Long awaited dinosaur event will take place in Northampton town centre THIS WEEKEND

Families are invited to a prehistoric party as a collection of dinosaurs are set to arrive in Northampton this weekend.

It is not every day you come face-to-face with a triceratops and a T-Rex but shoppers heading into Northampton town centre can expect to do exactly that on Saturday, July 24 - between 11am and 4pm - when the town will be whisked back to Jurassic era.

The free event will kickstart three weeks of dinosaur-themed activities and offers, including a Dino Trail augmented reality app, Dino Diner Meal Deals and an interactive Dino Dome experience.

Northampton Town Centre BID operations manager, Mark Mullen, said: “We are gearing up for the first town centre event in more than 18 months and what better way to mark the relaxing of the restrictions than by welcoming a collection of dinosaurs to Northampton town centre?

“With a whole host of activities taking place throughout the day, the Dino Trail experience will really add to the excitement of seeing our supersized guests in the flesh, with young explorers able to open the camera on their phone and scan the area to find other digital dinosaurs.”

Characters including Ritchie the Raptor, Zeus the T-Rex and Tank the Triceratops will entertain the crowds throughout Market Square, Abington Street and other parts of the town centre as Northampton is transported back in time.

Retailers and food outlets will then be continuing the fun in the three weeks leading up to Saturday, August 14, with ‘Dino Diner Meal Deals’ in cafes and restaurants and other food outlets, special offers and ticketed activities.

A Dino Trail will be launched on the Explore Northampton app, where children and families can go on the hunt throughout the summer to find 10 friendly augmented reality dinosaurs, which will come to life through smart phones in different locations around the town centre.

There will also be pre-bookable 30 minute sessions on July 31 in the Dino Dome, a 360 degree immersive video experience that will take visitors on a journey back in time through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous geological periods.

These free activities are being staged by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) to make Northampton a better place to live, shop and work and are part of a refreshed calendar of activities to coincide with the relaxing of Covid-19 restrictions.

The dinosaurs will return for a special ticketed performance at The Deco theatre on August 13 and 14.

For more information about the dinosaur event, as well as details about offers and other activities, visit www.discovernorthampton.co.uk/the-dinosaurs-are-coming-to-northampton-town-centre/.