We’re getting closer to the end of Pokémon GO’s Season of Alola! That means it’s time to venture to Poni Island and get the next part in this Season’s Special Research Story. In order to kick things off, Niantic is playing off Poni Island’s water-focused areas by bringing back an old event that’s been absent for a few years – the Water Festival! Plenty of Water-type Pokémon will be appearing throughout the event, including a dapper Lapras wearing a scarf. Get all the details for this event with our guide below.
Pokémon GO’s Season of Alola – Water Festival
Begins: Thursday, May 12th, 2022 at 10 a.m. your local time.
Ends: Friday, May 20th, 2022 at 8 p.m. your local time.
Pokémon Debuts – Costumed Lapras, Dewpider, Araquanid, Tapu Fini, and Shiny Binacle
At long last, the datamine Costumed Lapras is here! Referred to as Lapras wearing a scarf on the official Pokémon GO blog, we’ll refer to it as Costumed Lapras in this guide. That isn’t the only new Pokémon debuting during this event. More Pokémon from Alola are joining Pokémon GO! Dewpider and Araquanid will now be available in-game (Araquanid via evolving Dewpider with 50 Dewpider Candies). Plus, Poni Island’s Guardian Deity, Tapu Fini, will be available in Five-Star Raids! (Note: Tapu Fini debuted just prior to the Water Festival event, but is still considered a debut Pokémon for the event.)
Shiny hunters, you’ll want to be on the lookout for Binacle! This will be the first time that the goose barnacle-like Pokémon will be shiny in Pokémon GO.
Event Bonuses
- Rainy Lure Modules activated during the event will last for two hours.
- 2× Candy from hatching Eggs.
- Increased Candy XL from hatching Eggs.
- Global Challenge Bonus Reward: 2× Candy for catching Pokémon
- Trainers must complete the Global Challenge (Catch 600,000,000 Water-type Pokémon) to activate this bonus. See the Global Challenge section for more information.
Wild Encounters
- The following Pokémon will be appearing in the wild: Tentacool*, Slowpoke*, Goldeen*, Staryu*, Magikarp*, Marill*, Lotad*, Surskit*, Carvanha*, Wailmer*, Tympole*, Binacle*, and Dewpider.
- If you’re lucky, you might encounter the following Pokémon: Poliwhirl, Mantine*, and Alomomola*.
Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”
Eggs
The following Pokémon will be hatching from Eggs.
- 7 km Eggs
- 1-Egg Rarity: Psyduck*, Azurill*, and Mantyke.
- 2-Egg Rarity: Mudkip*, Feebas*, and Binacle*.
- 3-Egg Rarity: Staryu* and Clamperl*.
Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”
Raids
The following Pokémon will be appearing in Raids:
- One-Star Raids: Qwilfish*, Wailmer*, Spritzee, Helioptile, and Rockruff*.
- Three-Star Raids: Alolan Raichu*, Costumed Lapras*, Feraligatr, Azumarill, and Ludicolo.
- Five-Star Raids: Tapu Fini.
- Mega Raids: Mega Blastoise*.
Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”
Global Challenge
Begins: Wednesday, May 11th, 2022 at 1 p.m. PT (GMT –7)
Ends: Saturday, May 21st, 2022, at 1:00 a.m. PDT (GMT –7)
During the Water Festival, Niantic is throwing a Global Challenge into the mix. If Trainers from around the world can band together and complete the challenge, an additional bonus will be active:
- Global Challenge: Catch 600,000,000 Water-type Pokémon
- Global Challenge bonus reward: 2× Candy for catching Pokémon
Special Research – A Poni Adventure
While the next Season of Alola Special Research Story (A Poni Adventure) is advertised as part of the Water Festival event, it launched on Tuesday, May 10th, 2022 at 10 a.m. your local time. The four-step Special Research is listed below as well as on our dedicated guide page for the entire Season of Alola Special Research questline.
| A Poni Adventure | |
|---|---|
| Step 1/4 | Reward |
| Catch 10 Pokémon | 10 Poké Balls |
| Power up Pokémon 5 times | 5 Razz Berries |
| Defeat 2 Team GO Rocket Grunts | 3 Hyper Potions |
| Completion Reward | Alolan Raticate Encounter, 500 XP, and 500 Stardust |
| Step 2/4 | Reward |
| Catch 3 Water-type Pokémon | Tentacruel Encounter |
| Take a snapshot of a Water-type Pokémon in your Pokémon storage | Wailmer Encounter |
| Use 5 Berries to help catch Pokémon | Wingull Encounter |
| Completion Reward | 1 Fast TM, 500 XP, and 500 Stardust |
| Step 3/4 | Reward |
| Walk 2 km | Miltank Encounter |
| Catch 15 Pokémon | 10 Great Balls |
| Spin 5 PokéStops or Gyms | Stufful Encounter |
| Completion Reward | 1 Premium Battle Pass, 1,000 XP, and 1,000 Stardust |
| Step 4/4 | Reward |
| Send 5 Gifts to friends | 10 Great Balls |
| Catch 15 Pokémon | 7 Pinap Berries |
| Win a Raid | Alolan Exeggutor Encounter |
| Completion Reward | 15 Ultra Balls, 8,000 XP, and 3,000 Stardust |
Timed Research – Water Festival: Catch Challenge
There will be a Timed Research, called Water Festival: Catch Challenge in-game, focused on catching lots of Pokémon. Trainers who complete the Timed Research will be rewarded with 50 Gyarados Mega Energy, 1,000 XP, 1,000 Stardust, and encounters with Costumed Lapras and Dewpider.
| Water Festival: Catch Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Step 1/1 | Rewards |
| Catch 15 Pokémon | 20 Poké Balls |
| Catch 50 Pokémon | 25 Great Balls |
| Catch 25 Water-type Pokémon | 25 Ultra Balls |
| Make 25 Curveball Throws | Dewpider* Encounter |
| Catch 10 different species of Pokémon | 50 Gyarados Mega Energy |
| Completion Reward | Costumed Lapras* Encounter, 1,000 Stardust, and 1,000 XP |
Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”
Field Research Tasks
New event-exclusive Field Research Tasks will be available and the rewards include encounters with Magikarp*, Carvanha*, Wailmer*, Luvdisc*, Binacle*, Dewpider, Costumed Lapras*, Marill*, and Mega Energy rewards (for Blastoise and Gyarados). These Field Research Tasks can be found when spinning PokéStops (and acquired if you have an open slot in your Field Research menu) when the event is active.
- Task: Water Festival: Catch 5 Pokémon
- Reward: Magikarp* Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Catch 15 Pokémon
- Reward: Dewpider Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Catch 25 Pokémon
- Reward: Costumed Lapras* Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Catch 5 Water-type Pokémon
- Reward: 10 Poké Balls OR 5 Great Balls OR Wailmer* Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Catch 10 Water-type Pokémon
- Reward: 20 Gyarados Mega Energy OR 20 Blastoise Mega Energy OR Binacle* Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Catch 5 Magikarp or Wailmer
- Reward: Luvdisc* Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Evolve 2 Water-type Pokémon
- Reward: Marill* Encounter
- Task: Water Festival: Hatch an Egg
- Reward: Carvanha* Encounter
Avatar Items
A brand new avatar item for Trainers will debut during the event – the Water Festival Scarf. You can find the item via the in-game shop and it’ll be available after the event ends too.
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Written by Jennifer Burch
Illustrator, designer, writer and big Nintendo geek, you can find Jennifer with an N3DS within reach 24/7. As the oldest of three, she has survived many Mario Party, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart sessions intact in addition to getting her brothers hooked on some really weird games. (Cubivore anyone?)
