Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global is the biggest Pokémon GO event of the year, taking place on July 13 and July 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time each day—a whirlwind of catching, researching, trading, and Raid Battles—that’s just 16 hours to pack in all the fun! More than 70 Pokémon species will make an appearance, but the undeniable belle of the GO Fest ball is Necrozma, which will make its global Pokémon GO debut in raids over the weekend. And there is plenty of incentive to take on lots of raids: Necrozma will be available to battle on Saturday, July 13, and Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dawn Wings Necrozma will be throwing down the gauntlet on Sunday, July 14! But the excitement doesn’t stop there. Seeking out this Legendary Pokémon in all its forms is only one part of a weekend packed full of fun!

Every Trainer’s GO Fest 2024 experience will be unique, shaped by their own individual interests and goals. For example, Trainers looking to catch as many Shiny Pokémon as possible will naturally have a different focus than those hoping to improve their GO Battle League performance.

To keep up with the abundance of activities, there are some steps you can take in the week leading up to the event to help maximize your experience and have as much fun as possible, and we’ve got tips to help everyone meet their goals no matter what your plans are. From making space in your Pokémon storage for all the new pals you’ll catch to researching meetups near you for making new friends, here are some things you can do ahead of time to enhance your experience during the event.

Taking Stock

There are some critical items that you’ll need in bulk during Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global. With so much happening during the event, making sure you’re well-stocked and ready with storage beforehand will allow you to focus on having fun during the event. Here are some tips to consider with your Item Bag (both in-game and real life) before the event.

• Upgrade your Item Bag: For those who are already struggling with an overstuffed Item Bag, upgrading in advance could alleviate the stress of having to clear out your items during the event.

• Upgrade your Pokémon Storage: There’s nothing worse than wanting to catch a Pokémon in the wild only to realize your Pokémon storage is full. Rushing to transfer Pokémon to the professor before that wild Pokémon flees is probably not how you want to spend your limited event time. To save yourself time and stress, transfer Pokémon or upgrade your Pokémon storage before the event starts.

• Stock up on Poké Balls: The heart of any Pokémon GO event is catching Pokémon, and to do that, you need Poké Balls. Though you’ll probably be spinning PokéStops and Gym Photo Discs during the event, stocking up on Poké Balls beforehand will give you a great head start.

• Grab some healing Potions and Revives: If you’re planning on participating in raids—and with Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dawn Wings Necrozma making their debut, you probably are—you’ll need Potions and Revives to keep your Pokémon topped up and ready to dive into the next battle.

• Load up on Star Pieces and Lucky Eggs: During Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global, Star Pieces will earn you an additional 50% Stardust, and Lucky Eggs double your XP gained while active, so you’ll definitely want to have some ready to go!

• Don’t forget food, drinks, and sunscreen: While Revives and Potions are vital for your Pokémon, it’s also important to look out for your own health during the event. Be sure to make time for meals, hydrate, and protect your skin from the sun. Pokémon GO Fest is about having fun, so don’t risk playing hangry and sunburned—drink up, snack up, and sunscreen up!

To Ticket or Not to Ticket

You don’t need a ticket to have a great time during Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global, but if you’re debating whether to purchase one, it’s better to decide before the event starts. A global event ticket costs US$14.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency) and can be purchased in the in-game shop. To help you decide, here’s what you’ll enjoy if you buy a ticket.

On Saturday, ticket holders will have access to a Special Research story that will award an encounter with the Mythical Pokémon Marshadow. On Sunday, ticket holders can access a Special Research story focused on Necrozma.

During habitat hours on Saturday, ticket-holding Trainers will be able to work together to complete Global Challenges and earn special bonuses that stay active for the remainder of each hour. Additionally, certain Pokémon will be attracted to Incense during habitat hours. These include Unown A, Unown D, Unown G, Unown H, Unown I, Unown N, Unown T, and Unown Y as well as Corsola in the Shining Day habitat, Maractus in the Dawn Meadow habitat, Vullaby in the Darkest Night habitat, and Rockruff in the Creeping Dusk habitat.

