Hello Trainers!
Now that Pokémon GO Fest 2023 is behind us we can start talking about Pokémon GO Fest 2024! Too soon you say? Nay nay I say. Besides, it’ll be fun to look back in a year and see just how right wrong I was.
Past In person GO Fests
2019
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Dortmund, Germany
Sapporo, Japan
The last in-person GO Fests before COVID were in Chicago, Dortmund, and Japan and this began the pattern of America, Europe, and Japan that I think will remain the standard pattern for at least a while.
2022
Seattle, Washington, USA
Berlin, Germany
Sapporo, Japan
The first GO Fests after COVID, not counting the semi-in-person multi-city event in 2021.
2023
New York City, New York, USA
London, England
Osaka, Japan
The latest set of GO Fests. There seems to be an East Coast-West Coast pattern for the US event, which I speculate will remain a thing going forward. Europe had two in Germany before moving to England, so I think anywhere in Europe is fair game, even a second British GO Fest in a row, and I believe that Japan will always get one. So let’s speculate, where I think the GO Fests for 2024 will be!
Please note that these are in no particular order. I will round up with my top pick, and my wish pick for each region at the end of the article. Let’s GO!
2024 GO Fest Potentials: USA/Canada
Going on the assumption that next year’s US version of GO Fest will be somewhere on the West Coast, or perhaps the Mid-West? Let’s look at some potential locations. Now these are in no particular order, so don’t read into the order at all.
San Francisco, California – Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park has enough open spaces that are close enough to make GO Fest Work, it’s a bit spread out but that might not be the worst thing. Plus Niantic has an office there, so it stands to reason they’ll host a GO Fest eventually.
Honolulu, Hawaii – Kapiʻolani Regional Park
Credit to Hamtaro from the As The Pokéball Turns Podcast for throwing me this idea because I hadn’t considered it. The Pokémon World Championships are already in Honolulu next year, so it might make sense to pair GO Fest with the Worlds event like they did this year in Japan.
Portland, Oregon – Washington Park
Large Park, a big open area would be a great place for GO Fest. It’s a bit far away from the city proper but public transit can get you there from the city. They had a GO Fest in Seattle last year so I don’t know if they’ll do another one so close.
Denver, Colorado – City Park or Washington Park
City Park and Washington Park are both fairly large parks in Denver that are central to the city and would make for great GO Fest locations. Plus it’s close to the mountains, and that catch card would be epic!
Vancouver, BC, Canada – Queen Elizabeth Park
There’s nothing to say that GO Fest has to be in the US, they could host one in Canada and Vancouver fits the West Coast location checkbox. Queen Elizabeth Park is large enough for GO Fest, and Vancouver is a large city with some decent infrastructure.
2024 GO Fest Potentials: Europe
Dublin, Ireland – Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is really big and is very central to Dublin with lots of wide open spaces that would make an excellent space for a GO Fest.
Rome, Italy – Villa Ada Savoia | Villa Borghese
Both are big parks with lots of trees for shade could be a great place for a GO Fest, and are fairly central to Rome so it would make for easy commuting. Plus, it’s Rome so you know there’s a lot to see that could make the city experience amazing.
Paris, France – Parc du Tremblay
Very large park with lots of trees, and some very well-defined open areas that would be great places for habitats to go. Paris has a lot of things to see in the city that would make the city experience an amazing experience.
Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Fælled
A very large open area that has plenty of potential. The former military site is now a preserve for walking & biking, with a lake, meadows & rare birds. It’s not far from downtown Copenhagen either, so the commute from the Park to the City experiences wouldn’t be that bad.
Manchester, England – Buile Hill Park
Another large park that has some well-defined boundaries that would be perfect for habitats. Manchester also has plenty to see and do in the city that would make the city experience great.
2024 GO Fest Potentials: Japan
Tokyo – Yoyogi Park or Fuchu no Mori Park
There are actually several parks in Japan that could serve as excellent places for a GO Fest. Plus, it’s Tokyo… that city experience would be absolutely bonkers!
Yokohama – Negishi Forest Park
Big open park that would be excellent for GO Fest, plus Yokohama practically sits in the shadow of Mt. Fuji. That catch card practically designs itself!
Nagano – Matsumoto City Alps Park
A bigger park that would fit the GO Fest needs. Plus, Nagano held the Olympics in 1998 so maybe there’s a connection they can make?
Osaka – Hattori Ryokuchi Park
They could do Osaka again for a second straight year like they doubled up on Sapporo. Hattori Ryokuchi Park is fairly big, would work.
Sydney, Australia – Centennial Park/Queens Park
Yes. I realize that Sydney, Australia is not in Japan. But the folks in Oceania get the short end of the stick when it comes to events a LOT. So I really feel that Niantic owes them a major event. Plus, Centennial Park and Queens Park could work for a GO Fest and a capture card of the Sydney Opera House, who wouldn’t love that?
My Top Picks
Alright, here are my picks for the favourites to host the 2024 round of GO Fests. Ready?
San Francisco, Paris, Tokyo. I think that they are going with three cities where they can truly take advantage of the city experience portion of the event and utilize both park and city experiences.
Where do I hope the GO Fests will be this year? Well, chances are I will only be attending the North American one so my fingers are crossed for Vancouver, but I would be very okay with a San Franciso GO Fest. Go Niners! I have lots of friends and family who live in England so I’m kind of biased towards another British GO Fest. Lastly, I hope the “Japan” GO Fest gets awarded to Sydney. Not going to lie, they deserve it.
Where do you think GO Fest 2024 will be? Do you live in one of the cities that I’ve picked and have thoughts on my choice of venue? Do you know a better place? Do you think they will be somewhere I haven’t picked? Let me know in the comments, or on Twitter (X?)/Facebook. I will try and edit the article to include your picks, or if I get enough I’ll do a whole separate article.
Until next time Trainers, stay safe out there!
