Abingdon HealthFest returns to the Market Place on Saturday 6th September, from 10am to 2pm. This annual event brings together sports clubs, care providers, community groups, and charities — with demonstrations and advice, some of which could even prove life-saving. The Mayor will be on hand to tour the stalls and chat with participants. See full details here: Healthy Abingdon.

The Abingdon Horticultural Society Autumn Show (Sat 6th September, Northcourt Centre) offers a colourful range of competition classes — flowers, fruit and veg, floral arrangements, homecraft, preserves, baking, beverages, photography, and children’s entries — with cups and medals up for grabs.
The Abbey Meadow Outdoor Pool has just one more week left of the season. It closes on Monday 8th September after the popular Swim for Dogs event in the afternoon and evening. Expect plenty of owners trying to coax their dogs into the pool and some more enthusiastic doggy paddlers. Places are booking fast.

On Thursday 4th September, there’s live Americana-style folk music with Roswell Road at the Unicorn Theatre, part of the Music at the Unicorn series, with support from Sarah Yeo. More details: musicattheunicorn.org.uk.

And looking ahead — more events are on the way, including Heritage Day. I’ll highlight those separately in a few days time.

The Abingdon Rugby Club hosted Party on the Pitch today, organised by the Royal British Legion with support from the Town Council. Instead of the traditional bun throw from the County Hall, this year there was a team bun-throwing competition. Each throw earned 1–4 points depending on distance, with scores added together.

Stalls were run mainly by veterans’ organisations, alongside games such as welly wanging, a catapult challenge, and Bunga Bog Roll – a street-party favourite from Exbourne Road, where players throw toilet rolls into a toilet kindly donated by Abingdon Kitchens and Bathrooms.

Other attractions included a rifle range and a jeep for children to explore.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers also made an appearance on their way to Wootton and Dry Sandford for The WADS Fest. They are joined here by a Town Crier making his first appearance in green robes.

Music was provided by Abbey Brass.

The Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Rawda Jehanli, presented prizes to the bun-throwing winners, joined by her cadets and Penny Clover, who had led much of the organisation and is also a Town Crier. The winning team of three – all former Larkmead students, two soon heading to university after strong A-level results – received golden tickets to throw buns at the next official bun throw. A separate prize went to the female competitor with the furthest throw.

The event was well run and publicised, though attendance was lower than expected.

From 10:30am, friends from the Lighthouse Church, who meet at the Guildhall, filled the Marketplace with music. At 11:00am, they were joined by a group from Christchurch.

Meanwhile, in the Roysse Room, Eben Lark had transformed the space with vintage finds. Frank — pictured here with his daughter, who runs Eben Lark — summed up the morning: “It’s all happening in Abingdon.”

Adding to the mix, the Oddballs Rally continues over at the Rugby Club, with bikes parked on the Market Place and others roaring by the County Hall.

August can be a quieter month for events as lots of people are away, but the board in the Abingdon Information Centre has a variety of events.

Here are two highlights and some other events:

VJ Day 80th Anniversary – 15th to 17th August Abingdon will mark 80 years since VJ Day — the end of World War II — with a series of commemorative and community events organised by the Abingdon Royal British Legion and supported by the Town Council.

Friday 15th August: A ceremony will take place at the war memorial at 12 noon, honouring the 56 local men and 47 Abingdon School alumni who lost their lives.

Saturday 16th August: “Party on the Pitch” at Abingdon Rugby Club will feature Aunt Sally, a rifle range, bun-throwing, food, drinks, and live music. Bring your own picnic (no dogs allowed). To enter the bun-throwing contest (teams of four), email: abingdonrblvevj@gmail.com.

That evening, Wildflower Whisky will perform country music at the Royal British Legion on Spring Road from 9pm.

Sunday 17th August: A VJ commemorative tea dance will take place at Preston Road Community Centre, 2:00–4:30pm.

West Side Story – 22nd & 23rd August DIY Theatre Co, a youth theatre group based in Sunningwell and East Oxford, will perform West Side Story at the Amey Theatre. This production brings together young performers from DIY with dancers from Grenoble, actors from Bonn, and a 36-piece orchestra including musicians from Leiden and Oxfordshire — reflecting Oxford’s twinning connections.

The musical — based on Romeo and Juliet — features music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, including songs like Maria, Somewhere, and I Feel Pretty.

Also in August:

Wednesday 6th August from 7pm Hiroshima Exhibition and Lantern Floating at St Ethelwolds House and St Helen’s Wharf.

Saturday 16th August from 7:30pm: The tribute band Strictly UB40 will be playing at the Northcourt Centre.

Sunday 17th August from 10am: There will be a community litter pick in Southern Town Park.

Sunday 17th August at 3pm: The Tessera Viol Consort will give a concert of early English music at St Michael’s Church, Park Road.

Tuesday 19th August from 7:00pm: Atom Society Talk – Dr Andrew Molyneux will give a talk titled “Granny’s had a Stroke; shall we call the Doctor?”, informing people about what can be done to treat a stroke.

Thursday 21st August from 7:30pm: A monthly live music event (3rd Thursday) at the Loose Cannon Tap Room — an evening of local bands hosted by Make Music Abingdon.

Saturday 23rd August from 2:30 to 4:30pm: Cream Tea at St Michael’s Church, Park Road.

The board also looks ahead to a few events already planned for September, including Heritage Open Day and the Breast Walk Ever in support of Against Breast Cancer.