The Sims 4 Summer of Sims: Sims Sessions, Cottage Living: everything we know

While The Sims 4 continues to divide players worldwide, EA has announced that there’s a new expansion, Cottage Living, coming to the title during the summer month period they’ve dubbed ‘Summer of Sims’. Players also have the chance to experience a music festival in-game during the Sims Sessions.

If you call yourself a true gamer, there’s no doubt that at some point in your virtual travels, you’ve taken to the bizarre world of The Sims.

A staple on most 90s and millennial game shelves, The Sims lets players unleash their creative (and sometimes chaotic) side. It also offers the opportunity for some fun crossovers, such as these Pokemon and Overwatch examples.

It turns out, though, that instead of importing other games into The Sims this summer, there’s a new expansion pack alongside other fresh content to sate your cravings. As Simmers continue to wait for a reveal of The Sims 5, let’s break down everything we know so far about ‘Summer of Sims’.

This fun poster gives us some interesting insight into the new content.

The Sims 4: Summer of Sims end date

The Sims 4’s Summer of Sims doesn’t have an exact end date, but if you check out the bottom right corner of the image above, you’ll see that it runs between May and July.

Importantly, it does note that this is “subject to change at EA’s discretion,” so these dates aren’t set in stone.

The Sims 4: Sims Sessions

The Sims Sessions event is one of its kind, allowing players the chance to experience a concert along with their Sims.

Starting June 29 at 10 AM PT / 6 PM BST, players have the exciting chance to take part in something completely new to The Sims franchise: an in-game concert!

Featuring iconic performances (in Simlish!) from the likes of Bebe Rexha, Glass Animals, and Joy Oladokun, you can buy exclusive digital merchandise, sell crafts at a table, or try super tasty snacks at the food stalls.

your faves are coming to #TheSims4 like never before! @BebeRexha, @GlassAnimals & @joyoladokun are performing at #SimsSessions, an in-game music festival, from June 29 – July 7! Snatch your Sims & their friends & tell your friends & their Sims to join this can't miss experience! pic.twitter.com/fzKGTZhNHO

— The Sims (@TheSims) June 24, 2021

Complete with tents, fellow festival-goers, and an awesome stage to rock out to or hop up on and perform on yourself, there’s truly something for everyone.

The event will come to a close at 10 PM PT / 6 AM BST on July 7, so Simmers have got plenty of time to enjoy the festivities.

How to start Sims Sessions in The Sims 4

Willow Creek’s map can tell you all you need to know about when the event occurs.

Getting started with the all-new event is super easy. All you need to do is:

Load up The Sims 4.
Head in-game with one of your Sims.
The event is only available on an in-game Sunday.
If you’re in a new save, a message will appear telling you and your Sims all about the festival.
However, if you’re continuing a current playthrough, you’ll need to wait until the next occurring game Sunday to be notified.
Sims will also receive a ticket in their inventory, which you can view to learn further details about the event and travel to it with.
That’s it – head on over and enjoy the show!

Can’t wait until Sunday to find out about the event in-game? Head over to Willow Creek and select the musical note symbol to find out more.

What’s in the Summer of Sims?

Get ready to celebrate the summer in true Sims style!

There’s a few pretty interesting things outlined on the Summer of Sims poster, and they represent a great virtual getaway from the current restrictions that plague our reality.

Included in the Summer of Sims event is:

3 waves of free, base game updates.
A new career path, which has already arrived in the form of Dream Home Decorator’s Interior Designer.
A Pride-themed Virtual Block Party.
The previously mentioned Sims Sessions musical event.
An opportunity to “bond with nature,” in what’s now been revealed as The Sims 4 Cottage Living.

There will be plenty of content for you to check out, so make sure to boot up The Sims and check out all the festivities before they pass you by!

Summer of Sims Virtual Block Party

The Summer of Sims virtual block party kicked off on June 21 at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST.

it's a Party 🥳 A Pride Party 🏳️‍🌈 🎉 w/ @trixiemattel 👑🤩💖Join her on Twitch for the #SummerofSims Block Party, Monday Jun 21 at 5PM PST and send your stunning LGBTQIA+ Sims to The Sims 4 Gallery with the hashtag #SoSBlockParty to join in on the fun ☀️! pic.twitter.com/ZdV0zigrKC

— The Sims (@TheSims) June 18, 2021

Leading the festivities was Trixie Mattel — a massively successful icon and influential LGBTQIA+ personality who brought plenty of extra excitement to the event.

If you missed out on the iconic event, no worries! Check out what went down by checking out the stream we’ve embedded below:

So, there you have it! That’s everything we know about The Sims 4: Summer of Sims, including Cottage Living, the Virtual Block Party, and Sims Sessions.

If you want to make sure you can enjoy the party in style, make sure you check out our guide on how to make money before you step into the summer sun!