Christmas is coming to Abingdon!

The Christmas Extravaganza on 26 November gets Abingdon’s Christmas party started in fine style, and there are still all sorts of other family activities happening in the town too during the weeks leading up to the big day to keep the excitement of the festive season in full swing.

Saturday 3 December

Christmas Craft Market (9am–3pm) in Market Place – with local craftspeople showcasing beautiful handmade pieces, including jewellery, glass items, wood-turned items, textiles, leather goods, preserves and cakes, this is a marvellous place to get Christmas gifts or to treat yourself.

Christmas Crafts for Kids (10.30am–3pm) – a free drop-in workshop for all ages in the Kempster Room, Museum Basement (next to the Mouse Hole Café). A fantastic opportunity for children to craft their own Christmas decorations – and there’s even a lucky dip, so you may win a prize. The Mouse Hole Café is even offering a free mince pie with any hot drink on the day – too good an offer to miss!

Cats Protection Christmas Bazaar (2–4pm) in the Northcourt Centre, Northcourt Road – another great place to shop for Christmas and help a charity at the same time.

Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December

Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ brought to you by Oxon Film & Stage Works at the Unicorn Theatre, Thames Street. This Victorian experience is an enchanting step back in time and there will be pre-show mulled wine and Christmas stalls to browse too. Tickets from Added Ingredients and Mostly Books in Stert Street or email info@ oxonfilmwork.co.uk.

Thursday 8 December

Festive fun (12noon – 6pm) Come along and enjoy the Festive Fun in Abingdon on the 8th December 12 noon till 6pm. The event will be taking place in the Market Place with a host of activities for all the family including, toodler fairground rides, craft stalls, mulled wine and live music throughout the afternoon! For those who want to continue their festive celebrations why not book a meal out after? There's plenty of restaurants to choose from!

Sunday 11 December

Christmas Café with craft activities at Abingdon Vineyard Church, Healey Close.

Two carol services (9.30am and 11.15am) at Christ Church, Northcourt Road. The first Christmas carol services of the season – come along and sing your heart out!

Thursday 15 December

Festive Carol Sing-a-long (4.30pm – 6pm) Join Abingdon BID for a Festive Carol sing-a-long on the 15th December 4:30pm till 6pm! For one night only Abingdon will be ringing with the sound of choirs throughout the town, before everyone gathers around the Christmas tree in the Market Place at 5.30pm for a big festive sing-a-long! The event is sure to get you in the festive mood (and is the perfect time to take advantage of finishing that Christmas shopping!)

Sunday 18 December

Carol services and Christmas celebrations to which all are welcome. What better way to spend family time just a week before Christmas than celebrating the true meaning of Christmas?

·       A Family Christmas Celebration with nativity at Abingdon Vineyard Church, Healey Close

·       10am, Christmas Celebration for all ages, Christ Church, Long Furlong

·       10.15am, All-age worship Quaker Meeting, Health and Well Being Centre, Audlett Drive

·       4pm and 7pm, Carol services followed by mulled wine and mince pies at Christ Church, Northcourt Road

·       4pm, Carols in the Hall – community carol singing with refreshments at Abingdon Community Centre, Stratton Way

·       6pm, Carol service at St Nicolas Church, Market Place

·       6pm, Carol service at All Saints Methodist Church, Appleford Drive

·       6.30pm, Carols by Candlelight at Abingdon Baptist Church, Ock Street

Abingdon’s Christmas Extravaganza!

There is so much happening in the lead up to Christmas 2016 in Abingdon! The festive season will be getting underway in spectacular style on Saturday 26 November with Abingdon’s amazing Christmas Extravaganza, brought to you by Abingdon on Thames Chamber of Commerce.

For a start, there is free car parking all day in the council car parks, so extra money in your pockets for Christmas shopping! (and don't forget car parking is free every Saturday until 17 December!) 

The day begins at 9am with a wonderful Christmas Market in Bath Street – a chance to get your Christmas shopping underway as you explore the stalls, as well as all the lovely shops in town.

Be sure to make your way to Market Place where the Rotary Club of Abingdon will be serving delicious mulled wine and mince pies.

From 10.30am onwards there will be lots of entertainment in Market Place and Bath Street from local charities and community groups, including Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, Strawberry Fayre Majorettes, Oxford Caledonian Pipe and Drum Band, Abingdon Judo, Abingdon Stagecoach and Ashnah … and look out for donkeys from the Island Farm sanctuary too.

Also during the morning there will be a circus workshop outside the Community Free Space, and in the afternoon three Punch and Judy shows will take place here.

Do pop along to St Etherwold’s House in East St Helen Street while the Extravaganza is in progress as they will be hosting a Fair Trade and Craft Fair starting at 10.30am – another lovely chance to get some Christmas goodies and help those less fortunate at the same time.

The magical Christmas Parade starts at 12 noon, leaving from Queen Street, travelling along Stert Street, East St Helen Street, Lombard Street, West St Helen Street and then along High Street to Market Place.

Then there’s a chance to meet none other than Father Christmas who has taken time out of his busy schedule to come to Abingdon where he will be in Market Place.

Throughout the afternoon there will be live musical entertainment from lots of brilliant artists, including The Publix, and at 5pm you can see live on stage the fabulous ex-S Club stars Tina Barrett, Jo O'Meara and Bradley McIntosh performing many of their hit songs. There is also a chance to see the winner of the recent talent competition perform on the main stage too.

And it doesn’t end there! At 6pm comes the big switch on of the Christmas lights by the pop stars Tina, Jo and Bradley, joined by the talent competition winner.

The Extravaganza culminates with a spectacular firework display – the perfect end to a perfect day! Make sure you’re there to be part of the fun!

Special thanks go out to Abingdon on Thames Chamber of Commerce and the many sponsors for making this event possible.