The Pokemon GO Halloween event 2026 is live. Part I started on October 27 and the full Field Research list, the Trick or Treat reward pool and a free auto-completing Timed Research are now confirmed. This guide covers every date and time, which research tasks give which costume, where the three new costumes actually spawn, what Part II adds on November 1, whether the paid GO Pass Deluxe is worth it, and a day-by-day plan for the rest of the event. It applies to Halloween 2026 during the Twilight Trails season. Event details are checked against the official Pokemon GO news posts (as mirrored verbatim by Leek Duck), with the research list cross-checked against Eurogamer and raid timings against Pokemon GO Hub and PoGO Calendar.
Quick answer (last checked October 28, 2026, 04:50 UTC): Halloween 2026 Part I runs Tuesday, October 27, 10:00 a.m. to Sunday, November 1, 10:00 a.m. local time and debuts Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet and Sinistea wearing a bow (one-star raids) plus Zubat wearing a top hat (wild), all Shiny-eligible. Every Trainer gets a free Timed Research that completes itself: 6 Rare Candy plus a costumed Pikachu encounter, claim it before November 1, 10:00 a.m. Part II runs November 1, 10:00 a.m. to November 5, 8:00 p.m. with Shiny Greavard and Mega Sableye's Super Max level. Mega Chandelure debuts in Super Mega Raids on Saturday, October 31, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The 2x Candy (Rank 10) and 2x Stardust (Rank 20) bonuses only unlock on the GO Pass: Halloween 2026; rank it until November 5, 8:00 p.m. and claim by November 7, 8:00 p.m.
When is the Pokemon GO Halloween event 2026?
Halloween 2026 is two back-to-back events sharing one GO Pass, plus a separate raid day in the middle. All times are local time unless noted.
| Event | Starts | Ends | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halloween 2026 Part I | Tue Oct 27, 10:00 a.m. | Sun Nov 1, 10:00 a.m. | Costumed Pikachu, Zubat and Sinistea debut |
| Free Halloween Timed Research | Tue Oct 27, 10:00 a.m. | Sun Nov 1, 10:00 a.m. | 6 Rare Candy + costumed Pikachu, auto-completes |
| GO Pass: Halloween 2026 | Tue Oct 27, 10:00 a.m. | Thu Nov 5, 8:00 p.m. | Candy and Stardust bonuses unlock by rank |
| Chandelure Super Mega Raid Day | Sat Oct 31, 2:00 p.m. | Sat Oct 31, 5:00 p.m. | Mega Chandelure debut |
| Halloween 2026 Part II | Sun Nov 1, 10:00 a.m. | Thu Nov 5, 8:00 p.m. | Shiny Greavard, Mega Sableye Super Max |
| GO Pass reward claim deadline | — | Sat Nov 7, 8:00 p.m. | Unclaimed rewards expire |
The official announcement for Part I is titled "Trick or Treat with costumed Pikachu, Zubat, and Sinistea during Halloween 2026 Part I!" on the Pokemon GO news page, and the raid day is announced as "A haunting glow awaits with the Chandelure Super Mega Raid Day!" in its own official post. Both parts run inside the Twilight Trails season, which ends on December 1, 2026.
If you want a single place to see everything else running that week (Spotlight Hour, Raid Hour, Max Monday), our weekly roundup Pokemon GO Events This Week is refreshed every Monday.
What is the free Halloween 2026 Timed Research?
This is the easiest reward of the whole event and plenty of players will miss it. The official Part I post, as mirrored on Leek Duck, says: "Free Timed Research will be available during the event. Its tasks will be automatically completed for all Trainers." There is nothing to do except open the Today view and tap claim.
- Rewards: the research has a single step with six claimable Rare Candy rewards plus one encounter with Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet, which can be Shiny.
- Deadline: claim everything before Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. local time, when the research expires with Part I.
- No code needed. It is not an offer code and it is not on the Web Store; it simply appears in your research tab.