Ticket holders will also enjoy some exclusive bonuses, including an increased chance of encountering Shiny Pokémon, up to six Special Trades per day, up to nine Raid Passes per day from spinning Photo Discs at Gyms, special 7 km Eggs, and double friendship bonus damage in raids. Depending on your goals for GO Fest 2024, these bonuses could give you a significant edge, especially for Trainers hoping to catch tons of Shiny Pokémon and participate in lots of raids.

Finding Friends

Playing Pokémon GO is always fun with friends, but don’t forget the other practical reasons to coordinate with friends during GO Fest 2024. This is the first year in which Trainers can use Party Play during the event, which will be helpful for defeating Necrozma more quickly in raids—Party Power can boost Charged Attacks, allowing your group to deal damage more quickly.

Additionally, Trainers who purchase a Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global ticket can make up to six Special Trades per day during the event, so having friends nearby to trade with (and deciding in advance which Pokémon you would like to trade) is a good way to prepare. If you’re interested in making some new friends, you can do some research and find the nearest Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global event or meetup near you.

Research Ready

While it’s impossible to determine which research tasks you’ll get during GO Fest 2024, past events tended to have common research themes. You can’t complete research task objectives before you receive them, but there are still a few things you can do to prepare. First, practice your Nice, Great, and Excellent Throws. Making these is a common objective in research tasks, and even if you don’t receive these types of tasks, being able to make these skillful throws is an important aspect in Pokémon GO. Second, make sure you’re using the tagging feature. Research tasks often include powering up, evolving, and purifying Pokémon, so tagging the applicable Pokémon before the event is a great way to save time.

Best Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global Pokémon for GO Battle League

With more than 70 Pokémon species appearing in the wild and in raids during Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global, Trainers interested in building teams for the GO Battle League might find it difficult to determine which Pokémon to catch. Certain Pokémon that will be appearing during the habitat hours on Saturday and in the wild on Sunday tend to be popular in PvP, so watch out for these Pokémon and catch as many of them as possible to earn Candy and Stardust to power them up and teach them optimal Charged Attacks.

Dawn Meadow Habitat

Pidgey will appear during the Dawn Meadow habitat hour, and while it isn’t hugely competitive in the GO Battle League itself, its Evolution, Pidgeotto, evolves into Pidgeot, which is an excellent choice for the Great League and Ultra League. Wingull is another Pokémon that will appear, and its Evolution, Pelipper, is a solid choice for the Great League. Last but not least, Galarian Stunfisk will also appear, and it is an enduring presence in the Great League and Ultra League—and it won’t require evolving to be battle ready.

Shining Day Habitat

Two Pokémon appearing during the Shining Day habitat hour have final Evolutions that shine in the GO Battle League. Specifically, Charmander’s final Evolution, Charizard, is a solid choice for the Great League and Ultra League, and Dratini’s final Evolution, Dragonite, is a powerhouse in the Ultra League and Master League.

Creeping Dusk Habitat

Eevee will appear during the Creeping Dusk habitat hour, and while it’s always worth catching for its plethora of Evolutions (all of which require Candy to power up), its Evolutions Umbreon and Sylveon are particularly competitive in the Great League and Ultra League. Phantump is another Pokémon that will be creeping through the dusk, and its Evolution Trevenant is a frequent contender in the Great League and Ultra League.

Darkest Night Habitat

This habitat hour features two Pokémon that don’t require evolving to perform well in the Great League: Gligar and Carbink. Additionally, Mudkip will appear in this habitat, and its final Evolution, Swampert, is a longstanding powerhouse across the Great League and Ultra League. All three of these Pokémon are well worth catching during this event.

Now, take advantage of these tips to be your Pokémon GO Fest 2024: Global best, Trainers!

Looking for tips on how to battle and catch Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dawn Wings Necrozma? Check out the raid strategy guide