Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour takes place on Thursday 19 November 2026, from 6pm to 7pm local time. Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble will appear during the hour, and you’ll receive twice the usual Candy for catching Pokémon.
In the UK, the hour runs from 6pm to 7pm GMT. It’s on a Thursday rather than the usual Tuesday, and all three Galar starters are in the spotlight. You can encounter their Shiny versions, although Pokémon GO hasn’t announced increased Shiny odds.
Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour: date, UK time and bonus
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday 19 November 2026 |
| Local start and end | 6pm to 7pm |
| UK time | 6pm to 7pm GMT |
| Featured Pokémon | Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble |
| Bonus | 2× Catch Candy |
| Shiny availability | All three can be Shiny if you’re lucky |
The Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour takes place during the main Dynamax Trails event, which runs from 16 November at 10am until 23 November at 8pm local time. The Eternamax Eternatus Max Battle event is a separate three-hour session on Saturday 21 November.
Which Pokémon are in the Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour?
Grookey is the Grass-type Galar starter that evolves into Thwackey and Rillaboom. Scorbunny is the Fire-type starter that evolves into Raboot and Cinderace. Sobble is the Water-type starter that evolves into Drizzile and Inteleon. All three are named for the same Spotlight Hour. Pokémon GO hasn’t announced a separate timetable for each starter.
This is a good opportunity to collect Candy for all three evolution lines. Shiny Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble are possible, but don’t expect a guaranteed Shiny just because you play for the full hour.
Does Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour give Dynamax Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble?
Not automatically. Pokémon GO’s announcement treats wild encounters and Power Spot Max Battles as separate event features. A normal Grookey, Scorbunny or Sobble caught in the wild during Spotlight Hour is not guaranteed to be Dynamax-enabled merely because Dynamax Trails is active.
To find a Dynamax Pokémon for Max Battles, check the encounters at nearby Power Spots and look for the Pokémon’s Dynamax eligibility. The wider event brings back previously released non-Legendary and non-Mythical Dynamax Pokémon, but the Spotlight Hour announcement does not give this trio a separate guaranteed wild Dynamax feature.
That matters if you’re building a Max Battle team. You can collect useful species Candy from ordinary catches, but only battle-eligible Pokémon can enter Max Battles. Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon qualify, as do certain special cases such as Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta.
How to make the most of the 2× Candy bonus
Before 6pm, make some room in Pokémon storage, stock up on Poké Balls and save a few Pinap Berries if you want extra Candy from successful catches. There’s only an hour to play, so focus on whichever starter you’re still trying to evolve or power up.
The Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour bonus is 2× Catch Candy. That isn’t the same as double Candy XL or double Stardust. Max Particles are a separate chance-based Dynamax Trails bonus.
During Dynamax Trails, catching event-themed wild Pokémon can also give you a chance to earn Max Particles. Pokémon GO says that particular wild-catch Particle chance does not apply to catches made with a Pokémon GO Plus + or Explorer Gadget. The event announcement does not publish exact Particle odds for each species.
Is Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour the only bonus worth planning for?
Use Spotlight Hour to stock up on Galar starter Candy. If it’s Eternatus Candy you’re after, make time for the weekend’s Max Battles instead. The regular Dynamax Trails GO Pass gives an Eternatus encounter if eligible, or 100 Eternatus Candy if you already caught one. On 21 November, beating Eternamax Eternatus in Power Spot Max Battles awards Candy and Candy XL, with a separate 2,400 daily Max Particle limit and eightfold Power Spot collection bonus.
For Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails Spotlight Hour, the main thing is to be ready at 6pm on Thursday 19 November. Decide which starter you need Candy for, and enjoy the catches. If you’re also working through the GO Pass, remember its progress deadline is 23 November at 8pm local time and unlocked rewards expire on 25 November at 8pm.
Related Guides
Official source: Pokémon GO Dynamax Trails and Spotlight Hour announcement.
