What time is Nickit Community Day?

It runs from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time on Sunday 16 August 2026. Because it uses local time, it begins at the same clock hour in every region. Several bonuses, including Lure Modules and the trade discounts, continue until 9:00 p.m. local time.

How do I get Thievul with Icy Wind?

Evolve a Nickit into Thievul during the three-hour event or within four hours afterwards, so any time up to 9:00 p.m. local time. The evolution costs 50 Nickit Candy, and the 2x Catch Candy bonus makes that quick to earn during the event.

Is the Nickit Community Day research ticket worth buying?

The Wily Whiskers Special Research costs US$1.99 or the local equivalent and includes three Nickit encounters with a Special Background, a Premium Battle Pass and a Rare Candy XL. It is optional — every catch bonus, the Shiny chance and the Icy Wind evolution work without it.

What are the odds of a Shiny Nickit?

Niantic does not publish Shiny rates. Community trackers have measured Community Day boosted rates at roughly 1 in 20 encounters historically, which is much better than the standard rate but not guaranteed within any given session.

Is Icy Wind Thievul good in Trainer Battles?

Icy Wind is listed at 60 power in Trainer Battles and 65 power in Gyms and raids. Thievul is a pure Dark type, so Icy Wind is coverage rather than a same-type attack, which makes it a PvP option rather than a raid pick.

Nickit Community Day: 3x Stardust and Icy Wind Thievul

What time Nickit Community Day starts and ends

The main spawn window is 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. wherever you are — it runs on local time, so it starts and finishes at the same clock hours in every region rather than at one global moment. There is no staggered rollout to wait for.

Several bonuses run longer. From 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time, Lure Modules stay extended, the trade bonuses stay active, and Nickit has a very high chance of appearing at PokeStops with a regular Lure Module running. Those lured Nickit keep the increased Shiny chance and can still turn up with a Special Background.

Every bonus running during the event

3x Stardust for catching Pokemon

2x Candy for catching Pokemon

2x chance of Candy XL from catches, for Trainers at level 31 and above

Incense lasts three hours — Daily Adventure Incense is excluded

Lure Modules last one hour

One extra Special Trade, taking the daily maximum to two

50% less Stardust to trade

Snapshot surprises while you are out

The two trade bonuses are the ones worth planning around, because they are the only ones you cannot recreate on an ordinary day. If you have a friend holding a trade for you, the extra Special Trade plus the halved Stardust cost is a meaningfully cheaper window than usual, and it stays open until 9:00 p.m.

Is Icy Wind Thievul worth the 50 Candy

Evolving Nickit into Thievul costs 50 Nickit Candy, which the 2x Catch Candy bonus makes easy to accumulate inside the three hours. Published move data puts Icy Wind at 60 power in Trainer Battles and 65 power in Gyms and raids. Nickit and Thievul are pure Dark types, so Icy Wind is off-typing coverage rather than a same-type bonus attack.

Practically, that makes this a Trainer Battle move first. Ice coverage on a Dark attacker gives Thievul something to throw at Pokemon that a Dark-type moveset otherwise struggles with. It is not a raid pick. If you only evolve one, evolve a high-IV Nickit rather than the first one you catch — and remember the window closes at 9:00 p.m. local time, four hours after the spawn boost ends.

Niantic does not publish Shiny rates. Community trackers have historically measured Community Day boosted rates at roughly 1 in 20 encounters, which is far better than the base rate but still means a long afternoon of tapping for anyone chasing a perfect one.

The paid research, and whether you need it

There is a Community Day Special Research story called Wily Whiskers, priced at US$1.99 or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency. It includes three Nickit encounters with a Special Background, further encounters, one Premium Battle Pass and one Rare Candy XL. Tickets can be bought as gifts for anyone you have reached Great Friends level or higher with.

It is optional. The catch bonuses, the Shiny chance and the Icy Wind evolution all apply whether or not you buy it — the ticket mostly guarantees Special Background encounters you would otherwise be hoping for at random. Free Field Research is also available from PokeStops during the event, handing out Stardust, Ultra Balls and Nickit encounters, some with Special Backgrounds.

Before you head out

Three hours of GPS, screen-on time and camera use is one of the harder things you can ask of a phone in August. If yours throttles or shuts down partway through a Community Day, our guide to fixing Android phone overheating covers the settings that actually reduce heat, and dropping the game's graphics quality helps more than most people expect.

If you would rather catch passively while you walk, the free Explorer Gadget auto-catcher for level 20 trainers handles spins and catches without the screen on, which is the single biggest saving on a long session.

Looking further ahead this month, Ultra Unlock: Water Festival follows from 18 August, and Lunala enters five-star raids from 19 August. For something to play between events, we keep a list of the best free Pokemon fan games, and a broader round-up of the best gacha games on Android if you want another daily to sit alongside this one.