Everything You Need to Know About the Pokémon Go Festival of Colors

Pokémon Go has just started its tenth season, Rising Heroes, but there’s already a new event to get excited over. Based on the Hindu tradition of Holi, the Festival of Colors returns for its second year, bringing a whole new batch of raids, avatar clothes, and rare Pokémon. If you are a longtime player or just getting back into Niantic’s catch-a-thon extravaganza, here’s what you need to know.

When do the Pokémon Go Rising Heroes Start and End?

The Festival of Colors event begins on March 8 at 8 a.m. and ends on March 14 at 8 p.m., each at your local time. Some regions will start the event earlier than others, giving them a headstart on catching the new exclusives ahead of the rest of Go players around the globe.

What are the Pokémon Go Festival of Colors Rewards?

Like all Pokémon Go events, the Festival of Colors is full of unique rewards that won’t be available for the rest of the year. For the first time, Mega Medicham will appear in raids. It’s a fighting and psychic type that isn’t considered one of the strongest or best for raiding other Megas. But if you are trying to complete the Mega section of your Pokedex, you need to take it down. It’s best to bring a team of ghost or flying types to help whittle down its hit points.

There are also several temporary buffs to items. Lure modules will last three hours instead of 30 minutes and friendship levels will increase twice as fast. There is also a unique challenge for the event and avatar items purchasable in the in-game shop.

What Kinds of Pokémon Can You Catch?

It wouldn’t be a Pokémon Go event without a unique sampling of Pokémon you wouldn’t normally see. Bruxish, the toothy smiling fish, will be available to catch for the first time. Though it doesn’t evolve and isn't the most powerful, it’s still absolutely worth getting - since the end goal is still to catch them all.

Other Pokémon found in the wild include Krabby, Paras, Koffing, Natu, Wobuffet, Shuckle, Wingull, Burmy (all forms), and Stunky. Lickitung and Galarian Zigzagoon will be appearing less often. All of these can be shiny, except for Stunky and Bruxish.

Field Research tasks, which you can unlock by spinning Pokestops, will also have a few new friendly surprises. Alolan Grimer, Castform (all forms), Burmy (all forms), and Oricorio (Pom-pom style, Pa’u Style, Sensu style) can all be found in missions.

Also, if you take a snapshot with your buddy, you’ll have the chance to encounter a shiny Smeargle.

A new rotation of raids is also on the way:

One-star raids:

• Espurr
• Rockruff
• Mareanie
• Bruxish

Three-star raids:

• Exeggutor
• Aloloan Exeggutor
• Cryogonal
• Druddigon

Five-star raids:

• Ho-Oh

Pokémon Go is available on iOS and Android.