Looking for something to do in Abingdon this Saturday? It’s Heritage Weekend! Check out the leaflets at the information stall on the Market Place for a full schedule of events. And if you have done Heritage Weekend lots of times then there are some new things:

* Relive the iron age in the Abbey Buildings.
* Join the Abingdon Artists competition to paint or draw Abingdon and visit St Nic’s Church on Saturday afternoon to see the results.
* Kimber House – MG Car Club Museum – will be open,
* The Old Ticket Office, Culham, will be open,
* The Roysse Room has an exhibition called Connected Abingdon.

* At Unit 24, Bury Street, some enthusiasts were setting up a model of the Abingdon Branch Line and that will be open over the weekend.

The theme in 2024 is “Routes, Networks, Connections. “

See https://www.abingdonheritage.org.uk/ for a fuller programme.

Over the last three or four years, Heritage Weekend has not clashed with Ride and Stride but this Saturday it does. For all those ride and striders, or people sitting in or outside churches to welcome ride and striders, there should still be time for Heritage visits.

The Abibinit! riverside litter pick is also happening.

This second Saturday of September could get very busy. Probably best not to try and do everything or you’ll burn a hole in the calendar.

With summer holidays behind us, Abingdon comes alive with a weekend of events. There is the annual Fun & Music in the Park organised by Abingdon Town Council.

The Abingdon Horticultural Society have their Autumn Show – a chance to admire displays of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, and crafts.

The Abingdon Healthfest 2024 is a free event (Saturday, 7th September, 10 AM – 2 PM, Abingdon Market Place). It offers a chance to connect with nineteen local organizations promoting health and well-being. See https://healthyabingdon.org.uk/healthfest2024.htm.

Members of Abingdon Baptist Church were busy today, preparing for two community events. Outside the church, they put up a banner announcing a Free Family Fun Morning. On Saturday, there will be games and activities including a bouncy castle for 5s, and the JAM Band will be playing throughout the morning.

Church members were also seen putting away a banner at St Ethelwold’s after tea coffee and cakes – a fund raiser for Christian Aid. It is late for that but not the fun day.

‘My Heart in Thine’ is a concert of British secular and sacred choral music at St Helen’s Church on Saturday, 13th July.

England are just one game away from European glory. In the semi-final, Phil Foden was on fire. The final against Spain will be shown at the Abbey Cinema and on smaller screens throughout Abingdon at 8 pm.

‘Hey, Nonny’, and other Shakespeare-inspired music will start at 5 pm, not 8 pm as originally planned, to avoid a clash.

After the Shakespeare-inspired music, music lovers can see The Bookshop Band perform at St Nicolas Church, Abingdon, on Wednesday, 17th July. Their music takes inspiration from books like Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Testaments’, Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’, and Philip Pullman’s ‘The Book of Dust.’

On Saturday, 20th July, local charity Against Breast Cancer is hosting the Splash Of Pink community fundraising event from 10 am to 3:30 pm in Abingdon Market Square. The event will feature stalls, acts, and live music to raise awareness and funds for research into secondary spread breast cancer. Shops are encouraged to participate by decorating their windows in pink, with the best display winning the Splash Of Pink trophy.

Art enthusiasts will find a free exhibition from local artists Joanne Sonnier and Emma Williams. Held in the garden at St Ethelwold’s from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, 20th, and Sunday, 21st July, the exhibition will showcase their artwork inspired by the beauty of St Ethelwold’s.

P.S. On Friday 19th July, the Swan Upping comes to Abingdon. Approximate timings are at https://www.royalswan.co.uk/