Pokémon GO Fest London 2023: A Walk In The Park

For the first time in Pokémon GO history, Niantic's Pokémon GO Fest made its way to London, UK. The celebrations saw fans adventure across Greater London, taking on Mega Rayquaza and collecting Meteorites, before converging at Brockwell Park to witness Mythical Pokémon Diancie make its Pokémon debut. 

We took a trip down to catch the afternoon session at Brockwell Park, on Friday August 4, 2023, where waves of Trainers gathered to take in everything the event had to offer. Located just south of Brixton, the park provided a huge amount of space for players to roam and hunt for some special Pokémon. Scattered throughout were impressive points of interest, each home to certain varieties of Pokémon. 

We began our adventure at the Dark Jungle, which plenty of the more sinister Pokémon called home. Trainers were able to capture Tangela, Deino, Pumpkaboo and Skorupi to name just a few. And, to help players feel the atmostphere, a small portion of the Dark Jungle had been built to traverse. We pushed through the jungle plant life, crossed the wooden walkways, and stepped through the mist — all in search of plentiful Pokémon.

Passing players donned in Eevee headbands and Magikarp hats, we headed to our next location — Hypnotic Glacier. Decorated to resemble an icy fortress, here players were able to capture not just cold and icy Pokémon, but more of the mysterious kinds. Jynx and Galarian Mr. Mime were aplenty, as were Amaura, Cubchoo, Elgyem and Shellder. If you were after a particularly powerful Snorlax, then this was the habitat to visit. Inside the glacier itself, were mirrored walls to represent the icy. Heading further into the glacier's dark depths, players could see a small light show play out above their heads.

Before heading to the next POI, we took a brief stop at the Pokémon Bus, where players could take a rest on some cozy beanbags and catch a few episodes of the Pokémon anime. We made our way to the Fairy Garden where a variety of adorable Grass- and Fairy-type Pokémon could be found, including: Bulbasaur, Jigglypuff, Oddish, Petilil (which made its Shiny debut), and more. As befitting of a Fairy Garden, players could navigate the space around giant flowers in their hunt for Pokémon.

The final POI was the Volcanic Island where players could catch a very special Pokémon indeed: Aerodactyl, wearing a satchel. In addition to this special event Pokémon were Charmander, Nosepass, Squirtle, Dratini and more. And aside from venturing to each of these regions, players were able to capture some other special Pokémon — ones which a rarely found on this side of the pond. Sigilyph, the Avianoid Pokémon, made many special appearances across the event, despite usually being found in Greece or Egypt. 

Elsewhere across the park, players could take part in Trainer battles by heading to the Battle Grounds. Here, players competed in matches against three different Trainers in the hopes of winning some great prizes. The winner of each match would move on to face another opponent, while also winning themselves some nice, smaller prizes for doing so.

There was a great deal to see across the entire park, as both in-game experiences and physical events. Players could take advantage of the many photo opportunites, such as with the Pokémon Bus, with Pikachu and Eevee, and more. Pokémon merchandise was, of course, available to purchase, including the Pokémon GO Fest 2023 exclusive T-shirt. And, if you were in need of a break, the Team Lounges offered a brief respite while also offering fans the chance to earn prizes by answering Pokémon-themed trivia.

Pokémon GO Fest remains a great experience for any fan of Pokémon GO or the franchise. Here's hoping Niantic brings the excitement back to London again next year. 

When Did Pokémon GO Fest London 2023 Take Place?

Pokémon GO Fest London 2023 took place on Friday, 4 August 2023 and run until Sunday, 6 August 2023. The activities began at 9 a.m. BST across both a Park Experience and City Experience, depending on which experience players chose to start with. 

For the Morning Park Experience, players began at the following times:

Park Experience
9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. BST

City Experience
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. BST

For the Afternoon Park Experience, players began at these following times, instead:

City Experience
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. BST

Park Experience
2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. BST

Which Pokémon Could You Catch At Pokémon GO Fest London 2023?

The full list of Pokémon which players could catch at Pokémon GO Fest London 2023 is as follows:

All Habitats

• Amethyst Crown Pikachu
• Unown A
• Unown D
• Unown I
• Unown M
• Unown N
• Unown O
• Unown !
• Sigilyph

Dark Jungle

• Burmy (Plant)
• Skorupi
• Purrloin
• Venipede
• Zubat
• Tangela
• Heracross
• Seviper
• Deino
• Pumpkaboo
• Dewpider

Fairy Garden

• Petilil
• Ferroseed
• Spritzee
• Bulbasaur
• Jigglypuff
• Oddish
• Hoppip
• Seedot
• Cacnea
• Swirlix
• Dedenne

Hypnotic Glacier

• Jynx
• Snorlax
• Castform
• Seel
• Shellder
• Galarian Mr. Mime
• Galarian Darumaka
• Elgyem
• Cubchoo
• Amaura
• Bergmite

Volcanic Island

• Charmander
• Squirtle
• Aerodactyl with a satchel
• Dratini
• Mantine
• Corphish
• Lucario
• Durant
• Inkay
• Surskit
• Nosepass

Completing Raids and Special Research Tasks also opened up the possibility of catching the following Pokémon:

• Diancie
• Cresselia
• Xerneas
• Carbink
• Yveltal
• Mega Rayquaza