Pokémon Go Fest 2026 smashes attendance records in Chicago with almost a million players

• Pokémon Go Fest was a resounding success in Chicago this year
• Over 90,000 tickets were sold for the Grant Park event, with nearly a million players in the city overall
• It shows Niantic's push to get players back outside since Covid is bearing fruit

While we usually don't cover events in too much detail, there are some exceptions. And if there was ever a time to make one, then the latest iteration of Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago would be it. Running June 5th to 7th, it drew in record crowds to both Grant Park and nearly a million players in the city overall.

According to the folks at Pokémon Go, over 90,000 tickets were sold for the event at Grant Park, with over 100,000 ticketed participants overall. Across the city, both free and paid players made up a whopping 717,000! And in case you were curious, those numbers equated to 14 million Pokémon caught at Grant Park and over 100 million across the city!

The Windy City

The numbers we get out of Pokémon Go Fest each year are particularly notable because they represent how Go has managed to turn around the in-person aspect of the game since Covid. After easing back on the in-person AR mechanics to help facilitate social distancing, Niantic faced an uphill battle to get people outdoors again.

However, if the success of Pokémon Go Fest and the ongoing success of Go itself is any indication, they've managed it.

For fans, it's also an important reminder that you don't need to shell out for tickets in order to enjoy the fun of Go Fest. As with previous in-person events, such as the Pokémon Go Truck which toured Europe, you can grab plenty of benefits just from being in the same city!

It certainly makes life a bit easier for everyone. But if you'd prefer for life to be a bit more difficult, then why not take a look at our review of Consume Me, a darkly humorous take on Warioware-style life simulation that Jupiter gave a resounding thumbs up!