Pop Culture Scavenger Hunt Tasks - 28 July 2026
From red carpets to football pitches, this week's pop culture highlights include Hum a few bars of Olivia Dean and Sam Fender's 'Rein Me In' while walking past a shop playing the radio, and see if anyone joins in, Spot a person wearing a Gracie Abrams tour or album merchandise top, and more. We have packed 30 of them into real-world scavenger hunt challenges you can spot on your next outing.
Each task is tied to a real story, trend, or cultural moment from this week. Grab your phone, head outside, and see how many you can tick off.
This Week's Tasks
1. Hum a few bars of Olivia Dean and Sam Fender's 'Rein Me In' while walking past a shop playing the radio, and see if anyone joins in.
* After this week's record-tying longest-running UK Number 1 single.
2. Spot a person wearing a Gracie Abrams tour or album merchandise top.
* Following her second number one album 'Daughter From Hell' hitting the charts this week.
3. Photograph a bus shelter or digital billboard advertising 'The Odyssey' film.
* After the film's massive £35m UK box office and $640m worldwide second weekend.
4. Listen for a re-recorded indie song playing in a coffee shop or clothes store and name the original artist.
* This week a re-recorded indie track is dominating the UK chart, sparking discussion.
5. Find a group of friends debating Premier League transfers outside a football shirt shop.
* With major transfer stories this week involving Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Rodri.
6. Visit a WHSmith or newsagent and snap the cover of a magazine featuring Victoria Beckham.
* After Victoria Beckham's reflections on navigating tough times with David made headlines this week.
7. Take a selfie outside the O2 Academy Glasgow to celebrate the upcoming Commonwealth Games return.
* The Commonwealth Games are officially returning to Glasgow with UK Government backing this week.
8. Find a display of Netflix Originals in an HMV or supermarket DVD section and count how many are reality shows.
* Multiple reality TV series are trending this week, including a 70s reboot and new Amish community show.
9. Capture a poster or billboard advertising the Powerball lottery in the UK for the first time.
* The world's biggest jackpot game Powerball launches in the UK this week.
10. Observe someone reading a physical copy of Homer's 'The Odyssey' in a park or café.
* The new film has inspired fans to go back to the original epic poem this week.
11. Spot a PlayStation advertisement or in-store display mentioning the upcoming 2028 disc-free future.
* PlayStation announced this week it will stop releasing games on discs in 2028.
12. Find a CEX or Game store window promoting 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' release.
* The game's UK launch time was confirmed this week, generating buzz among gamers.
13. Listen for a Drake song being played in a public place and note which album it's from.
* Drake landed his seventh number one record and three simultaneous Top 10 albums this week.
14. Photograph a shop window selling Strictly Come Dancing merchandise or Halloween decorations early.
* Strictly Come Dancing Halloween week is being filmed, and stars are gearing up now.
15. Find a TV showing Celebrity MasterChef in an electrical retailer's display.
* The first week of Celebrity MasterChef 2026 started this week, featuring new celebrity contestants.
16. Spot someone wearing a Chelsea, Arsenal, or Liverpool football shirt and ask them which transfer they're most excited about.
* Major transfer sagas involving those clubs are dominating headlines this week.
17. Record a video of a friend trying to explain the proposed goalkeeper tactical timeout rule.
* A new rule trial for goalkeeper tactical timeouts was agreed upon by Premier League, EFL, WSL, and FA this week.
18. Find a newspaper or magazine listing this week's Top 40 singles chart.
* The Hits UK Chart for this week was published with the top 40 songs.
19. Visit a Cineworld or Odeon and check if 'Toy Story 5' is still showing (it passed $1bn worldwide this week).
* Toy Story 5 passed $1bn at the global box office on its second weekend.
20. Snap a photo of a Netflix 'New Releases' shelf or digital board highlighting James McAvoy's thriller remake.
* James McAvoy's 'absolutely fantastic' thriller remake climbed Netflix's trending chart this week.
21. Find a person reading a book about Korean culture or watching a K-drama on a tablet in public.
* Netflix highlighted must-watch K-dramas and Korean shows this week, reflecting their ongoing popularity.
22. Spot a poster or social media ad for the 'UNTOLD' series featuring Jamie Vardy or Vinnie Jones.
* The UNTOLD documentary series travels to the UK this week focusing on those football figures.
23. Take a picture of a shop sign that has a typo or humorous reference (inspired by the 'Who am I? Guess Premier League star' BBC quiz).
* A BBC quiz inviting readers to guess a Premier League star went viral this week.
24. Observe a family browsing Netflix film titles on a tablet or phone while out and about (summer holidays context).
* Empire Online listed 30 family films on Netflix for the summer holidays this week.
25. Find a bus stop or digital ad for a reality TV show casting call (e.g., The Traitors, Love Island, or similar).
* Multiple popular TV shows are actively looking for applicants right now, as reported this week.
26. Spot a billboard or poster for a new reality series about people joining an Amish community.
* A new reality series following six people joining an Amish community aired this week on Channel 4.
27. Photograph a newsstand showing a headline about Rylan Clark or a reality show being axed.
* Rylan Clark's reality show faces potential cancellation, making news this week.
28. Record yourself doing a celebratory dance outside a shop that sells lottery tickets (Powerball launch).
* Powerball, the world's biggest jackpot game, launched in the UK for the first time this week.
29. Find a gaming magazine or section in a shop featuring 'July 2026' video game releases.
* Eurogamer published a full list of upcoming video game releases for July 2026 this week.
30. Spot a fan wearing a replica shirt of an older player (like Danny Welbeck or Jordan Henderson) to start a conversation about Chelsea's transfer strategy.
* Chelsea's interest in Welbeck and Henderson sparked viral reactions and discussions this week.
How to Play
These tasks are designed for BucketRace, the UK's favourite scavenger hunt platform. You can play solo or in teams, and each task is meant to be completed in the real world. Snap a photo as proof, share it with your group, and see who can complete the most.
New tasks are published every week based on what is actually happening in the UK, so no two weeks are ever the same. Follow us for next week's challenges.