Turkey Day

The Harvest Festival is an event that happens once a year on the 4th Thursday in November, which is the same day as Thanksgiving. Like other holidays, it was absent from. During the event, a banquet is set up with food, though the food cannot actually be eaten. Franklin the turkey also makes an appearance, allowing the player to acquire pieces of the Harvest series.

During the Harvest Festival, from 3:00 to 9:00 PM, Franklin the turkey will hide behind obstacles (such as trees and signs) and wait for the player to bring him pieces of silverware from the banquet. In, the silverware can be taken from the banquet tables near the Wishing Well. In, the silverware can be acquired by speaking to Tortimer by the town hall, who will give the player silverware, thinking that the player will be using it themselves or will be distributing it to the other villagers. Silverware can be taken multiple times, and for each piece of silverware that Franklin receives, the player will receive one piece of furniture from the Harvest Series (including the wallpaper/carpet). Duplicates may occur, however.

Franklin is unusual among Animal Crossing residents and visitors in that he is entirely static; unlike the other visitors, such as Saharah or Joan, he does not walk around the town. Instead, Franklin will appear in his hiding place and will disappear soon after the player moves the camera out of view. He will then reappear instantly in a different hiding place, so that sometimes it can appear that he has jumped ahead of you somehow! Some players may be able to tell when Franklin disappears as there can be a slight shudder to the screen as the game reloads (and puts him in a different place).

While in one hiding place, Franklin will only accept one "knife and fork" set, so if you wish to give him another, the player must move away from the hiding place until Franklin disappears, and search for him again.