Pokémon joins Fountains Abbey’s Summer of Play

Pokémon is taking over Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Garden this summer, with the whole thing running from 18 July to 6 September 2026. It's part of the Abbey's Summer of Play, and the Pokémon activities are all set up in tents over on the Ball Games Field, just a short walk from the visitor centre. If you've got kids who've spent half their lives chasing creatures on a screen, this is the version they can actually run around in.

The Pokémon side of things is the main draw: there are dedicated Pokémon play zones and the Pokémon Trading Card Game, which comes with a Mega Evolution hunt and stickers to collect. Around those, there's soft archery, grasshopper racing, and balance bike racing, so it's not just for the card collectors. If you're not into the Pokémon side, the site has a permanent play area with a slide, nets, fireman's poles and a zip-line that's always there.

There's a bit more to do if you're visiting on a weekend, too. On selected Saturdays and Sundays, wildlife volunteers lead guided walks to spot deer from 13:30 to 15:30, which is a nice change of pace from the tents. The whole thing is built for families, so it's as much about the kids running off as it is about the activities themselves.

On the practical side, the Pokémon activities are included with your entry to the park, so there's no extra to pay on top of your ticket. The site is open 10:00 to 16:00 throughout the event, and it's open year-round except for Fridays in November, December and January. You don't need to book in advance, so you can just turn up whenever suits you best.