The characters have been secretly heading to their locations
We’re just hours away from the official launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 sculpture trail, which hits the streets of Bristol and surrounding areas from Monday, June 30.
While the official first day of the trail, which will see more than 50 sculptures of our favourite Aardman duo take to the streets in an array of designs, doesn’t start until the Monday – you may start spotting some sculptures before then.
Sculptures started being installed at their individual locations last Wednesday (June 25) following an exciting event at the harbour steam train outside of the M Shed, where Aardman and Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park were joined by some of the sculptures – some riding on the train, and others hanging from the harbour cranes.
Many more of the sculptures, which are all designed along the theme of film, cinema, stories and fables, even began their journey to their trail locations by boat.
And, for some, it’s just a small part of a much larger journey. Some of the biggest names in the world of cinema and TV have been responsible for some of this year’s designs, even being shipped to and from secret overseas locations to join in the summer trail in our hometown.
Take the likes of the recently announced ‘Poppy’ design from DreamWorks Animations all the way in California, for example. This was the third sculpture with a massive name behind it, following Netflix’s Wednesday-inspired Feathers McGraw and Roald Dahl’s ‘Big Friendly Wallace’ all unveiled earlier this month.
And local Bristol artists have also created some iconic new looks for these characters.
So if you’re going about your day in the days ahead of Monday’s official trail launch, haven’t installed your app yet, and happen to see a sculpture or two – don’t panic, you haven’t missed a day of the fun just yet.
In addition to Wallace, Gromit and Feathers McGraw, this year’s sculpture trail also features designs for new character Norbot – the ‘smart gnome’ Wallace invents in the latest film, ‘Vengeance Most Fowl’ which came out on Christmas Day 2024.
(Image: Barbara Evripidou)
Families and fans of the beloved characters, created right here in Bristol by Aardman Animations, will be able to follow a trail to hunt down and find all sculptures, all in aid of The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity.
You can see some sneak peeks of what a handful of the sculptures look like, here and here. And read our handy guide for all the information you need to know before you begin hunting.
Here’s the full list of locations:
- Aardman Animations, Gas Ferry Road
- Aerospace Bristol
- Ashton Court, Long Ashton
- Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Road
- Beauford Arms, Hawkesbury Upton
- Brabazon, Patchway
- Bristol Bus & Coach Station, Marlborough Street
- Bristol Children’s Hospital, Upper Maudlin Street
- Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queens Road
- Broadmead
- Cabot Circus
- Cheddar Gorge and Caves, Cheddar
- Clifton Observatory, Clifton
- Clifton Suspension Bridge (Leigh Woods side)
- College Green
- Cribbs Mall
- CrossFit Henleaze, Henleaze Road
- Flaxpits Lane, Winterbourne
- Freemasons Hall, Park Street
- Gardiner Haskins Interiors, Straight Street
- Hargreaves Lansdown, Anchor Road
- IKEA Bristol, Eastgate Shopping Centre, Eastgate Road
- Kingswood Park, High Street, Kingswood
- M Shed, Princes Wharf, Wapping Road
- Narrow Quay
- Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Wraxall
- North Street, Southville
- Puxton Park, Hewish
- Quakers Friars, Broadmead
- St Mary Centre, Thornbury
- St Mary Redcliffe, Redcliffe
- St Nicholas Market, The Corn Exchange
- Temple Meads Station
- The Kendleshire, Coalpit Heath
- The New Inn, Blagdon
- The Rose & Crown Pucklechurch
- The Wave, Easter Compton
- Thunderbolt Square
- Main Road, Cleeve
- Underfall Yard, Cumberland Road
- Valentine’s Bridge, Temple Quay
- Victoria Park, Windmill Hill
- Victoria Rooms, Queens Road
- Victoria Square, Clifton Village
- Wai Yee Hong, Eastgate Road
- Warmley Waiting Room, Bristol and Bath Railway Path
- We The Curious, One Millennium Square
- West Country Water Park, Frampton Cotterell
- Whiteladies Road, Clifton
- Willow Brook, Bradley Stoke
- WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
In October, all sculptures that have been part of this year’s trail will go up for auction to raise money for The Grand Appeal and the hospitals in Bristol the charity helps.