Arts & Entertainment
Pokemon Go Fest Coming to Grant Park in Summer 2026, Unique ‘Open Footprint’ Format Will Keep Area Open to the Public
Pokemon Go players in Chicago in 2017. (Patrick Amenen / iStock)
A decade after it became a pop culture sensation, Pokemon Go is as popular as ever among a diehard fan base of enthusiastic players (aka, trainers), who blur the line between virtual reality and actual reality.
Tens of thousands of obsessives are expected to converge on Grant Park in 2026 for the return of Pokemon Go Fest, which formerly had a successful run in Chicago from 2017 to 2019.
The Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners gave its provisional approval to the fest’s host Niantic at Wednesday’s monthly board meeting, with an option to renew in 2027. Dates in 2026 are set for June 5-7. Daily attendance will be capped at 40,000 people.
Pokemon Go is an app that has people chasing virtual Pokemons in the real environment.
Though Chicago has a sizable community of Pokemon Go fans — there are close to 36,000 members in the Chicago Squad Facebook group — the majority of attendees at previous versions of the festival were out-of-towners, according to Lauren Quinn, deputy director of revenue for the Park District.
In 2026, the Park District will collect a $1.04 million permit fee from Niantic and another $1.065 million if the option is extended in 2027. Niantic has also agreed to contribute an additional 10% of the permit fee to fund improvements in Grant Park.
Unlike other so-called mega-festivals, there will be no alcohol sales during the Pokemon Go event, which is billed as a family friendly experience, and there won’t be any live music either.
Most notably, there will be no perimeter fencing to wall off the event, Quinn said. This “open footprint” means residents and tourists can still enjoy Grant Park during the fest, and it also means Chicagoans can expect to see festivalgoers taking part in immersive game play around the city.
The festival will have a two-shift format, Quinn explained, with attendees spending half the day in the park and the other half completing tasks and quests around Chicago.
Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]
