Snoopy Takes Fleet Street: A London Trail Celebrating 75 Years of Peanuts

This winter, one of the world’s most recognisable beagles is padding his way into the heart of London’s newspaper heritage. From 19 November 2025 to 16 January 2026, the historic streets of the Fleet Street Quarter will be transformed into a playful open-air gallery as twelve giant Snoopy sculptures take up residence each perched atop his famous red doghouse and reimagined by a different contemporary artist.

The Snoopy Sculpture Trail, presented by Fleet Street Quarter in partnership with Wild in Art and Peanuts Worldwide, marks the 75th anniversary of Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts, one of the most beloved and enduring comic strips of all time.

A Beagle with a Byline

It’s a fitting homecoming for Snoopy. Long before he became a pop-culture icon adorning T-shirts, mugs and movie screens, he lived in ink and newsprint. Peanuts first appeared on 2 October 1950 in just seven American newspapers. Over the next five decades, it grew into a global phenomenon syndicated in more than 2,600 papers, read by 355 million people every day.

So when London’s Fleet Street the symbolic birthplace of British journalism was chosen as the stage for this anniversary celebration, it felt like destiny. Here, where presses once roared and headlines shaped history, Snoopy returns to his roots as a creature of print, imagination and daily ritual.

“It’s such a beautiful full-circle moment,” says Tara Botwick, Senior Director of Peanuts Worldwide. “Snoopy was born in the pages of newspapers and now he’s coming to life among the very streets that built the newspaper tradition. It’s a celebration of storytelling in all its forms.”

The Trail

The trail will feature twelve larger-than-life Snoopy sculptures, each one a creative reinterpretation by a different artist. Every sculpture will depict Snoopy resting on his red doghouse, but the surfaces will be completely transformed from hand-painted dreamscapes and pop-art explosions to designs inspired by London’s own history and skyline.

Artists are being curated by Wild in Art, the public-art organisation behind some of the UK’s most beloved sculpture trails, including The Big Hoot, The Snowman™ Trail and Morph’s Epic Art Adventure. Participating artists include celebrated illustrator Frann Preston-Gannon, digital artist Becky Smith, and several emerging names from London’s street-art and fine-art scenes.

Each Snoopy will be located in a distinct public space around the Fleet Street Quarter from Ludgate Circus to St Bride’s Passage, Fetter Lane and New Street Square encouraging visitors to wander, explore and rediscover the area’s architectural and cultural charm.

A downloadable trail map and mobile app will help visitors find all twelve sculptures, complete with artist profiles, behind-the-scenes sketches, and a few Peanuts surprises.

Timed to coincide with the Fleet Street Quarter’s Christmas lights switch-on, the trail officially launches on 19 November, when the first Snoopy sculptures will be unveiled alongside live music, street performances, and seasonal treats from local cafés and bars.

Organisers promise that the event will become “London’s most heartwarming festive trail,” combining nostalgic charm with the capital’s Christmas sparkle. Families will be able to follow the Snoopy sculptures through twinkling lights and decorated shopfronts, creating the perfect winter walk through one of London’s oldest districts.

“We want this to be joyful, creative and inclusive,” says Lucy French, CEO of Fleet Street Quarter BID. “The Snoopy Sculpture Trail is about rediscovering the magic of Fleet Street its stories, its craftsmanship, its community while celebrating a global icon who has brought smiles for 75 years.”

From the Funny Pages to Fine Art

The twelve Snoopy sculptures are more than just adorable photo ops — they’re part of a wider tradition that’s reshaping how London experiences public art.

Over the last decade, Wild in Art has redefined civic creativity through large-scale sculpture trails that turn cities into interactive galleries. The concept is simple: take a universally loved character, invite artists to transform it, and scatter the artworks across iconic locations. The result is a city-wide treasure hunt that engages residents, families and tourists alike — while raising awareness for local charities and businesses.

In Fleet Street’s case, the trail also carries a deeper narrative thread. It nods to the city’s printing heritage, the artistry of illustration, and the storytelling that defines both journalism and Peanuts.

“Charles Schulz drew with incredible emotional intelligence,” says art historian Dr. Joanna Scott, who studies mid-century comic art. “He used minimal line work to express universal feelings love, failure, hope. That simplicity is what made Snoopy and Charlie Brown timeless. Translating that spirit into three-dimensional sculptures is a wonderful tribute.”

The London trail forms part of a year-long global celebration of Peanuts’ 75th anniversary. Around the world, museums, galleries and fan events are honouring Schulz’s legacy from retrospectives at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in California to themed installations in Japan, South Korea and Paris.

In each city, Snoopy becomes both a local ambassador and a cultural bridge. In London, his doghouse becomes a platform for contemporary British art and urban storytelling.

“It’s amazing how Snoopy still resonates,” says artist Frann Preston-Gannon, who has reimagined the character surrounded by a London skyline at sunset. “He’s joyful, dreamy, a little eccentric much like London itself. My design is about capturing that sense of wonder that both Snoopy and this city evoke.”

Exploring the Trail

The Snoopy Sculpture Trail is free to explore, and visitors can begin at any point in the Quarter. A printed map will be available at selected cafés, offices and cultural venues, while the digital version will offer extra features such as an audio guide, AR filters, and collectable digital badges for those who find all twelve sculptures.

The trail is fully accessible and family-friendly, designed for all ages from lifelong Peanuts fans to curious newcomers. Expect plenty of photo moments, hidden messages and perhaps even a Woodstock or two along the way.

At the end of the display in January, each sculpture will be auctioned for charity, continuing Wild in Art’s tradition of supporting creative and community causes.

At its heart, the Snoopy Sculpture Trail isn’t just about nostalgia it’s about connection. It invites Londoners and visitors alike to pause, wander, and smile at a familiar face that has spanned generations.

For Fleet Street, once the heartbeat of British media, this is a poetic reminder that storytelling evolves from quill to comic strip to sculpture.

Important Information 

Dates: 19 November 2025 – 16 January 2026

Where: Fleet Street Quarter, London EC4

Cost: Free

More Info: fleetstreetquarter.co.uk

& Wild in Art