Pokémon GO Fest Collector Pins: The Complete 2017–2026 Guide
By Dexhaul Team · July 28, 2026
The Pokémon GO Fest lapel pin series is one of the most complete annual collectibles in the Pokémon GO merchandise world.
Since the first GO Fest in Chicago in 2017, Niantic has produced a pin for each event, each carrying artwork that was never reprinted. Eight editions currently have pins available, and one year in the run has a notable gap.
If you want to build the set, this guide breaks down each pin, what the artwork represents, and what the run looks like as a whole.
Why GO Fest Pins Work as a Set
Most Pokémon merchandise is not inherently serial. A Pikachu plush from 2019 and one from 2024 are functionally the same product. GO Fest pins are different: they are annual, event-specific, and critically, never reprinted.
Each pin corresponds to a specific year's event, with artwork reflecting that year's theme or featured Pokémon. Lined up chronologically, they form a physical record of Pokémon GO's biggest annual event from its first year in Grant Park through the present.
The pins are also consistently priced. Every year in the current run is listed at $12.99, which means completing the circulating set costs under $105 before shipping. The artwork is standard licensed enamel production rather than prestige collectible territory, but the scarcity is real: each pin was produced for one event and is not returning as a reissue.
The Full Run: 2017–2026
Here is what the pin series looks like year by year, based on what is currently available. Event history draws on Serebii's Pokémon GO event coverage.
| Year | Event context | Notable detail | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | First GO Fest at Grant Park, Chicago. Roughly 20,000 attendees; the event had significant technical difficulties but established the annual format. | The starting point of the series. Any complete run begins here. | $12.99 |
| 2018 | Second Chicago GO Fest, larger and smoother. Introduced Pokémon GO's first Legendary raids accessible to ticketed attendees. | Second pin in the chronological run. | $12.99 |
| 2019 | GO Fest expanded to multiple cities: Dortmund and Yokohama joined Chicago. The pin marks the first year of a global event footprint. | Represents the international expansion year. | $12.99 |
| 2020 | GO Fest went fully virtual for the first time due to COVID-19. The event reached a global audience in a way the in-person format never had. | The virtual-only year, with a distinct event context from all others. | $12.99 |
| 2021 | Second virtual GO Fest, again due to ongoing pandemic restrictions. Featured Mythical Pokémon as a Special Research reward. | Second virtual year before the return to live events. | $12.99 |
| 2022 | GO Fest returned to live events alongside a global virtual option. Seattle hosted the in-person component; the hybrid format debuted. | The return-to-live year; hybrid format established. | $12.99 |
| 2023 | GO Fest 2023 ran across multiple cities globally and introduced new research mechanics. London and Osaka were among the host cities. | Multi-city global live format solidified. | $12.99 |
| 2024 | GO Fest 2024 featured an Ultra Beasts theme and ran in Los Angeles and Madrid. | The 2024 pin is currently not listed in the available run: a gap for collectors aiming to complete the set. | Not listed |
| 2026 | GO Fest 2026 features Mewtwo as the central Pokémon across the merchandise line. The 2026 pin carries this year's event artwork. | The current year; pairs with the 2026 T-shirt and hoodie. | $12.99 |
The 2024 pin is the gap in the currently circulating run. If a complete chronological set is the goal, that is the year to watch for. It may surface through secondary-market channels over time, but it is not currently part of the available lineup.
The absence of a 2025 pin in the listed series is also worth noting. It is possible there was no official pin produced that year, or that it simply has not surfaced in the current distribution.
What the Artwork Represents
GO Fest pins generally carry either a logo mark for that year's event or artwork featuring a Pokémon tied to the year's theme. The 2026 pin is part of the same design family as the 2026 T-shirt and hoodie: all center on Mewtwo.
Niantic's choice to make Mewtwo the face of 2026 reflects the Pokémon's central role in Pokémon GO's history. It was the first Legendary to appear in raids, and it remains one of the most actively played Pokémon in the competitive GO Battle League format.
Earlier pins tend to reflect the event's visual identity for that year rather than a single featured Pokémon. The 2020 and 2021 pins from the virtual years are distinct: they are the only pins in the series produced for an event with no physical venue. For a collector interested in Pokémon GO's history rather than just its merchandise, those two carry a context the in-person pins do not.
The GO Fest series also sits inside a much wider Pokémon pin hobby.
How to Approach Completing the Run
If you are building the set from scratch, start with the years currently in circulation. The eight pins presently available (2017 through 2023, plus 2026) are the ones with known pricing and confirmed availability. The 2024 gap is a secondary-market problem and a different project: focus on the primary run first.
One practical consideration: enamel pins have no protective casing in standard retail packaging. If you intend to display the set, consider pin display boards or shadow boxes designed for enamel pins, which make a chronological arrangement legible as a collection. Pins stored loose in a container will eventually scratch.
The pins are also small and easy to ship, which matters when sourcing from multiple retailers. Consolidated orders keep shipping proportional to the $12.99 unit price. Individually shipping eight pins from eight separate orders would add meaningfully to the per-pin cost.
The Unique Position of Event Merchandise
Most licensed Pokémon merchandise cycles through reprints and restocks over years. A Pokémon Center plush released in 2023 may still be available in 2026, from the original retailer or a reprint run. GO Fest merchandise does not operate this way.
Each year's lineup of pins, apparel, and accessories was produced for that event year and carries that year's branding. Niantic does not reprint the 2017 GO Fest T-shirt for sale in 2026. The 2017 pin in circulation now is the same production run handed out at Grant Park.
That makes the series structurally different from most Pokémon collecting categories, including TCG cards with their complex reprint histories. If you want a 2017 GO Fest pin, the supply is finite in a way most other Pokémon merchandise is not.
DexHaul is an independent search engine for Pokémon products and is not affiliated with The Pokémon Company, Niantic, or any official Pokémon GO event organizer. Prices reflect current listings and can change. You can browse current pin and accessory availability on DexHaul in one place.