Interactive Neon Story Trail Will Light Up Scarborough Streets For Christmas

Families will shape their own adventure across Scarborough town centre in a new interactive, illuminated storytelling trail launching this weekend.

An illuminated, interactive adventure will transform Scarborough's streets into a giant storybook this festive season.

Families will shape their own narrative as they navigate the town, making choices that dictate their physical route and the tale's ultimate outcome. The 'Choose Your Own Scarborough' light trail launches on Saturday 14 November as a key attraction within the wider Scarborough Lights festival.

Glowing neon story panels will guide participants through the immersive experience, which begins at J. Mollon Sweet Shop. At the end of each illuminated section, walkers must decide what happens next in the plot. These decisions will send them down different paths across the town, putting participant choice at the very centre of the adventure and encouraging them to follow their imagination.

The trail features a cast of characters heavily inspired by Scarborough's rich history. The branching narrative has been penned by local writer Yasmin Stefanov-King, while the distinctive visual elements have been brought to life by renowned Scarborough artist Adrian Riley of Electric Angel Design. His artwork effectively turns everyday locations into glowing passages of the interactive story.

The official launch coincides with Santa's arrival event at Boyes Department Store. Between 11am and 3pm on the opening Saturday, staff and volunteers from the National Literacy Trust Yorkshire Coast will be on hand to gift free books and share information. Children who successfully complete the trail and return to the store during these hours will be rewarded with a special prize.

The glowing adventure will remain in place across the town until 20 December. Anyone completing the route after the initial launch day can simply scan a QR code at their final destination to enter a prize draw for a book bundle.

Organisers hope the familiar local setting will boost youth engagement with reading. The National Literacy Trust's latest research indicates that reading enjoyment across Yorkshire and the Humber has seen a slight increase since 2025. Currently, 35.4 per cent of children and young people in the region say they enjoy reading in their free time, while 20.2 per cent read daily outside of school.

The charity's research highlights that young people are much more likely to engage with reading when the material connects directly to their hobbies, interests, and personal identity. By staging the event right on their doorstep, it is hoped children will find a strong connection with the local aspects of the story.

Manager of the National Literacy Trust Yorkshire Coast, Helen Williams, said:

"The trail is essentially an art exhibition, story trail and family day out all in one! The event has been designed to inspire children and families to engage with stories in creative and interactive ways. It is all about choice - which we know is crucial for children's reading enjoyment and engagement.

"We hope the trail encourages children and families across Scarborough to fall in love with stories and choose something that interests them to read when they get home."

Festival Manager at Scarborough Fair, Catherine Goble, said:

"I am of the generation that was hooked on the Choose Your Own Adventure stories, so I can't wait to see them come to life on a giant scale with the Choose Your Own Scarborough trail, as part of Scarborough Lights. The way the stories captured children's (and adults'!) imaginations and made them feel part of the story was always a great way to get people really involved.

"Our trail is a fantastic way of getting families walking around their town and discovering more about where they live."

The trail forms part of Scarborough Fair's Countdown to Christmas activities. The seasonal programme is supported by the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and is funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.