Shaun The Sheep has always been happy to muck about with those who cannot bleat, and this summer, well, life’s a treat as a new sculpture trail will be coming to Reading.
Launching at the beginning of July, 12 giant sculptures of the famous woolly favourite will be placed around the town centre, giving people a baa-rilliant day out trying to find them all.
Visit Reading organises the Shaun The Sheep trail as its flagship holiday event.
They are expecting flocks of fans to flock to the Ding to find the much-loved Aardman character. Delivered in collaboration with the animation firm famous for Morph and Wallace & Gromit, and global art producer, Wild in Art, the Find the Flock in Reading trail will feature a diverse collection of uniquely designed sculptures created by artists from across the region and beyond.
The initiative is brought to Reading by its town centre businesses, through Reading’s Business Improvement District (BID) and delivered in partnership with The Oracle and Broad Street Mall shopping centres.
Alexa Volker, Reading BID Manager said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing a little extra joy to Reading this summer.
“We’ve seen first-hand how successful trails like this can be for Reading – from our Easter and Halloween trails to last year’s Medieval Fantasy Quest – previous campaigns have attracted thousands of visitors, boosted footfall, and supported local retailers and hospitality in the town centre.”
And the Shaun The Sheep theme will, she added, be another hit.
“Shaun the Sheep is a beloved character for all ages and we’re confident that he will have the same positive impact in Reading this summer, bringing families into town, creating moments of joy, and encouraging people to explore and support our brilliant town centre businesses,” Ms Volker explained.
Where will people be able to find Shaun The Sheep?
The Oracle and Broad Street Mall will be hosting several Shaun sculptures within their spaces.
As key destinations in the experience, both venues will play a prominent role in delivering free family events throughout the summer, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the town centre.
The other destinations have yet to be revealed.
To make the experience even more fun, visitors can look out for Woolly Wednesday-themed challenges, pop-up activities, and surprise events throughout the summer holidays.
And there’s more
In addition to exploring the giant colourful characters, each standing at 160cm tall, visitors can take part in a fun competition by unscrambling letters hidden on 11 Shaun statues to form a mystery word, with prizes up for grabs for eagle-eyed participants.
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Charlie Langhorne, managing director and co-founder at Wild in Art, said: “We’re thrilled to be continuing our ongoing partnership with Aardman Animations to bring Shaun the Sheep to Reading.
“We hope visitors will discover the joy of the trail and see how our incredible artists have brought this iconic and cheeky character to life.”
When will the Shaun The Sheep trail take place?
The Shaun The Sheep trail will run for eight weeks from Saturday, July 5, through to Sunday, August 31.
There is no charge for any aspect of the trail: people can pick up maps detailing the locations from The Oracle, Broad Street Mall, and Reading Station Tourist Information Unit. The map can also be downloaded.
The team at Aardman are looking forward to people discovering Shaun The Sheep in Reading.
Molly Van Den Brink, Attractions & Live Experiences Manager at Aardman, said they are excited about the team up: “We’re delighted for Shaun to be leading Visit Reading’s key campaign this summer, encouraging families to explore their local town centre and offering a free family activity which is accessible for all.
The sculptures are all beautifully hand-decorated, and we are pleased so many fans and families will have the chance to follow the trail and hunt them down.”
For more information and updates, head to Visit-Reading.com/ShaunTheSheep or follow @visitrdg on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
And did you know there is another Reading connection with Shaun The Sheep?
Shaun The Sheep first made a bleat in the Wallace & Gromit film A Close Shave, which was released in 1995 – making this year his 30th anniversary.
He went on to star in his own CBBC show Shaun The Sheep, which launched in 2007.
The 10-minute cartoons told the story of life on Mossy Bottom Farm. His flock seek excitement and fun, while also evading detection from the sheepdog Blitzer and his owner, the farmer.
The show’s theme tune is called Life’s A Treat and sung by Vic Reeves.
The animations have been so successful they spawned several films and a spin-off series based on the youngest of the flock, young Timmy.
The voice of Shaun The Sheep is Justin Fletcher, the CBeebies superstar famous for his on-screen antics as Mr Tumble, Justin’s House and Gigglebiz.
He is also starring in this year’s pantomime at The Hexagon, Beauty and the Beast, for which tickets are now on sale. https://whatsonreading.com/beautyandthebeast
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