Wow, what an amazing weekend! Thank you so much to the 21,000 Trainers who attended Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago, USA, the 180,000 Trainers participating in the surrounding Chicago area, and the tens of millions of Trainers all over the world who took part in Professor Willow’s Global Challenge! Event attendees walked an average of more than 6 kilometers, completing an average of 36 research tasks and catching an average of 350 Pokémon on July 14 and 15 in beautiful Lincoln Park.

Trainers enjoyed a 1.8-mile curated walking path, featuring four dynamic habitats filled with more than 50 species of Pokémon. In addition to the Cheering Pokémon, Plusle and Minun, appearing throughout the event, Trainers encountered Pokémon such as Ludicolo, Torkoal, and Metagross while completing important research tasks on their way to discovering the Mythical Pokémon Celebi. Team tents were buzzing with activity, including photo opportunities and fun contests. Outside of the park, the City of Chicago lit up with exciting Raid Battles to keep the fun going.

Even a little rain or the heat of the afternoon sun couldn’t stop the thousands of Trainers from enthusiastically exploring, snapping AR photos among the cacti of the desert habitat or the periodic snow storms in the glacial habitat. Trainers congratulated each other on completing important research tasks and catching the Shiny forms of Pokémon. And cheers continually echoed throughout the park from team tents, where games and music helped attendees let loose. The mood was infectious all weekend. The feelings of courtesy, kindness, and togetherness never left Lincoln Park, even as Trainers filed out at the end of Sunday’s journey.

But that’s not all! Trainers around the world once again showed their dedication to completing the Global Challenge. No matter which team you’re on or where you live, you’ll be able to access all related bonuses for your success during Pokémon GO Fest. Until July 23, you’ll be able to enjoy double the usual Candy when catching Pokémon, double Candy when hatching Eggs, and a guaranteed Rare Candy during raids! Plus, all Eggs will hatch in half the distance, including 7 km Eggs that hatch Alolan form Pokémon!

In addition to these amazing bonuses, the Legendary Pokémon Zapdos will be available in Raid Battles around the world during Zapdos Day on July 21. If you’re lucky, you may be able to encounter Shiny Zapdos! See below for event hours in your region:

The Asia-Pacific region: 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. JST (GMT +9)

Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. UTC (GMT +0)

The Americas and Greenland: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

When you spin a Photo Disc at a Gym, you’ll receive a Raid Pass up to five times starting when the event kicks off in the Asia-Pacific region. Make it a day to remember by supporting your fellow Trainers, and remember to abide by all local laws, and leave your community better than you found it!

The enthusiasm today was amazing, and we can’t wait to see how you come together and complete the final leg of the Global Challenge on August 29 – September 2 during the Safari Zone event in Yokosuka, Japan. If all goes well and the tasks are completed, a special Ultra Bonus will be unlocked!

Get ready for more fun ahead, and we hope that you have an incredible time participating in Zapdos Day.



—The Pokémon GO team