Dream jars appear across Chichester City Centre in giant BFG family trail this Easter
Families are being invited to follow a trail of dreams through Chichester city centre this Easter as a new BFG Family Trail launches thanks to a collaboration between Chichester BID, Chichester Festival Theatre and Chichesters businesses.
Running from 28 March to 11 April 2026, the free family activity transforms the city centre into a playful adventure inspired by Roald Dahl's The BFG, which will be on stage at Chichester Festival Theatre until 11 April.
The initiative forms part of Chichesters Go All In National Year of Reading campaign, spearheaded locally by the charity Childrens BookFest and Chichester Festival Theatre. While the story delights audiences on stage at the theatre, it will also spill out into the streets of the city, inviting children and families to explore Chichester in search of colourful dream jars hidden in shop windows.
Each dream jar features one of Roald Dahls wonderfully inventive gobblefunk words. Within each word, a letter (or two) is highlighted. Collect the letters along the route and unscramble them to reveal the final word to complete the trail.
Participating locations include a wonderful mix of Chichesters booksellers and independent businesses, including Chichester Books, The Sussex Bookshop, Waterstones, Oxfam Bookshop, Between the Lines, Comics, Games & Coffee, Winters Moon and Chichester Library, all helping bring the story to life across the city. Look out for the giant-sized footprints leading to each participating business!
Natasha McLeod, CEO of Chichester BID, said:
Were expecting many families to visit Chichester to see Roald Dahls The BFG brought to life on stage at Chichester Festival Theatre this Easter, and our free family trail is a wonderful way for the city centre to welcome them.
It invites families to explore the city together while discovering our independent bookshops, cafés, restaurants and family-friendly businesses along the way. Chichester has a fantastic community of booksellers and reading spaces, and were delighted they are part of an adventure that celebrates storytelling and the joy of reading.
How to take part
Families can pick up a printed trail map from the Chichester Festival Theatre Box Office or participating city centre businesses. The map can also be downloaded and printed from the Chichester BID or CFT website before setting off on the adventure.
Once all the dream jars have been found and the final anagram solved, participants can either enter their answer online or snap a photo of their completed trail map and email it to office@chichesterbid.co.uk to enter the prize draw.
Prizes
One lucky winner will receive a £50 Chichester Festival Theatre voucher and a bag of Roald Dahl goodies.
Five runner-up prizes of Roald Dahl books will also be awarded, kindly provided by Childrens BookFest.
Kathy Bourne, Executive Director of Chichester Festival Theatre said:
This production began as a Chichester Festival Theatre commission eight years ago, so seeing The BFG come to life on our stage, and out into the city through the wonderful Family Trail, is incredibly exciting. As the opening of our Festival 2026 season, The BFG offers families a giantsized adventure both inside the theatre and across Chichester. We hope the trail and the show together create a joyful, unmissable experience for families this spring.
Families can download the trail map from ChichesterBID.co.uk and turn a day in the city into a giant-sized reading adventure.
For more information visit chichesterbid.co.uk.
