Short version: keep December 5, 2026 free for the Chapter 7 end event, then watch the Fortnite news page from mid December. In 2024 and 2025 Epic published the Winterfest post on the day the event went live, not before, so there was no advance warning either year. The rest of the holiday calendar for other games is in our holiday gaming hub, and live redeem codes are on the Fortnite codes page.
Cozy up and gather the squad, Winterfest starts tomorrow! (official Fortnite channel)Is Winterfest 2026 confirmed?
Not yet. On November 13, 2026 there is no Winterfest 2026 post on fortnite.com, no Winterfest item in the official pass lineup and no date from Epic. You will find dates on other sites; they come from leakers and dataminers, and we do not repeat them. What Epic has confirmed for the end of the year is this:
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | Fortnite Treasure Hunters season starts (One Piece collaboration, new 80 player Crossbones Isle) | fortnite.com news, October 30, 2026 |
| November 12, 2026 | Music Mini-Pass with Kasane Teto | fortnite.com news, November 11, 2026 |
| Saturday, December 5, 2026 | Chapter 7 end event, new Fortnite Battle Pass, LEGO Mini-Pass, new Fortnite Crew rewards, OG Pass ends | fortnite.com news, October 30 and November 4, 2026 |
| December 6 to December 31, 2026 | Window to resubscribe to Crew and keep your tenure tier | fortnite.com news, November 4, 2026 |
| Winterfest 2026 | Not announced on November 13, 2026 | No official post yet |
How Winterfest 2025 worked (last year)
Winterfest 2025 went live on December 18, 2025 at 9 AM ET and ran until January 5, 2026 at 9 AM ET. The host was Lt. Winter, who brought 14 presents. You could open one per day, and the cabin refreshed every day at 9 AM ET, so missing a day did not cost you a present as long as you came back before the event ended. The rhythm was simple:
- Open the cabin from the lobby and pick one present a day.
- After seven other presents the Glacial Dummy Outfit unlocked.
- After 13 other presents the Cheeks Outfit unlocked, the guinea pig in the festive sweater.
- Between those you collected the smaller gifts, including the Winterfest Bow Back Bling, the Festive Gwinny Back Bling, the Wrapped Axe Pickaxe and the Festive Bat Pickaxe.
The paid side ran next to it. Epic's post named Sabrina Carpenter's Santa 'Brina and Hatsune Miku's Snow Miku in the Item Shop, plus Harry Potter Hogwarts house outfits. In matches, Blizzard Grenades and Snowball Launchers came back. None of the shop items were part of the free presents.
Winterfest 2024: the year before
Winterfest 2024 ran from December 20, 2024 until January 7, 2025 at 9 AM ET. Epic called the building the Winterfest Cabin and put it behind a Snowflake tab in every Fortnite lobby. The free rewards named in Epic's post were the Yulejacket Outfit, the Peppermint Paraglider and the Santa Dogg Outfit. The story beat was Mariah Carey being freed from a block of ice, and the island itself turned white.
| Winterfest 2024 | Winterfest 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | December 20, 2024 | December 18, 2025, 9 AM ET |
| End | January 7, 2025, 9 AM ET | January 5, 2026, 9 AM ET |
| Where | Winterfest Cabin, Snowflake tab in the lobby | The cabin with Lt. Winter |
| Free outfits named by Epic | Yulejacket, Santa Dogg | Glacial Dummy (7 presents), Cheeks (13 presents) |
| Other free items named | Peppermint Paraglider | Winterfest Bow and Festive Gwinny Back Blings, Wrapped Axe and Festive Bat Pickaxes |
| Winter items in matches | Blizzard Grenade, Icy Feet | Blizzard Grenades, Snowball Launchers |
| Announced | On launch day | On launch day |
What is live before Winterfest
Until December 5, 2026 you are in the Treasure Hunters season. Epic's season post describes a new 80 player island, Crossbones Isle, with One Piece locations such as Arlong Park and Windmill Village, and a list of captains: the Straw Hats, A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, Cap'n Hatsune Miku and Kasane Teto. The Kasane Teto Music Mini-Pass started on November 12, 2026. Anything you still want from the current Battle Pass needs to be finished before the Chapter 7 end event on December 5.
Fortnite Treasure Hunters Fortnite Crew changes on December 5, 2026
If you plan to give Crew as a Christmas present, read this first. Epic's post of November 4, 2026 says that from December 5, 2026 Crew pays 1,000 to 1,600 V-Bucks per month depending on how long you have been subscribed, with 20% bonus XP. The price stays at $11.99 USD per month (Epic's figure for the US, checked on November 13, 2026). Players who lapse get a resubscribe window from December 6 to December 31, 2026, 11:59 PM ET, to keep their tier. The OG Pass ends on December 5 with the end of Chapter 1: OG Season X, and Epic says the next era of Fortnite OG comes in late 2027.
How to get every free Winterfest present
Based on how the last two Winterfests worked, these habits get you everything without paying:
- Log in once a day from launch. In 2025 there were 14 presents and the event lasted 18 days, which left four days of slack. Start late and the slack is gone.
- Check the cabin, not the Shop. The free presents live in the cabin. The Shop sells the big licensed winter outfits.
- Count to seven and thirteen. Last year the two free outfits unlocked after 7 and 13 other presents, so the order you open them in does not matter.
- Mind the time zone. Epic uses 9 AM ET for refreshes and the end time. That is 2 PM in London and 3 PM in central Europe in winter.
- Link your accounts first. Presents go to the Epic account you play on. If you switch between console and phone over the holidays, make sure both use the same Epic login.
When Epic usually announces Winterfest
Both recent posts went up on launch day: "Mariah Carey ushers in Fortnite Battle Royale's Winterfest 2024" on December 20, 2024 and "Fortnite Winterfest 2025: Get in the Spirit" on December 18, 2025. The official Fortnite YouTube channel posted a teaser the day before in 2025 ("Winterfest starts tomorrow"). So the practical plan is to check Fortnite's social channels from about December 15, 2026. We will update this page when Epic posts. Until then, other holiday events are in our Christmas events calendar, and if you want something new to play over the break, see the best free games for Christmas.
Fortnite Winterfest Yule Log (official Fortnite channel)FAQ
When does Fortnite Winterfest 2026 start?
Epic has not announced it on November 13, 2026. Winterfest 2024 started on December 20, 2024 and Winterfest 2025 on December 18, 2025, both announced on launch day.
How many free presents were in Winterfest 2025?
Fourteen. Lt. Winter brought one present a day from December 18, 2025 to January 5, 2026, with the Glacial Dummy Outfit after seven presents and the Cheeks Outfit after 13.
What happens in Fortnite on December 5, 2026?
Epic has scheduled the Chapter 7 end event for Saturday, December 5, 2026. The new Battle Pass, a LEGO Mini-Pass and the new Fortnite Crew rewards start the same day, and the OG Pass ends.
Do I need a code for Winterfest presents?
No. In 2024 and 2025 the presents were opened in the cabin in the lobby, one per day, with no code and no purchase.
Is there a free Winterfest skin every year?
In recent years, yes: Yulejacket and Santa Dogg in 2024, Glacial Dummy and Cheeks in 2025. Epic has not said what Winterfest 2026 will give.