Six Rare Candy is worth more than it sounds: Rare Candy works on any Pokemon, so you can drop all six into a Legendary you are building for the Origin Giratina or Mega Chandelure raids this week.
What are the Halloween 2026 Part I Field Research tasks?
The Field Research list went live with Part I. Tasks come from spinning PokeStops; the encounter you get is one of the Pokemon listed for that task. Task list per the official event page as mirrored by Leek Duck, confirmed independently by Eurogamer:
| Task | Possible encounter | Max CP |
|---|---|---|
| Catch 13 Ghost-type Pokemon | Piplup in Halloween Mischief costume, Noibat wearing a headband, Zubat wearing a top hat | 460 / 285 / 285 |
| Make 6 Nice Throws | Pumpkaboo (any size), Duskull, Misdreavus | 515 to 536 / 302 / 825 |
| Win a raid | Zubat wearing a top hat, Sinistea wearing a bow | 285 / 488 |
| Win 3 raids | Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet | 402 |
Two practical takeaways. First, the only Field Research route to costumed Pikachu is "Win 3 raids", and the only route to costumed Sinistea is "Win a raid", which fits neatly with the fact that both are one-star raid bosses: every one-star you solo for the costume also progresses these tasks. Second, "Catch 13 Ghost-type Pokemon" is the easiest task to clear on a walk: you can only hold three PokeStop Field Research tasks at a time (per the official Help Center), so finish and claim them in batches of three, which is quick because most of the Part I wild pool (Duskull, Misdreavus, Pumpkaboo, costumed Gengar and Drifblim) is Ghost type.
Part II gets its own Field Research from November 1 with encounters "including Greavard", but the official post says the specific tasks and the full encounter list have not yet been announced. We will add them here when they go live.
What are the new Halloween 2026 costume Pokemon and where do they spawn?
Three costumes make their Pokemon GO debut in Part I, and all three can be Shiny from day one. The detail most players miss: Pikachu and Sinistea are not in the wild spawn pool at all; you get them from one-star raids, research and the GO Pass.
| Costume Pokemon | Where to find it | Shiny at debut |
|---|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet | One-star raids, "Win 3 raids" Field Research, free Timed Research, GO Pass Rank 49 | Yes |
| Sinistea wearing a bow | One-star raids, "Win a raid" Field Research, GO Pass Deluxe Rank 43 | Yes |
| Zubat wearing a top hat | Wild, Trick or Treat, Field Research, GO Pass Rank 30 (free) | Yes |
Pokemon GO Hub notes the three designs are based on the Halloween plushies sold by the Pokemon Center this year. The same two raid costumes stay in one-star raids through Part II, so you have until November 5 to finish the hunt.
The confirmed Part I wild pool is now longer than the original announcement suggested:
- Zubat wearing a top hat
- Piplup wearing a Halloween Mischief costume
- Noibat wearing a headband
- Pumpkaboo
- Duskull
- Misdreavus
- Drifblim wearing a Halloween Mischief costume
- Vulpix wearing a Spooky Festival costume
- Gengar wearing a Tricks & Treats costume
How does Trick or Treat work in Halloween 2026?
During Part I, "spooky surprises" appear on the map as purple-and-orange gift boxes. Tap one and you get one of the following, per the official reward list mirrored by Leek Duck and matched by Eurogamer:
| Trick or Treat reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pikachu Candy | 6 |
| Zubat Candy | 6 |
| Sinistea Candy | 6 |
| Rare Candy (luckiest drop) | 1 |
| Encounters | Vulpix (Spooky Festival), Piplup (Halloween Mischief), Zubat (top hat), Noibat (headband), Drifblim (Halloween Mischief), Gengar (Tricks & Treats) |
Treat the boxes as free Candy: they cost nothing, so tap every one you see on a walk. The Gengar and Drifblim costume encounters are the rare ones, and tappables are one of the few places you can get them without waiting for a wild spawn.
The rest is atmosphere: a Lavender Town music remix plays nightly, and PokeStops, Gyms and encounters get Halloween decorations during both parts.
What does Halloween 2026 Part II add?
