PokéXciting! Taipei: Your Guide to This Weekend's Pokémon Party

Got plans this weekend? If you're anywhere near Taipei, you might want to cancel them. Pokémon's 30th anniversary celebration, PokéXciting! in Taipei, takes over Xinyi District on October 10 and 11, and it's packed with stuff to do.

The main draw is the PokéXciting! Parade, where a herd of Pikachu, Eevee, and other Pokémon mascots march through Xiangti Avenue Plaza at 11:30-12:00 and 16:00-16:30 daily. Then there's the Pikachu Dance Performance at the central stage, with three shows a day at 13:00, 13:20, and 17:30, each with a different theme. The nightcap is the PokéXciting! Night Special Stage Show, running 19:15-19:45 daily for a full half-hour.

Bad news if you didn't win the lottery: stage events are ticketed via advance draw, and that's already closed. But don't worry—you can still catch the action on broadcast screens at Taipei City Hall Southeast Gate Plaza, Xinyi Plaza (next to Breeze Nan Shan and Taipei 101), and Xinyi Ankang Park (behind the Ichi-ran Taipei main store). Plus, from 11:00-14:00 and 15:00-19:30 daily, random Pokémon will roam those three spots for meet-and-greets and photos.

For your Instagram feed, there are nine Pokégenic photo spots blending into the Xinyi streetscape: five at Songshou Plaza Park, three at Xinyi Ankang Park, and one at Xinyi Plaza. They're open from October 10 all the way to November 2, so you've got time.

Merch hunters, listen up: the pink afro PokéXciting! Pikachu mascot plush goes on sale at Pokémon Center TAIPEI starting October 10. There's also a pop-up shop at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi A11 B1 on October 10-11 from 11:00-17:00 with limited quantities.

Pokémon GO players get in on the fun too. The GO Stamp Rally has five special PokéStops around the event area—spin and complete stamp tasks at all five to earn a Taipei commemorative background PokéXciting! pink afro Pikachu. There's also an Asia-Pacific cross-country stamp at Xiangti Avenue Plaza's central stop that nets you another one, so you can score two total. Hit three stamps and show your progress at the Pokémon GO booth at Taipei City Hall Southeast Gate Plaza to get a themed sticker, plus a printed photo with a PokéXciting! frame while supplies last.

In-game, party-hat Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Rattata, Grimer, Eevee, and bow Jigglypuff will spawn. Lure Modules can attract party-hat Gengar, Gyarados, Ampharos, Tyranitar, Gardevoir, Altaria, and Garchomp. Max Raid Battles feature Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise. Bonus perks: up to five GO Snapshot surprises daily, hourly balloon item drops, double XP from PokéStops, half stardust for trades, two extra special trades per day, and Lure Modules lasting one hour.

So, are you heading to Xinyi this weekend? What are you most excited to catch or see? Let us know in the comments!