Niantic has announced that Vanillite, the ice cream Pokémon, will be the star of Pokemon GO's April 2025 Community Day. This choice has sparked mixed reactions, as Vanillite is considered one of the less popular Pokemon.

Originally introduced to Pokemon GO in December 2020, Vanillite's shiny form debuted on Christmas 2023. Now, trainers have a dedicated opportunity to catch this icy Pokémon.

The Vanillite Community Day will take place on April 27, 2025, from 2 PM to 5 PM local time. During this period, Vanillite will spawn more frequently in the wild, increasing the odds of finding a shiny variant.  Historically, Community Day shiny rates are approximately 1 in 20.

While the increased spawn rate offers a good opportunity for collecting Vanillite candies and potentially finding a shiny, its design remains a point of contention among fans. Many consider Vanillite, along with its evolutions Vanillish and Vanilluxe, to be among the worst-designed Pokémon, criticizing the ice cream cone concept as uninspired.

Beyond aesthetics, Vanilluxe's competitive viability is also questioned. Its Ice typing, while strong against Grass, Ground, Flying, and Dragon types, suffers from weaknesses to Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel, and only resists itself. This defensive fragility makes it a less desirable choice for the GO Battle League.

The April Community Day exclusive move for Vanilluxe is Avalanche.  Evolve Vanillish during the event period, and up to May 4, 2025, at 10:00 PM local time, to obtain a Vanilluxe with this Charged Attack.

A Special Research story titled "Vanillite Community Day" will be available for purchase for US$2.00 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency). Completing this research will offer additional rewards.

Free timed research will be available for players who log in during Community Day. This research grants encounters with Vanillite featuring a Might and Mastery-themed Special Background.  These tasks contribute to the increased shiny odds and must be completed by May 4, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time.

Event bonuses, including extended lure durations and increased XP, are active during the three-hour event window.  However, some bonuses, like increased Vanillite spawns, extend until 10 PM local time.

Community Day themed Field Research tasks will be available at PokéStops, offering rewards such as Stardust, Great Balls, and encounters with Vanillite, potentially including those with the special background.

PokéStop Showcases will also be active during the Vanillite Community Day. Trainers can participate to show off their Pokemon and compete for rewards.

An Ultra Community Day Box will be available in the Pokémon GO Web Store for US$1.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency). This box contains 2 Rare Candies and one Special Research Ticket.