Part II takes over on Sunday, November 1 at 10:00 a.m. and runs to Thursday, November 5 at 8:00 p.m. local time, according to the official Part II announcement. The two headline changes:
- Shiny Greavard debuts. Greavard appears in the wild, in event Field Research and through GO Pass tasks. Evolve a Shiny Greavard and you get a Shiny Houndstone.
- Mega Sableye can reach Super Max Mega Level for the first time. You must first raise Sableye to Max Mega Level, then keep spending Sableye Mega Energy; Mega Evolving alone is not enough. Mega Sableye also gains the Charged Attack Night Shade+ while Mega Evolved, at 55 power in Trainer Battles and 160 power in raids, scaling up with Mega Level.
Part II wild spawns (all Shiny-eligible): Litwick, Rowlet wearing a Pokemon Halloween costume and Greavard, with a rare chance at Gengar wearing a Spooky Festival costume. Costumed Pikachu and Sinistea remain in one-star raids. The free Timed Research and Trick or Treat boxes are Part I features; the official Part II post does not list them, so claim and tap before November 1, 10:00 a.m.
Mega Sableye became the Mega raid boss on October 28, so the Mega Energy you farm in Part I carries straight into the Super Max push in Part II. Pokemon GO Hub's weekly schedule ends it on November 3 while its November calendar runs it to November 8, so plan as if you only have until November 3. Sableye is Dark and Ghost type, which leaves it weak to Fairy only, so bring your strongest Fairy attackers.
How do you beat Mega Chandelure on Super Mega Raid Day?
Mega Chandelure makes its Pokemon GO debut in Super Mega Raids on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. local time. It is a Ghost and Fire type, which makes it weak to Water, Ground, Rock, Dark and Ghost attacks. Attackers with strong moves of those types, such as Primal Kyogre, Primal Groudon, Mega Tyranitar, Rhyperior and Kyogre, are the obvious picks; avoid Bug, Steel, Grass, Ice, Fairy, Fire, Poison, Normal and Fighting attackers, which it resists.
Free bonuses for everyone during the raid day, per the official post as listed by Leek Duck:
- Up to 6 free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs.
- Remote Raid limit raised to 20, from Friday October 30, 5:00 p.m. to Saturday October 31, 8:00 p.m. PDT.
- Chandelure caught from Super Mega Raids has Mega Level 1 already unlocked.
- Increased Shiny Chandelure chance from Super Mega Raids.
The US$4.99 event ticket raises the Gym-disc Raid Pass cap to 14, adds 5,000 extra XP and 5,000 extra Stardust per Super Mega Raid, and boosts the Rare Candy XL chance. It is valid only from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., can be gifted to Great Friends or higher, cannot be bought with PokeCoins, and the in-game ticket leaves the shop at 5:00 p.m. on October 31. The Web Store version (Ultra Ticket Box, also US$4.99) adds one Premium Battle Pass.
Like Sableye, Mega Chandelure can reach Super Max by spending Chandelure Mega Energy after Max Mega Level, and it gets Ominous Wind+ while Mega Evolved: 50 power in Trainer Battles (with a chance to raise Attack and Defense) and 145 power in Gyms and raids. A Global Challenge runs from Friday October 30, 5:00 p.m. to Saturday October 31, 8:00 p.m. PDT; the tiers completed worldwide decide a temporary boost to Ominous Wind+ (not in GO Battle League) and to Super Max Chandelure's CP, active from November 2, 12:00 p.m. to November 15, 2026, 12:00 p.m. PST. Exact boost amounts were not announced.
Leek Duck also lists an expected raid-day Timed Research with a Premium Battle Pass and a Tyranitar encounter, modelled on the Staraptor Super Mega Raid Day. It is explicitly unconfirmed until the event begins, so do not plan around it yet.
Which raids, Spotlight and Raid Hours overlap with Halloween 2026?
