The popular mobile game held a community day from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the local New Ulm Pokémon Go club hosted a gathering in German Park. Every month the club uses the community day events as fundraisers. This time they raised funds for Forever Home Sanctuary and Blue Earth/Nicollet County Humane Society.

While players hunted German Park and downtown Minnesota for Pokémon, they could donate to one of the charities and enter the raffle giveaways.

This was one of the larger community day events ever hosted in New Ulm, because this month members of the St. Peter and Mankato Pokémon community were in town as well.

Typically both Mankato and St. Peter Pokémon Go players spend community days at Sibley Park in Mankato, as that is the best place to Pokémon hunt in Nicollet County and Blue Earth County. However, this Sunday players were blocked from using Sibley Park due to the Mankato Marathon and the holiday lights setup. The New Ulm Pokémon Go players extended an invite to the Mankato and St. Peter players to come to German Park and many accepted it.

Several people of all ages took part in the Pokémon costume contest. Rochell Wingen (far right) won for her Poké Stop outfit.

John Marlow, a member of the Mankato Pokémon community, was happy to visit New Ulm for the event. This was his second time hunting Pokémon in New Ulm. He liked the “quaint” nature of the town.

Over 100 players gathered to catch the special version the “Beldum” pokémon. After the in-game event ended, the players came together in German Park for the raffle drawing and costume contest. Rochell Wingen of Waldorf won the contest for her Poké Stop costume.

Pokémon Go uses real-world landmarks in the game, New Ulm has become one the best cities in which to play the game. Every point of interest or historical marker in New Ulm serves as a PokéStop or Pokémon Gym.

Darien (left) Trinity (Center) and Michael (right) all attended the Pokémon event in costume.