A brand new Pokémon treasure hunt style event has launched at the Trafford Centre just in time for half term. The event launched on Monday with Pikachu on board a Pokémon bus to welcome the first guests.
Now the family-friendly trail, where visitors can discover hidden Pokémon art across the shopping mall, is now open until November 13. Visitors will be able to discover hidden art of the 151 originally discovered in the Kanto region.
And among the families who were first to sample the trail at the Trafford Centre on Monday was Paris Fury, wife of boxer Tyson, and her children. They posed up with fluffy Pokémon charaters on a special wall inside the Pokémon bus.
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The bus itself was only at the centre for the launch day. But the Pokémon art trail is now open across the centre - and showcases a wide variety of artistic techniques and styles from across the ages, including cave paintings, stained glass and oil paintings for families and fans of all ages to enjoy free of charge.
Visitors who discover 10 hidden oil paintings and unscramble the secret code can visit GAME within Trafford Centre to collect a double-sided, limited-edition poster at no cost.
Additional activities will be offered within a booklet visitors can complete at their own leisure, and even more goodies will be up for grabs, including a certificate for finding all 151 Kanto Pokémon.
Fans will also be able to hone their creative skills at the Orient Main Stage area where there will be special art workshops designed especially for children 6–11 years old. Guests who want to take a break from art hunting can meet Pikachu at scheduled times or even watch Pokémon movies and episodes of the Pokémon animated series at the Orient Main Stage area.
Pikachu caused much excitement with the arrival on the new Pokémon Bus at the Trafford Centre for the first time on Monday. And the colourful character posed up with lots of children heading along.
The major new event is a collaboration between the Trafford Centre and The Pokémon Company International, whose senior director of marketing Peter Murphy said he was thrilled with the project. He said: "Exploration is an element which is key to Pokémon, and we can’t wait for kids and families to embark on their own journey to complete the Kanto Pokédex and see Pokémon depicted in such unique art styles.”
Bruce Gardner, Brand Experience Director at Trafford Centre, said: "When initially sourcing a suitable location for this fantastic event, the Pokémon team were inspired by the unique architecture that is iconic of Trafford Centre.
"We have worked collaboratively with Pokémon, our Partners such as Transport for Greater Manchester, Clear Channel and our Retailers to ensure Pokémon fans can escape the ordinary and experience a unique, memorable and fun-filled day out. On behalf of the centre, we’re delighted to welcome Pokémon this month.”
Pokemon: Art Through the Ages is open now during Trafford Centre opening hours, daily until November 13. For more information, visit https://traffordcentre.co.uk/pokemon
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