This year’s celebration is stacked with events. | Source: Niantic

Pokémon GO Fest 2021 is about to kick off — both virtually and physically — in cities all over the world, and trainers should get all the deets before the celebrations begin!

This year’s two-day event starts tomorrow, July 17, and is planned to be bigger than ever, thanks to a partnership with Google Play. All eligible trainers will receive three free months of YouTube Premium, and that’s just the beginning.

Saturday kicks off the celebration with different challenges, and trainers from all over the world can team up. Players can explore four themed, rotating habitat hours that have special Collection Challenges. Special Research tasks will also introduce characters to more than 75 species of Pokémon. These Special Research tasks will directly relate to this year’s theme, music. Players choose between different Pokémon to feature in their musical show, and they will even have a shot to encounter mythical Pokémon Meloetta.

Related: ‘Pokémon Unite’ Gets Trailer, July Release for Nintendo Switch

Sunday is raid day, and players will experience something they’ve never seen in the game before: Throughout the day, every legendary Pokémon that’s been discovered in the game will appear in five-star raids around the world. Themes will rotate every hour to determine which Pokémon players can encounter, so if there’s one that you’ve been dying to catch, plan accordingly! Players can find the entire raid schedule here.

Popular YouTubers the Try Guys have even created a make-your-own adventure series on their channel to introduce trainers to Pokémon GO Fest. Special guests, including Jordan Fisher, Chloe Kim, and other celebrities, will help guide viewers down their individualized paths. Fans can start exploring the special Try Guys course on their YouTube channel.

Players can print tiles and arrange a life-size Prof. Willow. | Source: Niantic

If families want to deck out the house in all things Pokémon-related, The Pokémon GO website has tons of activities, backdrops, and crafts to print out including flags, DIY gift and buddy presents, and a DIY Pokeball.

To celebrate the 5-year anniversary of Pokémon GO, tickets for the event have been reduced from $14.99 to $4.99. Players can learn how to purchase a ticket in the app on Niantic’s website. But don’t forget: there are in-person, city celebrations too. The list of locations and registrations (which have limited spots, so be quick, trainers!) is here.

For a full schedule and all other Pokémon GO Fest info, visit pokemongolive.com.

About the author

Sydney Reynolds

Sydney Reynolds

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