The Gruffalo Heads to Kew
Magic Light Pictures has teamed up with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to launch an exciting new Gruffalo Adventures trail in Kew Gardens’ striking Arboretum this October.
The Arboretum – home to 14,000 trees – will play host to author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler’s much-loved characters during the half-term holidays from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November on a specially curated, interactive trail on which families can track down The Gruffalo.
On the autumn programme, families are invited to play the role of the ‘little brown mouse’ on a journey through Kew Gardens’ deep, dark wood. As they encounter more characters from the best-selling books and hugely popular animated film adaptations, they can enjoy interactive activities, learn about different habitats and the marks we leave behind as humans in a woodland ecosystem, and enjoy autumn horticultural highlights. There will be timed appearances from a Gruffalo costumed character throughout the festival.
Wakehurst, RBG Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, , will also host its own Gruffalo half-term programme. Among other activities, visitors will be able to follow a special Gruffalo trail through Wakehurst’s beautiful woodlands in all their glorious autumnal colour and go on a hunt to find ingredients for a tasty Gruffalo crumble. A series of Gruffalo wild workshops for youngsters at Wakehurst during half-term saw huge demand and has already sold out.
Daryl Shute, Brand Director at Magic Light Pictures, said: “We are thrilled to be announcing this partnership with RBG Kew. To bring The Gruffalo to this iconic, deep dark wood of West London is really exciting. By combining the beauty of Julia and Axel’s characters with the theme of ‘the marks we leave behind’, RBG Kew has created a really original activation, which guests will love for sure.”
Sandra Botterell, Director of Marketing and Commercial Enterprise at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew said: “We are thrilled to bring such an iconic tale to RBG Kew, in what is set to be a great adventure for families. The Gruffalo is a perfect fit for Kew Gardens and Wakehurst, and we hope visitors venturing through RBG Kew’s landscapes will be transported to Donaldson and Scheffler’s much-loved universe.”
And Magic Light will be bringing Gruffalo magic to more deep dark woods with the launch of the new Gruffalo Spotter augmented reality app at Forestry England sites from 12 October. New Gruffalo Spotters trails for keen Gruffalo hunters will feature the amazing AR app along with a fun activity pack which will enable them to interact with all their favourite characters along an unmissable trail.
