Pokémon GO’s Summer Marathon: Arctic Embers event is live from Tuesday, August 4 at 10:00 a.m. until Monday, August 10, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. local time. The main reasons to play are the debut of Shiny Snom, alternating Fire- and Ice-type spawns, a free GO Pass, reduced Egg Hatch Distance, and free Timed Research with a marathon visor Pikachu encounter.
The most important detail is that the event and GO Pass progression end on August 10, but unlocked GO Pass rewards can be claimed until Wednesday, August 12 at 8:00 p.m. local time. Do not confuse those two deadlines.
Arctic Embers Event at a Glance
- Event dates: August 4 at 10:00 a.m. to August 10 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
- New Shiny: Shiny Snom makes its Pokémon GO debut.
- How to get Snom: GO Pass tasks and 5 km Eggs.
- Boosted Shinies: Ponyta, Slugma, Snover, and Vanillite have an increased Shiny chance.
- Free research: 16,800 XP and an encounter with Pikachu wearing a marathon visor.
- Free GO Pass: Added automatically when the event begins.
- GO Pass Deluxe: US$4.99, with upgraded rewards and faster progression.
- Deluxe + 6 Ranks: US$6.99 and enough GO Points to reach Rank 7.
- Final reward deadline: August 12 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
How to Get Shiny Snom
Shiny Snom is available for the first time during Arctic Embers. The official announcement confirms two ways to encounter Snom:
- Complete GO Pass tasks that reward a Snom encounter.
- Hatch Snom from 5 km Eggs collected for the event.
The official announcement does not provide exact Shiny odds, so avoid assuming that every Snom encounter has a heavily boosted rate. If Shiny Snom is your main goal, work on the free GO Pass first and keep Egg space open for 5 km Eggs.
Frosmoth is Snom’s evolution, so keep enough Snom Candy for the evolution after finding the one you want to keep. Check the current evolution requirement in the game before spending Candy, especially if you are also building or powering up a Frosmoth.
Wild Spawn Schedule by Day
Arctic Embers uses two alternating groups for four of its featured Pokémon. The final day, August 10, includes both groups.
Ponyta and Snover Days
Ponyta and Snover appear on:
- August 4
- August 6
- August 8
- August 10
Slugma and Vanillite Days
Slugma and Vanillite appear on:
- August 5
- August 7
- August 9
- August 10
All four have an increased chance to be Shiny during the event. If you only need one of them, plan your longer play session for the correct day instead of checking the same route every day.
The wider wild pool also includes Vulpix, Alolan Vulpix, Growlithe, Swinub, Snorunt, and other Fire- or Ice-themed Pokémon. These do not follow the four-Pokémon alternating schedule listed above.
All Pokémon in 5 km Eggs
The Arctic Embers 5 km Egg pool includes:
- Sneasel
- Darumaka
- Galarian Darumaka
- Sizzlipede
- Snom
Every listed Pokémon can be Shiny if you are lucky. Snom is the event priority because its Shiny is new, but the smaller themed pool also gives players a reason to hatch for both Darumaka forms and Sizzlipede.
Only Eggs placed in an Incubator while the event’s Hatch Distance bonus is active receive the reduction. An Egg that was already incubating before you unlocked the bonus will not be shortened retroactively.
How the Free GO Pass Works
Every Trainer automatically receives GO Pass: Summer Marathon when Arctic Embers begins. The basic track is free. Complete Pass Tasks, collect GO Points, increase your rank, and claim rewards as they unlock.
Confirmed free-track rewards include:
- Encounters with event-themed Pokémon
- Stardust
- XP
- Rare Candy
- Ultra Balls
- Additional items
The GO Pass is also where the event’s two major bonuses unlock. Reaching them early makes the rest of the week more useful.
Rank 10 Bonus
At Rank 10, free-pass players unlock 2× XP for spinning a PokéStop. GO Pass Deluxe players receive 3× XP instead.
If you plan to grind XP, reach Rank 10 before doing a long PokéStop route. Unlocking the multiplier late wastes the easiest part of the bonus.
Rank 20 Bonus
At Rank 20, free-pass players unlock half Egg Hatch Distance for Eggs placed in an Incubator during the event. Deluxe players receive quarter Egg Hatch Distance.
Save Incubators and fresh 5 km Eggs until this bonus is active when possible. The reduced distance applies when the Egg is placed in an Incubator, not when it was originally collected.
GO Pass Deluxe Prices and Differences
The regular GO Pass Deluxe costs US$4.99, or the equivalent local price. It adds upgraded rewards and faster progression while keeping access to everything on the free track.
The US$6.99 Deluxe + 6 Ranks option includes enough GO Points to reach Rank 7 immediately. It does not jump directly to the Rank 10 XP bonus, so you will still need to earn more points before that milestone activates.
Deluxe rewards include:
- More event-themed encounters
- Incense
- Silver Pinap Berries
- Rare Candy XL
- Candy XL
- Additional items
You can upgrade later and claim paid rewards from ranks already completed. That means there is no need to buy Deluxe on the first morning just to protect earlier progress.
Is the Arctic Embers GO Pass Deluxe Worth It?
The free GO Pass is enough for players mainly interested in Shiny checks, the Timed Research, or casual event play. It includes the progression system, event encounters, Rare Candy, Ultra Balls, the Rank 10 XP bonus, and the Rank 20 Hatch Distance bonus.
Deluxe makes more sense for three types of players:
- Heavy Egg hatchers: Quarter Hatch Distance is much stronger than the free half-distance bonus.
- XP grinders: The PokéStop multiplier rises from 2× to 3× after Rank 10.
- XL Candy collectors: Rare Candy XL and Candy XL are part of the paid reward pool.
Skip Deluxe if you will not reach the major milestones, have few Incubators, or only want to complete the free research. Because upgrades are retroactive, you can wait until your progress and available playtime make the decision clearer.
