Day 2 of Advent…
The Christmas Extravaganza was on all day. The event got into full swing at midday when the Oxford Caledonian Pipe Band led the parade.
People came out of their shops to watch. This is Sue Ryder.
Following the pipe band were: The cast of Aladdin, Strawberry Fayre Majorettes, Kingfisher School, Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council
Next came the ever changing Town Crier, and last but not least … Father Christmas in his sleigh.
All the way along Bath Street was a large street market with craft and charity stalls including the one for Helen & Douglas House.
There were also lots of things happening on the Market Place. Father Christmas was there throughout the day.
There were also performers on the Market Place and in St Nic’s Church.
As the time for switching on the lights came near Back 2 Back performed at 16:00. If you heard their last song then go to their facebook page and like them, and say what was their last song. They are going to draw a name from a hat and perform for free at the winner’s next party.
Following on from the success of S Club 3 last year, this year we saw The Honeyz.
The weather was a bit against us this year. Not the snow which was fake, but the rain.
The evening culminated in the turning on of the lights,
and the brilliant fireworks (by Illusion Fireworks). This picture is taken from a 5 minute video you can view on youtube.
The event was organised by Abingdon on Thames Chamber of Commerce, in particular Paul Townsend; and sponsored by Abingdon & Witney College, Mays Properties, Wenn Townsend, Smeg, and The Crown and Thistle.
Slightly off topic, but I began reading a book last week called The Best Year Of Our Lives by Phil Andrews, a self-published novel set in the mid 1970’s which I picked up off Amazon.
The book is set in a fictional town in West London/Middlesex but what caught my interest was the prologue which takes the form of a diary entry and is signed off “Paul Adams, Oxfordshire”.
Paul Adams is the lead character in the book, throughout which there are constant references to a weekend spent on a barge in Oxfordshire. Only once is the name of a town mentioned – “Ebbshill”, presumably another fictional place? – but there is also a mysterious reference to “the Mary Watson” which seems to be the name of the barge.
The reason this struck me was that I seem to remember a boat of that name being moored down by the Old Anchor Inn, by the bridge over the Ock, back in the 1970’s and possibly beyond. Could it be a reference to this boat? And is it Abingdon the author keeps referring back to in his book?
I just wondered if anyone else here might have read it and wondered as I did?
May I, through your blog, thank all our customers for supporting our Christmas Fundraising Day. We had a grotto for the children with a miniature Christmas Village, mince pies, mulled wine, giant raffle & tombola and lucky dip. All children went away with a small gift from us. We are on our way to making £500 for the Sue Ryder Nettlebed Hospice. God Bless You All and may you all have a Peaceful Yuletide. Kind Regards Davina, Manager Sue Ryder Abingdon (15 years service).
Well done to the Chamber of Commerce – it was a brilliant day. So much to do and watch all day, and a particularly festive feel to the day.
Steven I think your right, the boat was defo there and Ebbshill seems to be Abingdon. Lots of little nuances in this book which you spot when you read it second time.