September 2026 is packed with new Pokémon, major raids, Community Day Classic, Spotlight Hours, and several special events in Pokémon GO.
The month is also part of the Twilight Trails season, bringing a steady rotation of raids, Max Battles, research, and limited-time bonuses.
Whether you are hunting Shinies, building raid teams, collecting Candy, or simply trying to keep up with everything happening in the game, there is a lot to plan around this month.
Here is the complete Pokémon GO September 2026 events guide, including the major events, Community Day Classic, Spotlight Hours, Raid Hours, and the events still to come.
Pokémon GO September 2026 Event Calendar
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 31 – September 4 | Mega Ascension |
| September 5-6 | Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale |
| September 8-14 | Mega Squads |
| September 12 | September Community Day Classic |
| September 16-22 | Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration |
| September 19 | Super Mega Staraptor Raid Day |
| September 23-28 | Twilight Trails: Choose Your Path Timed Research |
| September 26 | Catch Mastery: Phantump |
| September 26-27 | Pokémon GO City Safari |
| September 29-October 5 | Harvest Festival |
Some of the events earlier in the month have already ended, while several major events remain on the September schedule.
Mega Ascension
The month began with Mega Ascension, which ran from August 31 through September 4.
The event focused on Mega Evolution and gave Trainers opportunities to collect Mega Energy while encountering Pokémon connected to the Mega Evolution system.
Since the event has already ended, players who missed it will need to wait for future opportunities to obtain some of the featured Pokémon and Mega Energy.
Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale
The first major September event was Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale, which took place on September 5 and 6.
The event continued the game’s 10th-anniversary celebrations and focused heavily on powerful Mega Pokémon.
GO Fest 2026 had already introduced a wide variety of Pokémon and raid encounters earlier in the year, while the Mega Finale brought another major weekend of gameplay.
Mega Squads
Mega Squads ran from September 8 through September 14.
The event introduced Maschiff and Mabosstiff to Pokémon GO. Maschiff could be encountered through Eggs, Field Research, and the GO Pass, while 50 Maschiff Candy was required to evolve it into Mabosstiff.
The event also marked the debut of Shiny Flamigo.
Mega Squads was particularly important for Mega Evolution fans because Mega Beedrill and Mega Houndoom could be pushed to the new Super Max Mega Level.
These Mega Pokémon also gained access to additional Charged Attacks when sufficiently upgraded.
September Community Day Classic
The September Community Day Classic took place on September 12.
Community Day Classic events give Trainers another opportunity to catch a previously featured Community Day Pokémon, including its Shiny form, while taking advantage of special event bonuses and an exclusive evolution attack.
For collectors who missed the Pokémon during its original Community Day, this was one of the most useful events on the September calendar.
Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration
The Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration will run from September 16 through September 22.
The event brings Pokémon Horizons-themed encounters and content to Pokémon GO. It’s another limited-time opportunity for collectors looking for event-specific Pokémon and rewards.
Because the event is still running as of September 20, you have until September 22 to complete its available activities.
Super Mega Staraptor Raid Day
One of the biggest raid events of the month is Super Mega Staraptor Raid Day, which takes place on September 19.
Super Mega Staraptor is the major attraction to battle and collect resources associated with one of Staraptor’s most powerful forms.
If you missed the event, keep an eye on future raid rotations for another opportunity to encounter the featured Pokémon.
Twilight Trails: Choose Your Path Timed Research
Starting September 23, you can take part in Twilight Trails: Choose Your Path Timed Research.
The event runs through September 28, so you have several days to complete its available research objectives.
As the name suggests, this is a choice-based research experience, so you should pay attention to the available paths before selecting one.
Your choice can affect the encounters or rewards available during the research.
Catch Mastery: Phantump
Catch Mastery: Phantump is scheduled for September 26.
As the name suggests, the event is centered around catching Phantump and completing event-specific tasks.
This should be an important date if you are working on your Ghost- and Grass-type collections, particularly if you are still looking for a Shiny Phantump.
Pokémon GO City Safari
Pokémon GO City Safari returns on September 26 and 27. Events take place simultaneously in Boston, Brisbane, Lisbon, Marseille, Munich, and Rio de Janeiro.
The events run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time in each host city.
City Safari is designed around exploring the host city, with location-themed wild Pokémon, exclusive Special Research, and encounters connected to the local event experience.
This is a ticketed, location-specific event, so Trainers outside the participating cities should check the official event information before planning around it.
Harvest Festival
September’s final major event is the Harvest Festival, scheduled to begin on September 29 and continue through October 5.
The event carries Pokémon GO into October while providing another themed set of encounters and bonuses.
Pokémon GO September 2026 Spotlight Hours
Spotlight Hours continue throughout September, generally running from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.
The September schedule includes several different featured Pokémon and bonuses.
Weedle, Kakuna, and Beedrill were featured during the September 10 Spotlight Hour, while Houndour and Houndoom took over the September 13 Spotlight Hour.
The schedule then moved to Charmander wearing Friede’s Goggles on September 17, followed by Rattata on September 24.
The September 24 Spotlight Hour is particularly useful for Trainers looking to collect extra Evolution XP, with the event featuring 2× Evolution XP.
Pokémon GO September 2026 Raid Hours
Raid Hours will continue to take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.
The September schedule includes several Legendary Pokémon, with Raid Hours featuring Regirock, Regice, and Registeel on September 2, Hero Zacian on September 9, and Hero Zamazenta on September 16.
On September 23, the featured Ultra Beasts vary by region. Xurkitree is scheduled for Asia-Pacific, Buzzwole for the Americas and Greenland, and Pheromosa for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India.
That regional rotation makes September 23 particularly important for Trainers who want to coordinate remote or local raids around specific Ultra Beasts.
What to Prioritize in Pokémon GO This September
There is a lot happening in September, but players don’t need to participate in everything.
If you’re focused on collecting new Pokémon, Mega Squads, Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration, and the later September events are worth watching.
Raid-focused Trainers should keep an eye on the Legendary and Mega Raid rotations, especially the September 23 Ultra Beast Raid Hour.
For Shiny hunters, the Community Day Classic, Catch Mastery event, Spotlight Hours, and other limited-time events provide additional opportunities to fill gaps in the collection.
And if you are looking for something different from the usual Pokémon GO routine, City Safari offers a more exploration-focused experience in its six host cities.