Here is what runs inside the Halloween window. Pokemon GO Hub's weekly page puts the weekly raid rotation at 6:00 a.m. local, while its November calendar still says 10:00 a.m., so check in game before you plan a morning raid.
| Dates | Raid / feature | Type and weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 28 to Nov 3 | Origin Forme Giratina (five-star) | Ghost/Dragon; weak to Ghost, Dragon, Dark, Ice, Fairy |
| From Oct 28 | Mega Sableye (Mega) | Dark/Ghost; weak to Fairy |
| Weekends to Nov 3 | Shadow Landorus, Incarnate Forme (five-star Shadow) | Ground/Flying; weak to Water, Ice |
| Wed Oct 28, 6 to 7 p.m. | Raid Hour: Origin Forme Giratina | — |
| Thu Oct 29, 6 to 7 p.m. | Spotlight Hour: Gastly, 2x Evolution XP | — |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Dynamax Sableye in Max Battles | — |
| Nov 4 to Nov 8 | Altered Forme Giratina (five-star), Raid Hour Wed Nov 4, 6 to 7 p.m. | Ghost/Dragon |
| Thu Nov 5, 6 to 7 p.m. | Spotlight Hour: Teddiursa wearing a witch hat | — |
Sources: Leek Duck and Pokemon GO Hub for the October rows; PoGO Calendar and GoDex for the November 4 Raid Hour and the November 5 Spotlight Hour. Gastly Spotlight Hour landing on October 29, mid-Part I, is the best evolution-XP window of the week: stack it with a Lucky Egg and evolve the Duskull, Misdreavus and Gastly you catch during the event.
Is the Halloween 2026 GO Pass Deluxe worth it?
Every Trainer gets the free GO Pass: Halloween 2026 automatically on October 27. You rank it up by completing Pass Tasks for GO Points until November 5, 8:00 p.m.; the two daily tasks are Catch 6 Ghost-type Pokemon and Catch 13 Pokemon, worth 50 GO Points each. The two Major Milestones are what change your event:
| Milestone | Free GO Pass | GO Pass Deluxe |
|---|---|---|
| Rank 10 | 2x Candy for catching Pokemon | 3x Candy for catching Pokemon |
| Rank 20 | 2x Stardust for catching Pokemon | 3x Stardust for catching Pokemon |
Other ranks worth knowing, from the rank list published by Leek Duck (a fan tracker, not the official post): Rank 3 Deluxe gives a Dynamax Sableye, Rank 40 gives Gengar wearing a Spooky Festival costume on both tracks, Rank 50 gives Rotom, and the very last rank, 108, gives Spiritomb on both tracks. Ranks 51 to 107 pay 50 Stardust each (100 on Deluxe), so the grind past Rank 50 is mostly for Spiritomb.
GO Pass Deluxe costs US$7.99; the US$9.99 version adds enough GO Points to jump straight to Rank 11, which means the Candy bonus is live the moment you buy it. Deluxe adds more event encounters, the Patissier Top and Patissier Pants avatar items (Ranks 15 and 30), Rare Candy XL and Premium Battle Passes. Web Store bonuses:
| Web Store product | Bonus items |
|---|---|
| GO Pass Deluxe: Halloween 2026 | 10 Ultra Balls, 5 Max Revives, 1 Premium Battle Pass, 5 Max Potions |
| GO Pass Deluxe + 10 Ranks | 10 Ultra Balls, 5 Max Revives, 2 Premium Battle Passes, 5 Max Potions |
| GO Pass Deluxe + 10 Ranks Ultra Box | 20 Ultra Balls, 10 Max Revives, 10 Max Potions, 5 Premium Battle Passes |
Our verdict:
- Skip Deluxe if you only play on walks. The free 2x Candy and 2x Stardust are already strong, and Part I's best rewards (the costumes and the free Rare Candy research) cost nothing.
- Buy the US$7.99 Deluxe if you will raid a lot on October 31 and in Part II. The jump from 2x to 3x Stardust is a 50 percent increase on every catch, including every Super Mega Raid catch, and the Premium Battle Passes pay back a chunk of the cost on raid day. Buy it on the Web Store for the free gift.
