Stardew Valley Willy Guide: Gifts, Schedule, Heart Events, and Fish Shop

Willy is Stardew Valley’s resident fisherman and the owner of the Fish Shop on the beach. He spends much of his time around the water, either running his shop or casting a line along the coast.

Willy has a strong connection to fishing and the sea, having spent his early years travelling around the Fern Islands before settling in Stardew Valley. While he isn’t one of the villagers you can marry, building a friendship with him is still worthwhile. Increasing your friendship with Willy unlocks several useful fishing-related recipes.

If you’re working on your fishing skill or simply want to get to know every villager in Stardew Valley, Willy is an important character to keep on your list.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Stardew Valley’s Willy, including his favourite gifts, birthday, heart events, Fish Shop, and daily schedule.

Stardew Valley Willy Gifts

Giving Willy gifts is one of the easiest ways to increase your friendship with him. Like other villagers, Willy has specific items he particularly enjoys, while some gifts will reduce your friendship.

If you’re trying to build your relationship with him efficiently, focus on his favourite items whenever you have them available.

Best Gifts for Willy

Willy likes several fishing and ocean-related items, along with a selection of valuable resources and other well-liked gifts.

Some of the best gifts for Willy include:

• Catfish
• Diamond
• Gold Bar
• Iridium Bar
• Jewels of the Sea
• Mead
• Octopus
• Pumpkin
• Sea Cucumber
• Sturgeon
• The Art O’ Crabbing
• Universally liked gifts
• Universally loved gifts, with some exceptions

If you have fish or valuable items that Willy likes, they can be particularly useful when you’re trying to increase your friendship level.

Gifts to Avoid

Not every item makes a good gift for Willy. Avoid giving him:

• Seasonal foraged items
• Life Elixir
• Universally disliked items, except fish
• Universally hated items

Paying attention to his preferences can save you from accidentally losing friendship points.

When Is Willy’s Birthday in Stardew Valley?

Willy’s birthday falls on Summer 24.

Birthdays are particularly useful for building friendships because gifts given to a villager on their birthday provide a much larger friendship boost than gifts given on ordinary days.

If you’re currently working on increasing your friendship with Willy, make sure you have a suitable gift ready before Summer 24.

Willy’s Favorite Movies and Concessions

Once the Movie Theater is available, you can invite Willy to watch a film with you.

Any movie can be chosen when taking Willy to the theater, but the concession items you give him can affect how much he enjoys the outing.

If you’re trying to maximize the friendship gained from a movie visit, pay attention to Willy’s preferred snacks.

Willy Heart Events and Friendship Rewards

Increasing your friendship with Willy unlocks several rewards, including fishing and seafood recipes.

Here are the important friendship milestones:

• Three Hearts: At three hearts, Willy sends you a Chowder recipe through the mail.
• Five Hearts: Reach five hearts with Willy, and he will send you the recipe for Escargot.
• Six Hearts: Willy’s six-heart event can be triggered by visiting the Beach between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
• Seven Hearts: At seven hearts, Willy sends you his Fish Stew recipe in the mail.
• Nine Hearts: Reach nine hearts with Willy to receive his final friendship recipe, Lobster Bisque.

These rewards make Willy worth befriending even if you’re not interested in completing every villager’s friendship level.

What Does Willy Sell at the Fish Shop?

Willy operates the Fish Shop, located on the beach. The shop is the main place to purchase fishing equipment and other items related to the fishing system.

His inventory includes:

• Fishing rods
• Bait
• Fishing-related food
• Fishing equipment
• Furniture
• Other ocean-themed items

You can also purchase a Ginger Island ticket for 1,000g once the relevant content is available.

Some Fish Shop items become available automatically, while others are unlocked as your Fishing skill level increases. If you’re looking for a specific rod, bait, or other fishing item, you may therefore need to improve your Fishing level first.

Willy’s Schedule in Stardew Valley

Willy’s routine changes depending on the season, weather, day of the week, and special events.

Knowing his schedule is useful when you need to find him for a gift, a friendship event, or a visit to the Fish Shop.

• Regular Schedule: In his normal routine, Willy spends much of his time around the beach and the Fish Shop. His schedule can change depending on the day and other events taking place in Stardew Valley.
• Spring 9: Willy follows a different routine on Spring 9, so his usual location may not apply on this date.
• Desert Festival: During the Desert Festival, Willy appears as a vendor. His schedule is therefore different from his normal daily routine.
• Summer 20 and 21: Willy has a special schedule for Summer 20 and Summer 21. If you’re planning to meet him on either date, check his location rather than relying on his standard routine.
• Winter 12 and 13: Willy’s schedule changes again in Winter 12 and Winter 13.
• Winter 15, 16, and 17: He also follows a special schedule during Winter 15, Winter 16, and Winter 17.
• Green Rain: During the Green Rain weather event, Willy spends the day at the Stardrop Saloon.
• Rainy Days: Rain changes Willy’s normal routine. If you are trying to find him on a rainy day, check his weather-specific schedule rather than following his regular route.
• Friday: Willy has a separate schedule on Friday, so his usual weekday locations may not match his Friday routine.
• Saturday: Saturday also has its own schedule for Willy.
• Winter: Willy’s routine changes during Winter, making his location different from his standard schedule during the other seasons.

Because Willy’s movements can change based on weather, season, and special events, it’s worth checking the specific day’s schedule if you need to find him quickly.

Is Willy a Marriage Candidate?

No. Willy cannot be married in Stardew Valley.

You can still develop a strong friendship with him by giving gifts, completing friendship events, and reaching higher heart levels. His friendship rewards include several useful recipes, making him a worthwhile villager to befriend for players who enjoy fishing and cooking.

Why Should You Befriend Willy?

Willy is one of the more useful villagers to befriend if fishing is a major part of your Stardew Valley playthrough.

His friendship rewards include recipes such as Chowder, Escargot, Fish Stew, and Lobster Bisque. His Fish Shop also provides access to important fishing equipment, while his connection to the beach makes him a natural character to visit when you’re developing your Fishing skill.

Even if you aren’t focused on maximising every friendship level, giving Willy a few of his favourite gifts can unlock useful rewards over time.

Stardew Valley Willy Guide: Quick Overview

Willy is an important character for anyone who spends a lot of time fishing in Stardew Valley. He runs the Fish Shop, provides access to fishing equipment, and rewards friendship with several useful recipes.

His birthday on Summer 24 is a particularly good opportunity to increase your friendship, while his heart events and recipe rewards give you additional reasons to keep building your relationship with him.