This Week in Abingdon: HealthFest, Horticulture, Swim for Dogs, and Folk Music

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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.

Albert Park Through the Year: August 2025

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The last day of August brought a mix of sunshine and showers, marking the end of a month that began dry and finished with rain. This Rowan with leaves turning yellow and brown, and berries, shows autumn’s on the way.

Flowers were scarce in August. Only in the last couple of days has the first autumn crocus appeared.

Nuts are plentiful this year, and acorns have been falling from the oak trees since early August.

A squirrel climbs here among the beech leaves to gather beech masts – though one wonders whether the harvest has arrived too early to last through autumn and winter.

Other trees display their seeds. The wonderfully twisted Golden Rain tree next to the Albert Monument is covered with bladdery seed pods.

Among the newly planted trees, a young Dawn Redwood, dedicated to a former park keeper, is struggling; its browned leaves stand in contrast to the other more healthy newly planted trees.

The Bowls Club has been active throughout the summer. The green is so fine – like felt on a snooker table.

A rainbow appeared yesterday, seen here from the park looking out toward Trinity Church.

Here is a sunrise with pink clouds showing one of the park’s broad paths and the many trees.

As evening came, crows gathered near the tops of the tall fir trees, cawing loudly to announce their arrival at their roosts.

Local Excellence Market in Abingdon

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There was a Local Excellence Market on the Market Place in Abingdon today. The morning began with blue skies streaked with cloud.  One stallholder said they expected rain by about 3 pm and hoped it was not earlier.

A new addition this time was a stall offering dog massage. The stallholder explained that, just like people, dogs can carry tension in their shoulders. Massage helps to ease stiffness, improve circulation, and even speed recovery from injuries — and most dogs seem to enjoy the experience.

The Oxfordshire Independent Authors Group were also represented, with four writers sharing a table and showcasing books by a dozen local authors. In the picture are:
* Another Mother’s Child by Mary McClarey
* Sangre de Toro by Rachael Adam
* Murder at the Manor by Colin Wade
* Stick or Twist by Edward Christie

At a corner of Martin Wackenier’s photography stall, Chris was knitting and displaying toys. Her corner adds colour. She has taken up macramé as well, and brought along some of her first handmade plant hangers.

Alongside these were the familiar regulars — arts and crafts, honey, samosas and various breads and cakes and cooked burgers, the fruit and veg stall, the chilli stall, and many more — together creating a busy and attractive event in town.

Meanwhile, over in the Guildhall, a craft and gift market was taking place. The organisers often arrange their market to coincide with busier market days, with helpers on hand to point visitors across.

Abingdon 100 Years Ago – August 1925

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ABINGDON HORTICULTURAL SHOW — The Abingdon Horticultural Society’s annual show on Thursday 14th August 1925 was a great success, with a high number of entries and strong quality throughout. The handsome challenge cup, presented by the tradespeople of the town for the best exhibit of cut flowers (open to all England), attracted only three entries, but the winning display by an Oxford firm was outstanding and became the chief attraction in the exhibition tents.

The recently added rabbit and pigeon sections showed increased support, and the judges praised the standard of entries.

Among other entertainments, a display of Morris dancing by children in costume proved especially popular. Their performance was carried out with precision, and their behaviour reflected credit on their trainers. The Ock-street Horns used in some dances were kindly lent by Alderman A.W. Morland.

ABINGDON SKIFF REGATTA — The Abingdon Skiff Regatta was held on Saturday 22nd August 1925 in the Wilsham Reach. Some very good racing was witnessed, with 57 events in the programme. During the afternoon and evening music was performed by the Abingdon Town Band. At the conclusion of the races the prizes were presented by the Mayoress, followed by dancing on the Nag’s Head Hotel tennis lawns.

ABINGDON LOCAL TERRITORIALS — The Abingdon Platoon of the 4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment – The Abingdon ‘Terriers’ – returned from Weymouth, where they had been in camp for a fortnight.

HOSPITAL SUNDAY — Abingdon Hospital Day was held on Sunday 23rd August 1925. There was a Church parade of friendly societies and other organisations in the afternoon, headed by the Abingdon and Didcot Bands, and the Salvation Army and Steventon Bands. In High Street the procession met the Mayor and Corporation, and then proceeded to St. Helen’s Church, where a service was conducted by the Vicar (Rev. C. S. Fleet). Afterwards the parade again formed up and marched to the cenotaph, where a minute’s silence was observed, and two verses of the hymn O God, Our Help in Ages Past were sung. In the evening a concert was given by the massed bands in the Abbey House grounds. (‘Roy’, the dog inset in the picture, was the most successful collector with £4 17s 4d. In total £57 12s 6d was collected for local hospitals.)

KINEMA.— The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the film production of Victor Hugo’s famous novel, was presented for six days commencing Monday, August 24th, 1925.

Probably never before has there been a picture of such magnificence – costing £300,000, exact in its detail, artistic in conception, and wonderful in the acting of the principals and in the handling of the vast mob scenes, in which more than 3,000 persons took part.

Lon Chaney, one of the finest interpreters of unusual character roles, gave a remarkable performance as Quasimodo, the hunchback bellringer of Notre Dame, with Ernest Torrence as Clopin, the underworld king, and Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda.

The film played to full houses throughout the six days. A talented orchestra, conducted by Mr R A Coole, played music specially arranged for this production.

Thanks to the Oxford Journal for the photographs of Abingdon events from the British Newspaper Archive. Also thanks to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette from the British Newspaper Archive for story details and the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library  for story details and the Kinema advert.