Wall Games code breaker challenge to bring families into Northampton town centre

A free treasure hunt-style challenge will give visitors the chance to explore Northampton town centre, discover Wall Games artwork and win prizes this Bank Holiday Monday.

Northampton Town Council is supporting the Wall Games Code Breaker Challenge, a free interactive game taking place across Northampton town centre on Monday August 31 from 10am to 4pm.

The challenge, which has been made possible thanks to community grant funding from Northampton Town Council, will encourage participants to explore the town centre as they hunt for QR codes hidden at locations around the town.

Using the what3words app, players will navigate to each location and use their smartphone camera to scan a QR code, revealing a letter to collect. Once all the letters have been gathered, they can be rearranged to reveal the name of the final location, where participants can complete the challenge.

The game has been designed as a fun way for people of all ages to explore the town, while also encouraging visitors to discover the large-scale artworks being created as part of Wall Games.

There will be prizes of colouring books and pencils for under-16s who successfully complete the challenge.

Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Mike Hallam, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Wall Games Code Breaker Challenge through our community grant funding. It’s a great example of how a relatively simple idea can encourage people to get out, explore their town and see Northampton from a different perspective.

“Wall Games is already helping to inject colour and creativity into areas of the town centre that can sometimes look a little tired, and this challenge takes that a step further by encouraging people to discover those artworks for themselves.

“Public spaces belong to our communities, and activities like this can help create that sense of ownership and pride. It also brings people into the town centre, giving them another reason to visit local businesses and spend time in Northampton.

“I hope families and people of all ages will get involved, crack the code and enjoy discovering some of the fantastic artwork being created across the town.”

James Thompson, founder of Wall Games, said: “Thanks to the community grant funding from Northampton Town Council, we’ve been able to create this fun treasure hunt-style game to follow on from the Wall Games art event.

“The trail takes people around the different artworks across the town centre, so it fits perfectly with our aim of boosting community pride while also bringing additional footfall to local businesses.”

Cllr Charlie Hastie, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “We’re delighted to see Europe’s largest street art festival come to West Northamptonshire. This exciting event along with the Code Breaker Challenge will encourage families and visitors to explore Northampton town centre, discover the fantastic artwork on display and enjoy everything the town has to offer.”

Wall Games returns to Northampton from 29 to 31 August, bringing more than 330 artists from across the UK and beyond to transform parts of the town centre with large-scale murals and live artwork.

The wider three-day event will feature street art battles, music, workshops, competitions and family-friendly activities, with visitors able to watch artists create their work live.

The Code Breaker Challenge will take place on the final day of Wall Games, Bank Holiday Monday, giving visitors another way to experience the artwork and explore the town centre.

Mark Mullen, chief operating officer of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), added: “Northampton has an enviable reputation for its commitment to culture and bringing back Wall Games for another year gives us the opportunity to transform our town centre into a vibrant outdoor canvas for everyone to enjoy.”

For more information about Wall Games and the full programme, visit www.wallgames.co.uk.