally activity.

Here’s how to participate: Visit the museum and talk to Blathers to start the Stamp Rally. You’ll need to run around all areas of the museum (Art, Bug, Fish, and Fossil wings) to find Stamp Stations and collect stamps. The Stamp Rally changes every day, so you can participate multiple times to earn more rewards!

• Art plaque

• Bug plaque

• Fish plaque

• Fossil plaque

Duplicate items can be sold for a good amount of Bells, so this is also a fun way to earn extra money. 

6. Cheese Rolling Nook Shopping Event (May 16 – May 25, 2026)

Celebrate the fun tradition of Cheese Rolling with a short Nook Shopping event from May 16 to May 25. This event brings three exclusive items to decorate your island with a cozy, countryside vibe:

• Double Gloucester Cheese: A realistic cheese item that looks great in a kitchen or dining area.

ACNH May 2026 Changes (Season, Weather, Island & More)

May 2026 brings several subtle but important changes to your island’s weather, vegetation, and more. These changes help your island feel fresh and reflect the shifting seasons.  May 31 is a big day for both hemispheres, as it marks the end of spring (NH) and the end of Mushroom Season (SH). 

1. Northern Hemisphere: Last Day of Spring (May 31, 2026)

Last Day for Young Spring Bamboo Recipes: May 31 is the final day to craft young spring bamboo items. Make sure you have all the recipes and materials before they disappear.

• Pan flute

• Bamboo doll

• Green-leaf pile

• Bamboo noodle slide

• Steamer-basket set

• Bamboo-shoot lamp

• Bamboo-grove wall

• Light bamboo rug

• Yellow bamboo mat

• Light bamboo bath mat

• Basket pack

• Bamboo wand

2. Southern Hemisphere: End of Mushroom Season (May 31, 2026)

May 31 is the last day of Mushroom Season, so collect all remaining mushrooms and finish crafting your mushroom-themed items. After this date, mushrooms won’t spawn again until next year.

3. Weather Changes

• Northern Hemisphere: The weather gets warmer, with slightly more rain. Thin Clouds stop spawning after May 31.

• Southern Hemisphere: After May 25, winter starts, and rainbows (including double rainbows) stop spawning. Cirrus and Cirrocumulus Clouds also disappear at the end of the month. By the end of May, you may even see the first light snowfall (though it won’t settle yet—you’ll have to wait until June for snowflakes!).

4. Bush Changes

• Northern Hemisphere: Pink and White Azalea Bushes continue to bloom until the end of May (and the end of spring). No new bushes bloom this month, but enjoy the azaleas while they last!

• Southern Hemisphere: Yellow and Orange Tea Olive Bushes stop flowering in May. In their place, Holly Bushes start blooming on May 1 and last through June—another sign that winter is coming!

5. Kapp’n Islands Unlocks

If you’re new to ACNH or haven’t experienced Mushroom Season or Maple Leaf Season before, May 2026 is your chance to unlock new Kapp’n Islands! Kapp’n’s Boat Tours take you to exclusive islands, and two new ones become available this month:

• Mushroom Island: Unlocked on May 1 (SH only) when you experience Mushroom Season for the first time.

• Maple Leaf Island: Unlocked on May 16 (SH only) when you experience Maple Leaf Season for the first time.

These islands are added to Kapp’n’s pool of available destinations permanently, so you can visit them anytime after unlocking them!

ACNH May 2026 Critters (Bugs, Fish & Sea Creatures)

May brings new bugs, fish, and sea creatures to both hemispheres. This is a great time to fill out your museum’s collections—here’s what you can catch:

Northern Hemisphere Critters

• Bugs (8 new ones): Great Purple Emperor, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, Banded Dragonfly, Pondskater, Diving Beetle, Violin Beetle, Rosalia Batesi Beetle, Scorpion. Some of these bugs (like the Scorpion) are rare and worth a lot of Bells—keep an eye out! Also, the Mole Cricket will leave at the end of May, so catch it while you can.

• Fish (8 new ones): Frog, Catfish, Nibble Fish, Angelfish, Betta, Rainbowfish, Giant Trevally, Mahi-Mahi.

• Sea Creatures (5 new ones): Sea Urchin, Slate Pencil Urchin, Gigas Giant Clam, Vampire Squid, Spotted Garden Eel.

Southern Hemisphere Critters

• Bugs (3 new ones): Damselfly, Mole Cricket, Tarantula. The Monarch butterfly will leave at the end of May, so don’t miss it.

• Fish (5 new ones): Bitterling, Blowfish, Tuna, Blue Marlin, Football Fish.

• Sea Creatures (5 new ones): Sea Cucumber, Sea Pig, Dungeness Crab, Snow Crab, Red King Crab.