The Elder Scrolls Online Witches Festival returns from October 21 to November 4, 2026. ZeniMax says players can hunt monsters to earn bonus rewards, including Trade Bars and Plunder Skulls. The event begins on the same day as Season Two: Echoes of Skyrim.
The official Witches Festival page confirms the window and broad reward types. ESO's October schedule also places the event alongside the launch of Season Two. The current public summary does not provide an itemized list of drops, daily limits or exact start and end hours.
What players can plan for now
The event is built around fighting monsters and earning bonus rewards. Trade Bars and Plunder Skulls are named on ESO's current page, which gives players a clear reason to take part if they are collecting those currencies or reward containers. The page does not state the number of Trade Bars available or what each skull can contain.
October 21 is also the launch date for Season Two. That puts the festival inside a wider week of ESO changes, including solo versions of Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices. Our Greymoor and Wolfhunter free access guide covers the October 19 base-game expansion change, while the solo dungeon guide explains the separate Season Two challenges.
Check the current details in game
The official event page currently confirms the dates and reward categories, but it does not say which monster types drop which rewards, whether tickets have a daily cap or how to pick up an event starter quest. Check the in-game event panel for the current year's steps before relying on instructions from a previous festival.
Returning players should check the current reward pool and claim instructions before planning a farming route. ESO has not said that last year's item list or daily caps carry over to 2026. Season Two begins on October 21 as well, so the new season and festival arrive on the same day, though the event page does not say whether their activities overlap or share progress.
ESO's event page also does not specify a timezone for the October 21 start or November 4 end. The dates are confirmed, but the final hour is not. If you are working toward a limited reward once the full item list appears, leave time before November 4 rather than waiting for the final evening.
How to approach a two-week event
Once the game displays the activity details, first identify which activities award the rewards you want. If you are mainly after Trade Bars, follow the current event's daily instructions and confirm when those rewards reset. If you are collecting Plunder Skulls, check the listed eligible monster encounters and reward rules. The available information does not yet support an exact per-day total.
Players new to ESO can use the event interface to see the current year's available activities and claim instructions. Familiar annual events can change their reward pools and steps, so verify the current version in game instead of carrying over last year's farming route. The official event page is the right place to recheck dates and reward details as they are added.
What remains unconfirmed
The official 2026 summary does not identify individual collectibles, Event Ticket totals, boss-specific rewards or an XP bonus. It also does not list a claim deadline after the event ends. Those details may be shown in the live game or a fuller announcement, so check the official event page again before making a detailed farming plan.
Players planning to log in on day one can use October 21 as the check-in point, since the festival and Season Two start on that date. Review the event panel for the current quest entry and item pool, then decide what to farm. The public summary gives no daily reward count, so it does not support a precise completion target.
This guide covers only the information ESO has published for the 2026 event: the October 21 to November 4 schedule, monster hunting and the named reward types. For another current seasonal event, our Fortnitemares guide lists its separate quests and rewards.
Frequently asked questions
When is the ESO Witches Festival 2026?
It runs from October 21 through November 4, 2026. The current event page does not list exact start or end hours.
What rewards are confirmed for the 2026 Witches Festival?
ESO names Trade Bars, Plunder Skulls and other bonus rewards, but has not itemized the drops on the current summary page.
How do I start the 2026 event?
The official page says to hunt monsters but does not list a quest starter. Check the in-game event panel for current instructions.
Is the 2026 XP bonus confirmed?
The current 2026 event page does not mention an XP bonus. The 2025 support guide describes last year's event and should not be treated as confirmation for this year.
