Pokémon GO Festival of Lights 2025: A Complete Guide to Saree Pikachu, Bonuses, and the 99 Coin Bundle

Get ready to light up your adventure, Trainers! The Festival of Lights event has returned to Pokémon GO, bringing a special celebration packed with unique encounters, exciting bonuses, and a fantastic deal in the shop. This event, timed around the real-world Diwali celebrations, offers players a chance to enjoy themed content and valuable boosts.

With the event ending soon (in just 4 days as of October 19th, 2025 – concluding on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time), now is the perfect time to make the most of everything it has to offer.

This comprehensive guide will cover all the event features, exclusive Pokémon appearances, research tasks, and details on that special 99 PokéCoin bundle you won’t want to miss.

Event Highlights: What Makes Festival of Lights Shine?

This year’s Festival of Lights brings back some fan-favorite features and introduces valuable bonuses to help you stock up on resources and catch rare Pokémon.

Exclusive Pokémon Encounters: Saree & Kurta Pikachu Return!

The stars of the show are the returning costumed Pikachu, exclusive to Trainers in India during this event:

Pikachu wearing a saree: This beautifully adorned Pikachu is a symbol of the event.
Pikachu wearing a kurta: Another stylishly dressed Pikachu joins the celebration.

These special Pikachu are not just cosmetic variations; they are distinct encounters you can find in several ways during the event:

Wild Encounters: While not boosted in the general wild spawns, they can appear, though rarely.
Raids: Both Saree Pikachu and Kurta Pikachu are appearing in One-Star Raids. This is one of the most reliable ways to encounter them.
Field Research: Completing specific event-themed Field Research tasks (obtained from spinning PokéStops) can reward encounters with either costumed Pikachu.
Timed Research: A branching Timed Research quest allows you to choose a path, guaranteeing an encounter with either Saree Pikachu or Kurta Pikachu upon completion.

Shiny Potential: Keep your eyes peeled! Both Saree Pikachu and Kurta Pikachu can be encountered in their Shiny forms during the event. This is a prime opportunity for Shiny hunters to add these rare variants to their collection.

Boosted Incense Spawns

Using Incense during the event (excluding the Daily Adventure Incense) will attract specific Pokémon more frequently. This is a great chance to hunt for Shinies or gather candy for these species:

Ponyta*
Chinchou*
Volbeat* (Note: Volbeat is typically region-locked, making this a rare chance for some Trainers)
Litwick*
Morelull*
Tadbulb

(An asterisk indicates that the Pokémon has a chance to be Shiny.)

Event Bonuses

Several valuable bonuses are active throughout the Festival of Lights:

2× Catch Stardust: This is a fantastic bonus for resource grinding. Every Pokémon you catch yields double the normal amount of Stardust. Use a Star Piece to boost this even further!
2× Incense Duration: Regular Incense activated during the event will last for two hours instead of the usual one hour (this excludes the Daily Adventure Incense). Combine this with the boosted spawns for maximum effect.
Festive Stickers: Spinning PokéStops and Gyms can reward you with special event-themed stickers featuring Saree Pikachu and Kurta Pikachu. Send them to friends with Gifts!

Research Tasks and Challenges

The Festival of Lights isn’t just about catching; there are tasks to complete for extra rewards.

Field Research Tasks

Spin PokéStops to collect event-exclusive Field Research tasks. Completing these tasks can reward:

Encounters with Pikachu wearing a saree*
Encounters with Pikachu wearing a kurta*
Stardust
Poké Balls and other items

(An asterisk indicates Shiny potential.)

Timed Research

A special branching Timed Research quest is available to all players during the event.

Choose Your Path: You’ll be presented with a choice that determines some of your rewards, specifically guaranteeing an encounter with either Saree Pikachu or Kurta Pikachu based on your selection.
Valuable Rewards: Regardless of your path, completing the Timed Research awards:
- A Premium Raid Pass
- Rare Candy
- Poké Balls
- Event Stickers
- XP and Stardust

Remember, Timed Research must be completed before the event ends on October 23rd at 8:00 p.m. local time, or the tasks and rewards will disappear.

Collection Challenge

A Festival of Lights-themed Collection Challenge is also active.

Objective: Catch the list of specified event Pokémon.
Rewards: Successfully completing the challenge rewards:
- A Premium Raid Pass
- Stardust
- XP

Check your “Today View” in-game to see the required Pokémon and track your progress.

Special Event Bundle: 99 PokéCoins for Big Value!

[Image showing the 99 PokéCoin bundle in the Pokémon GO shop]

One of the best deals during the Festival of Lights is a special, limited-time bundle available in the in-game shop.

Cost: 99 PokéCoins
Contents:
- 3 Incense: Perfect for taking advantage of the double duration bonus and boosted spawns.
- 15 Poké Balls: Always useful for catching event Pokémon.

Is it a 50% Discount? Analyzing the Value:

Normally, one Incense costs 40 PokéCoins, and three would cost 120 PokéCoins.
20 Poké Balls normally cost 100 PokéCoins, so 15 Poké Balls are roughly valued at 75 PokéCoins.

The total standard value of the items in the bundle (3 Incense + 15 Poké Balls) is approximately 195 PokéCoins. Getting this for just 99 PokéCoins represents a discount of nearly 50%, making it an excellent deal, especially for players looking to maximize their Incense usage during the event.

Availability: This bundle is only available during the Festival of Lights event. Make sure to purchase it from the shop before October 23rd at 8:00 p.m. local time if you want to grab this deal.

On-Ground Activations (India)

For Trainers in India, Niantic is hosting special on-ground activations in Bengaluru (Nexus Mall Koramangala) and New Delhi (Nexus Select CityWalk) on October 18th and 19th, bringing the Festival of Lights spirit into the real world. While these specific dates have passed, they highlight Niantic’s focus on connecting the game with local culture and community.

The Festival of Lights is a fantastic, albeit short, event celebrating culture and community within the game. With double Stardust, extended Incense, unique costumed Pokémon, and a great value bundle in the shop, there’s plenty to enjoy. Make sure to log in, complete your research, and catch those festive Pikachu before the lights go out on October 23rd in Pokémon GO!