- The US$9.99 + 10 Ranks tier only makes sense if you start late. Deluxe pays out retroactively for ranks you already reached, so there is no need to pay for the skip if you are already past Rank 10.
Whatever you choose, claim everything before November 7, 8:00 p.m., when unclaimed rewards expire.
What is the best day-by-day plan for the rest of Halloween 2026?
- Today (Oct 28): Claim the free Timed Research now so you do not forget it. Spin PokeStops until you hold "Win 3 raids" and "Win a raid" tasks, then solo one-star raids for costumed Pikachu and Sinistea.
- Oct 28, 6 p.m.: Raid Hour Origin Giratina. Farm Mega Sableye raids through the week to bank Mega Energy for Super Max.
- Oct 29, 6 p.m.: Gastly Spotlight Hour with a Lucky Egg running.
- Oct 30, 5 p.m. PDT onward: Remote Raid limit rises to 20 and the Chandelure Global Challenge starts; stock Remote Raid Passes for the next day.
- Oct 31, 2 to 5 p.m.: Mega Chandelure Super Mega Raids. Spin Gym discs for free passes and chase the boosted Shiny rate.
- Before Nov 1, 10 a.m.: Last chance for the free Timed Research, Part I Field Research and Trick or Treat boxes.
- Nov 1 to Nov 5 (Part II): Shiny Greavard hunt, Litwick and costumed Rowlet, and the Mega Sableye Super Max push. Nov 4 Altered Giratina Raid Hour, Nov 5 Teddiursa Spotlight Hour.
- By Nov 5, 8 p.m.: finish ranking the GO Pass. By Nov 7, 8 p.m.: claim every reward.
New avatar items also landed in the shop with Part I and stay afterward: Gothic Skirt Set, Gothic Shorts Set, Gothic Socks and Gothic Boots. If you want more free cosmetics, check our Pokemon GO codes page for offer codes that are confirmed working right now. Planning ahead? The GO Wild Area 2026 guide covers November 14 and 15, and the November Community Day guide covers Pawniard on November 21.
FAQ
When does the Pokemon GO Halloween event 2026 start? Halloween 2026 Part I started on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. local time and ends on Sunday, November 1 at 10:00 a.m. Part II then runs from November 1 at 10:00 a.m. to Thursday, November 5 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
How do I get Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet in Pokemon GO? Four ways: one-star raids (both parts), the "Win 3 raids" Field Research task in Part I, the free Halloween Timed Research (claim before November 1 at 10:00 a.m.), and GO Pass Rank 49 on both tracks. It can be Shiny.
What are the Halloween 2026 Field Research tasks? Part I tasks are Catch 13 Ghost-type Pokemon (Piplup, Noibat or Zubat costume encounters), Make 6 Nice Throws (Pumpkaboo, Duskull, Misdreavus), Win a raid (top hat Zubat or Sinistea) and Win 3 raids (costumed Pikachu). Part II tasks have not been announced yet.
Do I need to pay for the Halloween 2026 Candy and Stardust bonuses? No. The free GO Pass: Halloween 2026 unlocks 2x Candy at Rank 10 and 2x Stardust at Rank 20. GO Pass Deluxe (US$7.99) raises both to 3x.
When is Mega Chandelure in Pokemon GO? Mega Chandelure debuts in Super Mega Raids during the Chandelure Super Mega Raid Day on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. local time, with up to six free Raid Passes from Gym Photo Discs and a higher Shiny chance.
What are Mega Chandelure's weaknesses? Mega Chandelure is Ghost and Fire type, so it is weak to Water, Ground, Rock, Dark and Ghost attacks.
Is Shiny Greavard in Pokemon GO? Not yet as of October 28. Shiny Greavard debuts in Halloween 2026 Part II, from November 1 to November 5, through wild spawns, event Field Research and GO Pass tasks.
This page is updated in place as Scopely publishes the remaining Halloween details, such as the Part II Field Research tasks and the Global Challenge results.
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