Highland Park group plans 'Pokemon Go' meetups
Besides providing entertainment, the hard-to-miss "Pokemon Go" phenomenon has become an inspiration for the Downtown Highland Park Alliance, which has organized an event to capitalize on the craze.
Plans for the "Pokemon Go" meetup set for noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at Port Clinton Square immediately attracted heavy interest after the idea was posted on Facebook this week, organizers said.
Ariana Pup, the group's digital media coordinator, came up with the idea Tuesday while on a lunch break at the whale sculpture downtown. Pup was playing the hot new app when she began talking with two others who were doing the same. The pair from the Southwest suburbs said they heard Highland Park had a bunch of Poke Stops and gyms, so they came to check it out.
"And they weren't even from here," Pup said. "It was awesome."
She immediately presented Wendy Shotts, the group's managing director, with the idea for the three-hour event with "lures" on the city's most popular landmarks and sculptures and "tons of gyms" where the cartoon characters can battle.
"It's been 48 hours and it's gone to about 8,000 people," Shotts said Friday. "It's all organic; we haven't done anything with it other than put it on our Facebook page."
The app, created by San Fransisco-based Niantic Inc., has been downloaded more than 15 million times since its release July 6, the company reports.
The Highland Park meetup idea appears to be capturing interest from "a pretty broad base" of people, Shotts said. Participants are urged to wear their favorite Pokemon gear of team colors, bring water and snacks, and carry battery packs to keep their phones charged.
"It's a crazy phenomenon. This game actually energizes people," Pup said. "It forces you to walk."
As the event will spotlight the downtown area, talks are ongoing with businesses and other groups to get involved.
"We essentially are doing this to have some fun but we also are urging the business owners - put out a sandwich board. We're encouraging business owners to embrace this Pokemon phenomenon," Pup said.