Author Archives: Backstreeter

Exhibition of Devine Abingdon photographs

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An Exhibition of photographs by Abingdon based photographer Martin Wackenier opened this week at the County Hall Museum and runs until 23rd December 2021.

The exhibition is called ‘It’s not all black and white, Abingdon in true colours’. The pictures have been part of Martin’s Virtual Photography Exhibition 2021, and about twenty have been enlarged to poster size for the physical exhibition.

Born in Ypres, in Belgium, Martin has lived and been taking photographs in Abingdon for 13 years. He started a project in 2015 to take 2,000 photographs of people from the town in the Market Place. He is often asked to be the official photographer for events in town, and has also been official photographer for The Henley Royal Regatta, London Fashion Week, and a number of Music Festivals. He runs his own professional business Devine Times Photography

Longest Street Fair in the UK ( 1½ miles long ) – 2021

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The Abingdon Street Fair was back after missing a year in 2020. Street vendors were outside their restaurants to add local colour to the event.

Abingdon has a vibrant restaurant scene.

There were only a few face masks to be seen.
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The crowds were big.

The rides look the same as two years ago when the event was last held.

Here is a video of some of the rides.

Womens Cycle Tour race through Abingdon

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This Monday at around noon, the AJ Bell Womens Cycle Tour, raced through Abingdon.

It was the first of six days of racing from Oxfordshire to Suffolk. Before they came through, the bollards were removed from Abingdon Bridge (weak bridge awaiting repairs), and the road was brushed.

Lots of outriders on motorbikes came through before the race. One rider stopped and stood in front of a car in Bridge Street, with a flag, to warn the riders of the obstacle.

There was a reporter interviewing spectators near the Crown and Thistle.

The riders came up the rise of Abingdon Bridge in a large bunch (called a ‘peloton’ in the Tour de France), with support cars behind. Crowds cheered as they came up Bridge Street, and by the fair on the Market Place. They raced by in seconds

More people were waiting to cheer them through Stert Street.

The race highlights will be shown this evening at 9pm on ITV4. Also I have made it my entry for the city daily photographers start of month theme day on ‘winning’. More entries here. Thankyou to Elizabeth for the last picture.

Abingdon Street Fair set up and Fair Service

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This is the view from our window, early this morning, as a children’s ride awaits its turn to join the other rides in the fair.

This is the view at about midday as people work hard to put together the many parts of the Hebborn’s Waltzer.

This is how far they had got.

Here are some of the people who, like me, take pictures of the workers setting up the fair.
Just before 7 pm, Revd, Charles Miller arrived to lead the Fair Service .

Music for hymns was provided by Abingdon Town Band

The Mayor and Abingdon Town Councillors helped to lead the service. The Mayor thanked many people for making the fair possible, including Mr William Wilson M.B.E., and his wife Emily, who lead the organisation of the fair.

After the service, those that wanted could have a ride on Hebborn’s Galloping Horses carousel. Pictured are Mr Nigel Warner, the Town Clerk; Cllr Samantha Bowring, the leader of the town council; and The Mayor, Cllr Cheryl Briggs.