Chicago Pokémon GO players are excited to represent our city by hosting Pokémon GO Fest,
this time in Lincoln Park. Trainers on DTC, the largest local Discord, have sourced a lot of
insider information about the city and the play area that we’d love to share with our fellow
trainers around the world. We’ve put together a Guide which will cover what you need to know
about traveling throughout the city, highlights of the Lincoln Park area, and, of course, our
favorite foods, drinks, and views that the city has to offer.

Visual Guide

Written Guide

Lots more information in the written guide here

Playing Pokemon Go in Chicago

Chicago’s Pokémon GO scene is comprised of a vibrant melange of people who either grew up
playing Pokémon on road trips in the back of their family station wagon or are completely new
to the franchise but enamored with the critters they find everywhere. They are young, old, fit,
and jolly. They are all colors, religions, and mindsets. They are grandmothers, fathers, sisters,
and chosen brothers. Countless Discord, GroupMe, Facebook, and iMessage threads exist
within our boundaries where these differences are not the focus like they are in so many other
pockets of the world. There is a beautifully diverse representation of all kinds of people here so
it’s no wonder Niantic picked our centralized location to host GO Fest… again.

See, we think Niantic has something to prove coming back here; A bruise on their ego that can
only be healed by proving to us that they can do better. After last year’s GO Fest debacle (and
the numerous bad light articles and even law suits they garnered from it), they could have gone
anywhere else in the world. We would have understood that they went elsewhere, too.
Remember the water bottles and wallowed boos that were delivered swiftly to the stage as
John Hanke told attendees they’d be getting in-game currency for the problems arisen?
But anyone who was there will tell you that GO Fest really started once the Loop area was
opened up. We fled the small square playing area that is Grant Park and ventured in to the
iconic streets of Chicago. We explored the Magnificent Mile, Printer’s Row, and Millennium
Park, at first hunting Herracross and Unown and then our first Legendaries, Articuno and Lugia.
Niantic realizes the power that exploration and culture have in their game. Those of us who
played our GameBoys to the rhythmic light of passing streetlights dreamt of the day we could
climb a mountain to find a Charizard. We yearned for the moment we walked to the lake to
spot a shiny Gyarados leaping powerfully from the water. And Pokémon GO gives us all those
opportunities.

Lincoln Park

If you’ve never been to the Lincoln Park area, rest assured that you’re attending something
special in an equally special place. To help you understand what we mean, DTC created a
Visual Guide that shows you in a matter of minutes lots of the beautiful scenery and open
space we’ll get to experience on July 14th or 15th. In it, four members of DTC highlight our
favorite places to play and a couple things to keep an eye out for. We knew describing it in
words could only get you so involved so creating something short and sweet to watch
hopefully fills your excitement tank full of hype fuel.

The written Guide goes in to much further detail on how to travel efficiently and safely around
the city, AR locations to keep an eye out for in Lincoln Park, and recommendations for deep
dish pizza from locals who know what’s up. Our hope with the written Guide is to gather
feedback from the Pokémon GO community from around the world and add to it as time
creeps closer to GO Fest. You’ll be able to provide insights to us through our Discord, DMs, or
social media outlets.

See You There!

We’re so proud to host Pokémon GO Fest once more in Chicago. Locals are enamored with
the idea of playing in such a large area alongside such globally diverse trainers. We’re looking
forward to meeting your friendly faces in between farming Torkoal candy and hope you enjoy
and find utility in our insights!