WoW Darkmoon Faire: Monthly Event Full Guide
Verified November 7, 2026 · Status: live monthly event
WoW Darkmoon Faire runs the first full week of every month (Sunday to Sunday) — carnival-themed event at Darkmoon Island with carnival games, profession dailies for +5 skill, daily quests for Darkmoon Prize Tickets, rare transmog and mount rewards, and the 5-minute XP buff Whee! from the carousel for faster leveling on alts. Verified on 7 November 2026.
Source: Blizzard — Darkmoon Faire.
Symptom → cause → first action
| Problem | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Event not available | Not the first week of month | Check in-game calendar — first Sunday |
| Can’t get to Darkmoon Island | Portals in capital cities | Use Mysterious Orb of Transportation in Mulgore or Elwynn |
| Profession ticket not progressing | Must craft at Darkmoon Island specifically | Visit the Darkmoon profession trainer |
| Carousel buff not working | XP buff is for alt leveling only | Characters below max level benefit |
| Tickets not saving | Tickets persist after event end | Save until Darkmoon returns next month |
| Rare mount not dropping | Low drop rate; keep farming | Darkmoon Rabbit, Darkmoon Dirigible |
When does Darkmoon Faire run?
- Setup week: Last 2 days of the previous month.
- Main event: First Sunday to the following Sunday of each month (7 days).
- Takedown: Day after event ends.
- Portals: Portals in capitals + Mulgore/Elwynn work during the event.
- Calendar: In-game calendar highlights Darkmoon week.
- 2026 pattern: Event runs monthly throughout the year.
Ways to earn Darkmoon Prize Tickets
| Activity | Tickets earned |
|---|---|
| Daily carnival games (Ring Toss, Shooting Gallery, etc.) | 1-3 tickets each per day |
| Darkmoon Deathmatch (PvP minigame) | 10 tickets for first daily win |
| Darkmoon Game of Tonk (puzzle minigame) | 10 tickets for first daily win |
| Darkmoon Faire Horde / Alliance daily quest | 10 tickets per day |
| Profession quest (per profession) | 5 tickets per week + profession skill bump |
| Darkmoon Top Hat (completing enough games) | Cosmetic + 10 tickets |
| Rare mount drops | 0 tickets, but rare mount itself |
Profession bonuses
Each profession has a Darkmoon Faire quest giving +5 permanent skill:
- Alchemy: A Fizzy Phenomenon — lab trainer quest.
- Blacksmithing: Smithing a Flagpole — forge quest.
- Enchanting: Enchanting Services — focus on specific rings/necklaces.
- Engineering: Baby, Need Fireworks — launch fireworks.
- Herbalism: Herbs for Healing — gather event flowers.
- Inscription: Writing on a Stone Tablet — create a specific inscription.
- Jewelcrafting: A Shiny Reward — cut specific gems.
- Leatherworking: Leather for Love — craft specific leather item.
- Mining: Darkmoon Deposits — mine specific ores.
- Skinning: A Round for the Faire — complete specific skinning task.
- Tailoring: Custom Tailoring — craft specific robes/cloaks.
- Cooking: A Fish-O-Rama — fishing at Darkmoon.
- Fishing: Big Fish at Darkmoon Faire — specific fish to catch.
- First Aid: Dangerous! — triage patients at the clinic.
- Archeology: Darkmoon Faire Dig Site — dig at marked locations.
Rewards from tickets
| Item | Ticket cost |
|---|---|
| Darkmoon Top Hat (toy) | 500 |
| Darkmoon Rabbit (mount) | 180 tickets |
| Darkmoon Dirigible (rare mount) | 180 (plus other prerequisites) |
| Transmog cosmetics | 50-150 tickets each |
| Pet battle companions | 90 tickets each |
| Darkmoon Faire profession gear | 100-300 tickets |
| Darkmoon Carousel toys | 75-200 tickets |
The Whee! XP buff
- Riding the carousel grants the Whee! buff for 5 minutes.
- Whee! increases XP gain by 10%.
- Reputation gain also boosted.
- Most useful for alts leveling through Darkmoon week.
- Characters at max level: buff still applies to Renown reputation.
- Stack with other XP boosts for maximum effect.
If Darkmoon isn’t working
- Portal not visible? → verify the event is actually running (first Sunday of month).
- Can’t take daily? → confirm you’ve completed earlier dailies first.
- Profession quest not available? → must have that profession at reasonable skill level.
- Tickets gone after event? → tickets persist indefinitely; they’re in your currency tab.
- Rare mount not dropping? → Darkmoon Rabbit from carnival wins; Darkmoon Dirigible from specific ticket purchase; both can take weeks of grinding.
- Related: weekly reset, Trading Post, Timewalking, mount farming.
- Still stuck → Blizzard CS ticket.
FAQ
When is Darkmoon Faire?
The first Sunday to following Sunday of every month (7 days). Setup happens the last 2 days of the previous month. Portals in capital cities become active during setup.
Where is Darkmoon Island?
Access via the Mysterious Orb of Transportation in Mulgore (Horde) or Elwynn Forest (Alliance). Portals in all major capital cities also work during the event.
How do I earn Darkmoon Prize Tickets?
Daily carnival games (1-3 per day), Darkmoon dailies (10 each), profession quest (5 per profession per week). Tickets are the main currency for Darkmoon rewards.
Can I bank tickets between events?
Yes — tickets persist after the event ends. Save them for rewards you want. They appear in your Currency tab permanently.
What’s the fastest way to earn tickets?
Complete the Horde/Alliance daily quest (10 tickets each day) + all carnival games (1-3 each) + profession quest (5 per profession per week). Maximize all sources.
Is the XP buff worth riding the carousel?
For alts, yes — 10% bonus XP for 5 minutes is meaningful during the leveling phase. For max level, the buff still applies to reputation gain which is valuable.
What’s the rarest Darkmoon reward?
Darkmoon Rabbit and Darkmoon Dirigible are the sought-after mounts. Also the Darkmoon Carousel toys and the Baby Elekk pet are notable. All require significant ticket grind or specific achievement chains.
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