On what date was Pokémon GO Fest first held?

The first Pokémon GO Fest was held on July 22, 2017. The event took place at Grant Park in Chicago and was Pokémon GO’s first official real-world festival.

Niantic announced the festival in June 2017, inviting players to participate in a shared challenge connected to the game. The event sold out rapidly, but the large crowd overwhelmed local mobile networks, preventing many attendees from accessing the game reliably. Niantic later apologized and offered refunds and additional compensation.

The festival nevertheless became a major milestone for Pokémon GO. Later events introduced improved infrastructure, multiple host cities, and worldwide online components. This date should not be confused with Pokémon GO’s original launch dates in 2016, which varied by country and began with releases in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.