The latest Pokémon GO Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration ran September 16–22, 2026, and had ended by October 8, 2026. Its headline debut was Charmander wearing Friede’s goggles; the original March 2024 event instead introduced Charcadet and its evolutions. Here’s what each edition offered, how the featured Pokémon were obtained, and which limited-time rewards have expired.
Latest Pokémon Horizons event: September 2026
Pokémon GO’s latest located edition ran Wednesday, September 16, at 10:00 a.m. through Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time. The event is over; its limited-time pass and research claims are no longer available. See the official 2026 event announcement for the original schedule and details.
Costumed Pokémon and evolution
Charmander wearing Friede’s goggles made its Pokémon GO debut. It could evolve and keep the costume: 25 Charmander Candy evolved it into Charmeleon wearing Friede’s goggles, and 100 Charmander Candy evolved that Charmeleon into costumed Charizard. The announcement noted a chance of shiny or special-background variants.
Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat could also appear in the wild and in one-star raids. Three-star raids featured costumed Charizard, Meowscarada, Skeledirge, and Quaquaval.
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Where encounters came from
Event Pokémon appeared through several event activities rather than a single encounter source: wild spawns, raids, Field Research, snapshot surprises, daily PokéStop Showcases, and GO Pass progression, as applicable. Wild encounters followed two time windows:
- Daytime, 5:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.: Fidough and Wattrel were among the featured wild Pokémon, with a chance of Chansey.
- Evening and overnight, 5:00 p.m.–5:00 a.m.: Eevee and Hatenna were among the featured wild Pokémon, with a chance of Rockruff.
The event also announced an increased chance to encounter Kecleon at PokéStops. These were event-period opportunities, not ongoing spawn guarantees.
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- 50 assorted Pokemon cards
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GO Pass, bonuses, and deadlines
The event’s GO Pass offered free, limited-time progression, with a paid GO Pass Deluxe upgrade. Its listed milestone bonuses were:
- Tier 1: 2× catch Candy; 3× catch Candy with GO Pass Deluxe.
- Tier 2: Regular Lure Modules lasted one hour and might attract featured Pokémon.
- Tier 3: Additional Stardust for catching Hatenna and Wattrel.
The official announcement listed GO Pass Deluxe at US$4.99 and GO Pass Deluxe + 6 Ranks at US$6.99, with equivalent local pricing and availability varying by region. These were 2026 event offers, not current offers. GO Pass rewards expired September 24, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time. Timed Research tasks and claims expired earlier, on September 22 at 8:00 p.m. local time. The announcement also specified Timed Research redeemed through the Pokémon GO Web Store with code 0004POKEMONGO; that code’s event window has passed.
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What the original March 2024 event featured
The first Pokémon Horizons celebration ran March 5–11, 2024, local time. It debuted Charcadet, Armarouge, and Ceruledge in Pokémon GO and also featured Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat. Its mechanics and bonuses were different from the 2026 return. Details are in the official 2024 event announcement.
How Charcadet evolved
To evolve Charcadet, set it as your buddy and defeat the required Pokémon while it is your buddy. For Armarouge, defeat 30 Psychic-type Pokémon; for Ceruledge, defeat 30 Ghost-type Pokémon. Charcadet did not have to be the Pokémon that defeated them.
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- You will receive, at random, a Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 3 that will contain 3 of 9 possible Promo Cards featuring beloved first partner Pokémon from the Hoenn, Kalos, or Paldea region.
- You will get 1 Pokémon TCG booster pack containing 3 of 9 promo cards
- This also comes with 2 Pokémon TCG booster packs and a sticker sheet.
Other 2024 event features
- Hatching Eggs earned 2× XP during the event.
- Team GO Rocket balloons appeared more frequently.
- Charcadet could hatch from 2 km, 5 km, and 10 km Eggs during the event, and might hatch from 10 km Eggs afterward.
- Event wild encounters, raids, Field Research, snapshot surprise encounters, and PokéStop Showcases offered additional activities.
- Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat encountered during the event knew Volt Tackle. The move was listed at 90 power in Trainer Battles, with a one-stage Defense decrease, and 90 power in Gyms and raids.
The 2024 announcement also listed a time-limited web-store Ultra Legend Box for $14.99, containing three Remote Raid Passes, ten Premium Battle Passes, and ten Incubators. It was a historical digital-item bundle, not an offer to assume is still available.
How the two editions differ
| Edition | Dates | Featured debut or costume | Signature mechanics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 original | March 5–11, 2024, local time | Charcadet, Armarouge, Ceruledge; Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat | Buddy evolution tasks requiring 30 Psychic- or Ghost-type defeats; 2× XP for hatching and more frequent Team GO Rocket balloons |
| 2026 return | September 16–22, 2026, local time | Charmander wearing Friede’s goggles; Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat could also appear | Costumed Charmander evolution, day/night wild encounter windows, and GO Pass milestone bonuses |
Where to watch Pokémon Horizons
The 2026 announcement pointed US fans to Netflix for Pokémon Horizons: Season 3—Rising Hope and UK fans to BBC iPlayer. For other regions, it advised checking local providers. These were region-specific viewing references in the event announcement, not a guarantee that the season remains in any service’s current catalog.
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