The Pokémon GO Fest 2023 Schedule You've Been Waiting For
Published Aug. 9 2023, 2:42 p.m. ET
It's the summertime, and any seasoned Pokémon trainer knows what that means — that Pokémon GO Fest is just around the corner. For those who have never attended the event before, this is an annual in-person gathering where Pokémon trainers can meet up to catch Pokémon together, trade, battle in raids, and participate in special events.
But when is Pokémon GO Fest this year? Here's what you need to know (and how to participate if you can't attend in person).
When is Pokémon GO Fest 2023?
There are three in-person weekends where Pokémon GO Fest will take place. The first two weekends take place simultaneously from Aug. 4-6 in London, England and Osaka, Japan, while the final weekend takes place from Aug. 18-20 in New York City.
Though the first two events have passed, there are still some tickets available for Pokémon GO Fest in New York City.
The New York City dates will be split between Randall's Park and New York City; those who buy a ticket will either start or end their day at Randall's Park, where they can participate in a variety of special events to catch some incredibly rare Pokémon.
The Mythical Pokémon Diancie and its mega evolution will be making its Pokémon GO debut for those with tickets. There will also be rotating "habitats" in the various locations, each featuring a different selection of Pokémon (all of which can be Shiny).
Mega Rayquaza will also be making an appearance in-person at the festival for ticketholders. Those who venture into the city will be able to participate in raids with Cresselia, Xerneas, Yveltal, or Mega Rayquaza (all of which have a chance to be Shiny as well).
There's a virtual Pokémon GO Fest for those who cannot attend in-person.
If you're unable to attend any of the in-person gatherings for Pokémon GO Fest, Niantic has plenty of other opportunities in-app for players to participate in the fun. There will be a global event from Aug. 26-27, and those who purchase a ticket to the digital Pokémon GO Fest will also be able to encounter Pokémon Diancie, its mega evolution, and Mega Rayquaza.
Similar to the New York City event, there will be rotating habitats where players can encounter different Pokémon, though they're not the same habitats or Pokémon.
Some of the Pokémon available during this event will only appear if you have purchased a ticket to the event, so if you want to catch some of these rare Pokémon, you'll want to snag one before the weekend starts.
These are the Pokémon you can expect to encounter in the Quartz Terrarium:
| Without a ticket | Exclusive to ticketholders |
|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a quartz crown | Hisuian Growlithe (cannot be Shiny) |
| Clefairy | Unown A |
| Lickitung | Unown D |
| Heracross | Unown I |
| Miltank | Unown M |
| Wurmple | Unown N |
| Whismur | Unown O |
| Skitty | |
| Luvdisc | |
| East Sea Shellos | |
| Buneary | |
| Audino | |
| Foongus | |
| Morelull |
These are the Pokémon you can expect to encounter in the Pyrite Sands:
| Without a ticket | Exclusive to ticketholders |
|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a pyrite crown | Unown A |
| Sandshrew | Unown D |
| Alolan Diglett | Unown I |
| Psyduck | Unown M |
| Girafarig | Unown N |
| Shuckle | Unown O |
| Trapinch | Pawniard |
| Gible | |
| Hippopotas | |
| Timburr | |
| Joltik | |
| Binacle | |
| Helioptile | |
| Grubbin (cannot be Shiny) |
These are the Pokémon you can expect to encounter in the Malachite Wilderness:
| Without a ticket | Exclusive to ticketholders |
|---|---|
| Caterpie | Unown A |
| Pikachu wearing a malachite crown | Unown D |
| Bellsprout | Unown I |
| Scyther | Unown M |
| Snorlax wearing a cowboy hat | Unown N |
| Spinarak | Unown O |
| Remoraid | Carnivine (cannot be Shiny) |
| Roselia | |
| Snover | |
| Cottonee | |
| Ferroseed | |
| Stunfisk | |
| Fromantis (cannot be Shiny) | |
| Oranguru |
These are the Pokémon you can expect to encounter in the Aquamarine Shores:
| Without a ticket | Exclusive to ticketholders |
|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing an aquamarine crown | Unown A |
| Horsea | Unown D |
| Lapras | Unown I |
| Marill | Unown M |
| Wobbuffet | Unown N |
| Carvanha | Unown O |
| Barboach | Pachirisu (cannot be Shiny) |
| Bagon | |
| Beldum | |
| West Sea Shellos | |
| Woobat | |
| Tympole | |
| Goomy | |
| Mareanie (cannot be Shiny) |
In addition to these rotating habitats, a new slate of Pokémon will appear in raids during the weekend.
Here's the raid schedule for Saturday:
| Raid level | Pokémon available |
|---|---|
| One-Star Raids | Pikachu wearing a quartz crown, Pikachu wearing a pyrite crown, Pikachu wearing a malachite crown, Pikachu wearing an aquamarine crown, Goomy |
| Two-Star Raids | Carbink (cannot be Shiny) |
| Three-Star Raids | Snorlax wearing a cowboy hat |
| Primal Raids | Primal Kyogre, Primal Groudon |
Here is the raid schedule for Sunday:
| Raid level | Pokémon available |
|---|---|
| One-Star Raids | Pikachu wearing a quartz crown, Pikachu wearing a pyrite crown, Pikachu wearing a malachite crown, Pikachu wearing an aquamarine crown, Goomy |
| Two-Star Raids | Carbink (cannot be Shiny) |
| Three-Star Raids | Snorlax wearing a cowboy hat |
| Mega Raids | Mega Rayquaza |
| Primal Raids | Primal Kyogre, Primal Groudon |
Tickets for the Global Pokémon GO Fest are still available and can be purchased for $14.99, though there's still plenty for trainers of all levels and skills to take advantage of without a ticket during the event.
