Pokémon GO 9th Anniversary Party event guide with bonuses and research tasks

Party hats are popping, shiny Pokémon are sparkling, and new costumed creatures are making their debut-Pokémon Go’s 9th Anniversary Party is here, packing the map with wild surprises, special research, boosted odds, and exclusive rewards for trainers ready to celebrate nine years of adventure.

This event also has a ton of bonuses associated with it, including an increased chance to become Lucky Friends and a general increase to friendship gains. There’s also an increased chance to score Lucky Pokémon from trades.

The other side of this event’s coin (har har) is a bunch of bonuses for Gimmighoul, including a new version of the coin critter holding a 9th Anniversary coin. There’s also a chance that PokéStops will turn gold, allowing you to collect Gimmighoul coins, and a chance to get nine or 99 Gimmighoul Coins from spinning a golden stop. Gimmighoul is also available shiny for the first time.

There’s also a few perks that’ll only be active on certain days:

July 1-3: 1/2 hatch distance for eggs put into Incubators during the event
July 3-5: x2 XP for catching Pokémon
July 5-6: x2 Stardust for catching Pokémon

The perks swap over at 10 a.m. in your local time each day, until the event ends on July 6 at 8 p.m.

You may also find party hats on the floor, similarly to how you find apples. You can grab items this way, or you can have encounters with some party hat-wearing Pokémon: Grimer, Eevee, Wobbuffet, and Wurmple. Party hat Bulbasaur can also be evolved into party hat-wearing Ivysaur and Venusaur for the first time, too.

The Masterwork Research that rewards shiny Jirachi, “Wish Granted,” is also available for players to purchase for $4.99 again. Buying this also rewards doubled Incense duration (for Daily Advneture Incense, too) and doubled Lucky Egg duration during the event period. If you already bought this research, you cannot buy it again, but you will get the aforementioned perks.

We’ve list the other Pokémon Go “9th Anniversary Party” event perks below, including event Field Research, Timed Research, and spawns.

Pokémon Go ’9th Anniversary Party’ event Timed Research and reward

The Pokémon Go ’9th Anniversary Party’ event features both free and premium Timed Research, available from July 1 to July 6, 2025. The free Timed Research gives players tasks such as catching Pokémon and making curveball throws, with each completed task rewarding an encounter with a party hat-wearing Pokémon (like Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Eevee) and, upon completion, a special Gimmighoul (with a 9th Anniversary Coin), 9,999 XP, and 9,999 Stardust. The paid Timed Research (costing $1.99) features identical tasks, but instead rewards premium items for each task-such as Incense, an Incubator, Rocket Radar, Battle Pass, Poffin, Max Mushroom, Lucky Egg, and Star Piece-with the same bonus Gimmighoul encounter and resource rewards at the end. All Timed Research tasks and rewards must be claimed by July 6, 8 PM local time.

As usual, there is both a free and paid Timed Research set for the event. The tasks for the premium set ($1.99) are the same as the tasks from the free set, but they reward premium items instead of costumed Pokémon. I actually do think this is a good deal, just to get a nice smattering of items for $2 from quests you were probably going to complete anyway.

You can see both the free and premium research below.

’9th Anniversary Party’ free Timed Research step 1 of 1

Catch 99 Pokémon (Bulbasaur [party hat] encounter)
Make 99 curveball throws (Charmander [party hat] encounter)
Spin 9 different PokéStops or gyms (Squirtle [party hat] encounter)
Evolve 9 Pokémon (Wurmple [party hat] encounter)
Earn 9 hearts with your buddy (Eevee [party hat] encounter)
Make 9 great throws (Wobbuffet [party hat] encounter)
Earn 9,999 XP (Grimer [party hat] encounter)
Earn 9,999 Stardust (Raticate [party hat] encounter)

Rewards: Gimmighoul (9th Anniversary) encounter, 9,999 Stardust, 9,999 XP

9th Anniversary Party’ premium Timed Research step 1 of 1

Catch 99 Pokémon (1 Incense)
Make 99 curveball throws (1 Incubator)
Spin 9 different PokéStops or gyms (1 Rocket Radar)
Evolve 9 Pokémon (1 Premium Battle Pass)
Earn 9 hearts with your buddy (1 Poffin)
Make 9 great throws (1 Max Mushroom)
Earn 9,999 XP (1 Lucky Egg)
Earn 9,999 Stardust (1 Star Piece)

Rewards: Gimmighoul (9th Anniversary) encounter, 9,999 Stardust, 1 Super Incubator

Pokémon Go ’9th Anniversary Party’ event Field Research and rewards

During the Pokémon Go 9th Anniversary Party event, players can obtain special Field Research tasks by spinning PokéStops. Completing these tasks rewards encounters with a variety of starter Pokémon from across generations (such as Rowlet, Litten, Popplio, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly), as well as unique Pokémon wearing party hats, including Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Additional rewards include items like Poké Balls, Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and an encounter with Gimmighoul holding a 9th Anniversary Coin for those who earn 9,999 Stardust. The tasks are themed around activities such as catching different Pokémon species, making great or curveball throws, powering up Pokémon, sending gifts, and earning hearts with your buddy, offering both item and Pokémon rewards tied to the game’s anniversary celebration.

