Ten years in, and Pokemon Go still knows how to put together a stacked calendar. July 2026 is the game's anniversary month, and Niantic has loaded it with back-to-back events that run almost every single day through the end of the month. Go Fest Global headlines everything, but the surrounding content, from legendary raid rotations to a Professor Willow birthday quest, makes this one of the densest months the game has seen. If you enjoy monster-catching adventures, it's also worth checking out blockchain Monster Hunt for a web3 take on the genre.
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The biggest weekend: Go Fest Global and what comes before it
The centerpiece of the month is Go Fest 2026 Global, running July 11-12. This is where players worldwide get their first shot at Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y, two of the most anticipated Mega Evolutions the game has introduced. Niantic hasn't drip-fed these forms through regional events; Go Fest is the unlock point for everyone simultaneously.
Leading into that weekend, the Road of Legends event runs July 6-10 and functions as a full legendary retrospective. On July 6 alone, nearly every legendary Pokemon that has ever appeared in raids returns simultaneously, including all four Deoxys formes, the Lake Guardians, the Forces of Nature, and the Ultra Beasts split by region. The following days narrow the focus, with White Kyurem, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Black Kyurem, Dusk Mane Necrozma, Crowned Sword Zacian, and Crowned Shield Zamazenta each getting dedicated raid windows. Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon close it out on July 10.
The Remote Raid Pass cap is lifted entirely from July 6-12, which is the practical detail that makes this stretch manageable for players who can't physically visit gyms every day.
The 10th anniversary events, stacked back to back
Pokemon Go launched in July 2016, and this month's event structure reflects that milestone hard. The 10th Anniversary Party kicks off on July 4-6, overlapping with Sobble Community Day on July 4. During the party, a special Gimmighoul holding a 10th anniversary coin makes its debut, accessible through Golden Lure Modules or a Coin Bag. Party hat variants of Pikachu, Eevee, and Wurmple appear in the wild, and the bonuses are generous: 4x XP and 4x Stardust for catching Pokemon.
Sobble Community Day runs July 4 from 2-5 PM local time, with the usual boosted shiny odds and the exclusive move Hydro Cannon for any Drizzile evolved into Inteleon before 9 PM. Inteleon also permanently gains access to Snipe Shot from that date forward. Egg hatch distance drops to 1/4, trades cost 50% less Stardust, and Lure Modules attract the featured Pokemon.
The anniversary energy continues with the Special Anniversary Pikachu Celebration from July 13-20, split into three sub-events. Nine different costumed Pikachu variants rotate through one-star raids, including World Championships editions from 2022, 2023, and 2024. Go Pass milestone bonuses unlock 2x candy for transfers at Rank 10 and 2x Stardust for catches at Rank 20, with Go Pass Deluxe bumping those to 3x.
The regular rotation: raids and Spotlight Hours
Outside the major events, the standard raid and Spotlight Hour schedule keeps things moving. The legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres open the month in five-star raids through July 5, followed by Kyogre (July 15-21), Solgaleo (July 22-28), and Kyurem (July 29 through August 4). Shadow Palkia holds down Shadow Raids for the entire month.
Mega Raids rotate through Mega Lucario, Mega Sceptile, Mega Salamence, and Mega Aggron. Max Battles cycle through Dynamax Chansey, Deino, Trubbish, and Feebas in weekly windows.
Spotlight Hours shift to Thursdays this month, running 6-7 PM local time:
The July 23 Eevee Spotlight Hour is worth flagging specifically. With the anniversary Eevee variants active earlier in the month, candy from that session has obvious utility.
Closing the month: Willow's birthday and Rayquaza's Mega unlock
Professor Willow's Birthday Research runs July 21-27. Log in during that window to receive a free Timed Research quest that leads to a Pikachu wearing Professor Willow's outfit. The quest expires July 27, so there's no sitting on it.
The month closes with Ozone Ascent on July 25-26, another free Timed Research event built around Rayquaza. Completing the tasks rewards a Rayquaza encounter and a Meteorite, the item required to teach Rayquaza Dragon Ascent and unlock its Mega Evolution. The two-day window is tight, so logging in on July 25 rather than waiting is the practical move.
For players who want to stay on top of every event and mechanic across the month, the gaming guides hub has ongoing coverage worth bookmarking before Go Fest weekend arrives.
