The Come and Sing group came together on Saturday to rehearse from 11am to 3pm with the orchestra and soloists (Tara O’Connor, David Pope and Peter Willis all live in Abingdon).
Then from 5.30pm until 6.45pm performed a mini-concert of the Messiah (Part 1) in St Michael’s Church Park Road.
They will sing Handel’s Messiah parts 2 and 3 on April 15th 2023. This is to get people singing together and to raise funds for the Abingdon Passion Play.
Thanks to Elaine and Joyce for the pictures.
The Oxford Caledonian Pipes & Drums led the Christmas parade around Abingdon from 12:00 and performed in Abingdon Market Place afterwards.
The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers were also in the parade at 12, then danced on the Market Place at 2.15 and Bath Street at 3.30. In between whiles some of them were in the Punch Bowl playing tunes.
The Abingdon Mace Bearer, the Mayor, Town Clerk and Town Council were in the parade. The Town Clerk, Mr Nigel Warner, will soon be stepping down after over twenty years in the post. Interviews happened a couple of months ago for a replacement, but I know no more than that.
The Abingdon Lions helped by giving transport to Santa Claus. Before Christmas, they also run the Santa Sleigh around the streets of Abingdon and surrounding villages. For a full schedule see https://www.abingdonlions.org.uk/santa2022.html.
An afternoon of festivities culminated in the lights being turned on and fireworks.
Thank you to Ryan for standing in and taking some pictures.
We booked a family event away for the same weekend.
The Abbott of Abingdon fell over a few weeks ago and is still down. The Abbott was once sponsored by the Abbey Press and has had no sponsor in recent years.
Abingdon Drama Club is producing a play, Abandonment, by Kate Atkinson, up to the weekend.
Smarts the Peachcroft fish and chip shop has closed.
Work has commenced repairing Abingdon Bridge, where an area has been fenced off, a portable metal cabin unloaded, and pontoons floated.
The ex Added Ingredients will re-open as a craft beer/artisan drinks shop + microbar and be called The Cowshed Abingdon. There is more information on the Oxford Drinker website. Opening Dec 1st.
The Market Place Christmas Tree was erected and decorated today in time for the Christmas Extravaganza this weekend.