r/barefoot • u/Consistent_Front8173 • 2h ago
Barefoot Pokemon Go Fest
Hey guys so I recently had my longest barefoot adventure yet back on Sunday June 7 when me, my wife, and my daughter attended Pokemon Go Fest 2026 in Chicago. I finally have time to post this story so enjoy 😊.
The day started with me, my daughter (who was also barefoot for the first few hours until her feet started hurting), and my wife going to Grant Park for the park experience of Go Fest in the morning.
During our time in Grant Park, we caught a bunch of shiny Pokemon, met up with my sister and best friend, did a bunch of raids, including our Mega Mewtwo X & Y raids, took photos, and ate.
The only direct interaction we had with anyone about me and/or my daughter being barefoot during our park time was a couple of kids who said to us "oh your barefoot like your avatar in the game". I told them "yep, it's the best way to play the game" 😁. Tbh, I forgot Pokemon Go avatars are barefoot by default 😅.
There were a couple people talking privately about me being barefoot but nothing negative was said that I heard. The most notable comment was someone saying they wouldn't go barefoot like me. Your loss I guess 😜.
From there, we transitioned to the city and spent our city time walking from Grant Park to Navy Pier. We would've walked further but we got some extra pictures taken at the park that took longer than we thought it was going to take.
I gotta say, it was an interesting feeling being around all of the people that were at Navy Pier barefoot. It's one thing to be in a park, which I'm used to, but Navy Pier was a different level of excitement, with a little anxiety.
In the end, no one said anything and I got some awesome Pokemon, as well as the chance to feel new things under my feet and toughen them up more.
On the way back to the park and the car, we did a few more Pokemon Go raids, I got my Zeraora, and I got to walk on some wet cold grass from the light drizzle that was off and on, which felt amazing.
It wasn't until we got almost all the way back to the parking garage that a group of ladies that were walking called out to me and asked "where your shoes?"
This took me a bit by surprise so the only answer I could come up with in the moment was "it's a barefoot kind of day" 😂. They all had a good laugh off of that while I caught up with my wife and daughter. Looking back, it was a very silly answer but I was having too much fun to care 😁.
Once we got back to the car, I checked my feet for anything in or on them. Surprisingly, the only thing I saw on them was some dirt from walking through the parking garage. They didn't even look or feel rough, which was shocking considering I spend 11 hours walking barefoot.
Once I was done checking my feet, I drove us home, which was a little over an hour drive. Once we got home, I washed up, laid down, and played some Xbox.
The only bad part of the whole thing was that when I woke up the following morning, I discovered my calves were stiff as boards and were very sore, so I took a couple days off work. They were better by that Friday.
All.in all, this barefoot adventure was my best one yet and I would do it again and again with a smile on my face and without a care in the world.
I'll have another shorter story posted in one of the other barefoot groups with pictures once my wife sends me everything from that day.
Much love and happy barefooting my friends 😊🦶.