Today saw the second Abingdon Food and Drink Festival, at The Miele Centre, in Abingdon, – any where else would have been a compromise.

The event was organised by The Rotary Club of Abingdon Vesper. Money raised supports their charity  work, and that of SeeSaw – who provide grief support for children and young people.

Added Ingredients, from Stert Street, Abingdon, had two tasting sessions for Portugese wine and cheese, and one for Italian wine and cheese. They also had a stall. Like lots of the stalls the atmosphere was very relaxed, a chance to try samples, and buy if you liked.

There were 45 stalls in all – I believe.

BBC Radio Oxford were also there, and you could look round the amazing Miele Experience Centre, watch chef demonstrations …

or sit on their lawn and eat and drink and listen to the entertainment. Pictured are Seth Bye and Katie Griffin.

Ruby’s Vintage Fair was in the Guildhall today. One stall had artwork based on the Bunty Comics. My wife said “their stories were so exciting at the time.”

Fun in The Park was happening in the Abbey Parks, and there were lots of exciting play activities for the children

Abingdon Rotary Club were there with one of their Shelter Boxes. ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster – such as Nepal.

A group of eminent Abingdon historians were photographed with the MP, Nicola Blackwood, Mayor, Helen Pighills, and Deputy Mayor, to thank them for their work on the town portal’s history section. The Deputy Mayor, Alice Badcock, had done a lot of the organisation of the Park events, together with Town Council staff.

There were also some exciting activities in the Car Park for all ages.

At the Friends of the Open Air Pool stall you could stick a flag in a square on an Old Map of Abingdon, and have the chance of winning a prize.

Music in the Park followed later in the day. A sell out crowd watched bands such as Hippy Haze, the Undercovers (pictured above) …

Prisoners Of Katrina …

and Green Onions.

The evening ended with Abingdon Town Band playing The Proms

followed by fireworks.

You will probably know already that this Saturday in Abingdon is Fun in the Park, and Music in the Park, in the Abbey Gardens; and on Sunday the Abingdon Food Festival at Miele.

Peter sent me an email, as a reminder, that Ruby’s Vintage and Retro Fair is also on at the Guildhall from 10-4 on Saturday. Here is a picture I took of Peter and his sister with their stall last time round.

Cars and campers are also gathering at Dalton Barracks this weekend for the Abingdon CAR-nival .

By the way, does anybody know if there are any red telephone boxes left in Abingdon, England. Abingdon, Virginia, now have two and are planning to get more. See the news source here. Perhaps we too need to start buying some back. Visitors from our USA sister city will be very disappointed if they come over here to see our modern replacement phone boxes.