The Ridgeway Speakers meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7.30pm at the Kings Head and Bell. Their aim is to give regular people confidence in public speaking.

Share A Poem is a regular monthly group at St Ethelwolds. They meet next on Wednesday 4 December at 2:30pm. The suggested non-compulsory topic for poems is water, preceded by a short discussion of  the poem ‘Love’ By George Herbert.

Tyde will be performing next at Folk at the Unicorn on Thursday 5th December at 8pm.

There are still tickets available for the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames “Over 70s” Christmas Party on Friday. It is for free. and involves food, cups of tea, good company, festive entertainment, and a gift to take home.

Saturday, 7 December sees the annual Christmas Craft Fair on the Market Place in Abingdon.

That evening St Nicolas Church will be celebrating their Patron Saint with a cantata by Benjamin Britten about Saint Nicolas.

The Theme of the all day Extravaganza in Abingdon was Cinderella.

The Oxford Caledonian Pipe Band led the Extravaganza Parade along Stert Street at midday.

In the Parade, The Mayor, Samantha Bowring, led the Town Councillors.

Father Christmas, as always, was at the back of the parade.

The Rotary Club were serving mulled wine and had on display some of their Shelter Boxes. Each ShelterBox contains a tent, water purification kit, blankets, tools, and other necessities to help a family survive after a disaster, and many have been sent to the Philippines. Shelter Boxes are often the first disaster relief to be deployed.

There were stalls and entertainment in the Market Place and a lot more stalls, a Punch and Judy, and some reindeer in Bath Street.

The event was organised by Abingdon-on-Thames Chamber of Commerce, and the main sponsor was the newly re-opened Crown and Thistle. It ended with he lights being switched on and fireworks. There were big crowds to watch.

More pictures of the Extravaganza and Parade can be seen in the Abingdon Blog Facebook Album.

 
The blood donor service are at Abingdon United FC on Tuesday. They always like to see new blood.

There is one of those famous Terry Pratchett plays at the Unicorn.

Mandy Knight is headlining the Out of Bounds Comedy on Thursday at the Guildhall. She looks good on Youtube.

The European School have their Christmas Fair on Saturday. It will also be a chance to visit their chapel which is open for the event. Same day as the Christmas Extravaganza.

There is also a Christmas Fayre at Our Lady’s School. That is usually a good event. Same day as the Christmas Extravaganza.

That same evening Abingdon Town Band have a concert at the Guildhall.