Spinning a PokéStop during the event period may yield one of these tasks:

Catch 7 different species of Pokémon (Rowlet, Litten, or Popplio encounter)
Catch 9 Pokémon (10 Poké Balls, 5 Great Balls, or 2 Ultra Balls)
Earn 4 hearts with your buddy (Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup encounter)
Earn 9,999 Stardust (Gimmighoul [9th Anniversary] encounter)
Make 5 curveball throws (Snivy, Tepig, or Oshawott encounter)
Make 8 great throws (Grookey, Scorbunny, or Sobble encounter)
Power up Pokémon 9 times (Sprigatito, Fuecoco, or Quaxly encounter)
Send a gift with a sticker (Bulbasaur [party hat], Charmander [party hat], or Squirtle [party hat] encounter)
Spin 2 PokéStops or gyms (Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile encounter)
Take 3 snapshots of wild Pokémon (Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip encounter)

Pokémon Go ’9th Anniversary Party’ event boosted spawns

During the Pokémon Go 9th Anniversary Party event from July 1 to July 6, 2025, several Pokémon spawns were notably boosted. Players encountered increased appearances of costumed Pokémon such as Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle all wearing party hats, with some available on specific event days. Additionally, players could find special party hats scattered in the wild, which could lead to items or encounters with event-themed Pokémon. This event also featured for the first time the shiny debut of Gimmighoul and boosted shiny odds for Pikachu and Eevee in themed hats, enhancing the excitement around wild spawns throughout the celebration.

These Pokémon will spawn more frequently during the event period, with some Pokémon appearing on specific days:

Bulbasaur (party hat)
Charmander (party hat)
Squirtle (party hat)
Treecko (July 1-2)
Torchic (July 1-2)
Mudkip (July 1-2)
Turtwig (July 1-2)
Chimchar (July 1-2)
Piplup (July 1-2)

Pokémon Go ’9th Anniversary Party’ event raid targets

The ’9th Anniversary Party’ event in Pokémon Go features a special raid lineup, with one-star raids showcasing Pikachu wearing a cake hat and Eevee wearing a party hat, both offering an increased chance of being shiny when encountered through raids. In addition, higher-tier raids for the event include bosses such as Cobalion in five-star raids and Mega Aggron in four-star raids, while three-star raids feature Pokémon like Alakazam, Emboar, and Chandelure. These celebratory raid Pokémon are central to the event’s party theme and provide trainers with unique opportunities to catch costumed and shiny variants.

What surprises await players during Pokémon Go’s 9th Anniversary Party

Pokémon Go’s 9th Anniversary Party is packed with surprises including new costumed Pokémon debuts, boosted shiny encounter rates, special event bonuses, and interactive party hats in the wild.

Key surprises and features include:

Debuting Costumed Pokémon: Players can catch Ivysaur and Venusaur wearing party hats, and encounter Gimmighoul holding a 9th anniversary coin (with a special background)-Gimmighoul also has a chance to be shiny for the first time.
Boosted Shiny Odds: There is an increased chance to encounter Shiny Pikachu (cake hat), Shiny Eevee (party hat), and Shiny Gimmighoul.
Event Bonuses: These include an increased chance to become Lucky Friends and to get Lucky Pokémon in trades, faster friendship level ups, and PokéStops turning gold even without using a Golden Lure Module.
Gimmighoul Coin Surprises: Spinning certain PokéStops can award 9, 99, or possibly even more Gimmighoul Coins when using a Golden Lure Module-though anecdotal player reports suggest results may vary in practice.
Daily Bonus Rotations:
- July 1-3: Half Egg Hatch Distance when eggs are incubated.
- July 3-5: Double XP for catching Pokémon.
- July 5-6: Double Stardust for catches.
Interactive Party Hats in the Wild: Tapping party hats appearing on the map grants items or encounters with event-themed party Pokémon like Grimer, Eevee, Wobbuffet, and Wurmple-all in party hats.
Special Research and Field Tasks: Themed Timed Research and perks, such as challenges for catching, evolving, and making throws, offer encounters with costumed Pokémon and Gimmighoul, plus hefty XP and Stardust rewards.
Premium Research and Field Rewards: Premium tasks also reward event items, Incense, Incubators, Rocket Radars, and more event encounters.

These elements ensure a high level of engagement and a variety of anniversary-themed surprises for both new and veteran trainers.

What hidden surprises might Niantic reveal during the event

Niantic often surprises Pokémon Go players during events with unannounced features or secret additions. While specific hidden surprises for the 9th Anniversary Party event have not been officially revealed, Niantic’s history suggests a few possibilities:

Introduction of rare or shiny Pokémon appearances that are not mentioned beforehand, such as special Pokémon like Kecleon appearing unexpectedly at PokéStops in past “Hidden Surprise” events.
New interactive or gameplay elements linked to PokéStops, potentially turning them into more than just loot sources, similar to teased “Pokémon Centre-like” functions or new team leader interactions hinted at in previous reveals.
Expansion of special research or timed tasks with unique rewards or challenges that can catch players off guard.
Niantic tends to roll out bonuses such as increased XP, Stardust, Lucky Friend chances, or special item drops, sometimes enhanced during event days.

Given their approach, it’s possible they may reveal a surprise shiny variant of a popular Pokémon, exclusive event-only encounters, or unexpected bonus mechanics late into the event to maintain excitement and engagement.

In summary, while no particular hidden surprises are confirmed for this event, Niantic’s pattern of unannounced appearances and gameplay twists, often tied to rare Pokémon or new PokéStop mechanics, suggests trainers should stay alert for spontaneous additions or bonuses during the anniversary celebration.