Trainers,

Pokémon GO Fest 2021 may be just around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to wait to enjoy exciting events in July! Read on for what we have in store.

July Research Breakthrough encounters

From Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. to Sunday, August 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), you’ll encounter Rufflet in Research Breakthrough encounters. As an extra bonus throughout July, you’ll also receive a free Remote Raid Pass when you achieve a Research Breakthrough.

Double XP for Research Breakthroughs will also continue throughout this month as part of the Season of Discovery!

Featured Pokémon in raids

The following Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids throughout July.

• Bidoof will be appearing in five-star raids on Thursday, July 1, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Bidoof! For more information about the various Bidoof shenanigans on the horizon, check out the Bidoof Day blog.
• The Mythical Pokémon Deoxys will be appearing in its Defense Forme in five-star raids from Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. to Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
• The Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo will be appearing in five-star raids from Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Mewtwo! Different Pokémon will also be appearing in five-star raids on the second day of Pokémon GO Fest 2021, so keep a lookout! Only Mewtwo will appear as a GO Battle League encounter for Trainers rank 20 and up on the second day of Pokémon GO Fest 2021.
• Stay tuned for more updates on which Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids after July 23.

In addition, the following Mega-Evolved Pokémon will be appearing in Mega Raids.

• Mega Houndoom will appear in Mega Raids from Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. to Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
• Mega Gengar will appear in Mega Raids from Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
• Mega Charizard X will appear in Mega Raids from Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Friday, August 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Every Wednesday in July, a Raid Hour event will occur from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. The following Pokémon will be featured.

• Wednesday, July 7, 2021: Defense Forme Deoxys
• Wednesday, July 14, 2021: Defense Forme Deoxys
• Wednesday, July 21, 2021: Mewtwo
• Wednesday, July 28, 2021: To be announced

Pokémon Spotlight Hours

In the month of July, Pokémon Spotlight Hour will take place every Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, and each of these hours will spotlight a different Pokémon and special bonus!

• Tuesday, July 6, 2021: Bulbasaur will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, July 13, 2021: Charmander will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, July 20, 2021: Squirtle will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.
• Tuesday, July 27, 2021: Natu will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for evolving Pokémon.

July Community Day

Join us on Saturday, July 3, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time for a Community Day event featuring Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokémon! For more details, check out our July Community Day blog.

Upcoming events

Stay tuned for details about these upcoming events.

• Pokémon GO’s anniversary celebration: From Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Thursday, July 15, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. local time, Pokémon GO will be celebrating its five-year anniversary! Stay tuned for more details in early July.

• GO Battle Night: On Sunday, July 11, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time, the second GO Battle Night of the season will be happening! Complete up to 100 battles, and receive three times the Stardust for winning battles, completing sets of battles, and ranking up in the GO Battle League. Please note that the Stardust bonus during GO Battle Night will not combine with the 2× Stardust bonus for the GO Battle League that will be active from Monday, June 28, 2021, to Monday, July 12, 2021. For more details on the GO Battle League, check out the Season 8 blog.

• Pokémon GO Fest 2021: The largest event of the year is nearly here, but you still have time to buy your tickets! Pokémon GO Fest 2021 will take place on July 17 and 18, and each day will provide a unique experience. Trust us—this is an event you won’t want to miss! Check out our announcement blog for more info, and check out the shop to pick up your ticket! If you and your fellow Trainers work hard together during the event, there may be more ultra exciting things to come in July and beyond…

Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change. Be sure to follow us on social media, opt in to receiving push notifications, and subscribe to our emails to stay updated. For the latest on in-game events and feature updates, be sure to check this help center article.

—The Pokémon GO team