While setting out the A-board and chairs at St Helen’s Church this afternoon, Kevin told me there’s a good concert tonight, part of the Music at the Unicorn at St Helens Church. He said the acoustics in the church are excellent.

Tonight (4th June), St Helen’s hosts True Foxes, an alt-country/Americana cousin duo from Cornwall, with support from sibling duo Painted Sky (Holly and George Brandon). The concert runs from 7pm to 10.30pm.

At the back of the church are posters advertising other forthcoming events in Abingdon and beyond.

On Saturday, 6th June, the Hurst Ensemble presents An Evening of Viennese Musical Genius at St Helen’s Church from 7.30pm, with Mozart and Brahms.

The Unicorn Theatre hosts The Merry Wives of Windsor (Abingdon Edition) on Wednesday, 10th June. Shakespeare’s comedy follows two clever women who join forces to outwit the boastful Sir John Falstaff. This special Abingdon-set production will be the last play at the Unicorn before the theatre closes for its major refurbishment.

On Saturday, 13th June, One Planet Abingdon presents Wear It Out – Sustainable Fashion, celebrating eco-fashion, upcycling and clothing repair as part of Oxfordshire’s Great Big Green Week. Free activities and workshops will run throughout the day, while tickets can be bought for a 2pm fashion show.

Also on 13th June, the Abingdon & District Musical Society (ADMS) performs Joseph Haydn’s The Creation at St Helen’s Church, beginning at 7.30pm.

With half term under way and hot weather forecast, the Splash Pad area in Abbey Meadows received a pressure wash today in preparation for busy days ahead. The open-air pool has not yet reopened, but nearby Hinksey Outdoor Pool is already open for swimmers.

AbiBinIt Community Litter Pick: Marcham Road
Saturday 23rd May, 10am–12pm
At MG Heritage Park on Marcham Road.

AbiBinIt’s latest community litter pick takes place around the Marcham Road area. Litter pickers and equipment will be provided, and newcomers are very welcome. Children should be accompanied by a responsible adult, and suitable clothing and footwear are recommended.

The group says: “If you’ve never litter picked with us then make May your month to change that.”

Abingdon Freewheeling Annual Cycling Festival
Saturday 24th May, 9.30am–12.30pm
Starting from Abingdon Market Place.

Abingdon Freewheeling will be hosting its annual cycling festival, with a range of rides leaving at different times during the morning.

The rides will finish at Loose Cannon Brewing Co. for drinks and food. The festival aims to encourage cycling in the community, and all are welcome. No booking is required, although spaces on rides are limited.

Come for a Bank Holiday Walk
Sunday 25th May, 10am–1pm

A chance to explore Abingdon and the surrounding area on foot, either through one of five guided walks or by following a self-guided trail.

Trail leaflets will be available on the day, with around a dozen different walks covering a range of interests and ages.

(Also the day of the Harwell Feast)

Edmund Rich – later to become St Edmund of Abingdon – was born in Abingdon around 1175. St Edmund’s Lane in Abingdon preserves the memory of what was traditionally regarded as his birthplace, and there was once a chapel dedicated to him in that area. St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School in Abingdon and Our Lady and St Edmund of Abingdon Church are also dedicated to him. There is a plaque in his honour in that church (above) and another outside St Nicolas Church where his mother was buried.

Beyond Abingdon his fame was to grow. St Edmund Hall, a college of the University of Oxford, is also dedicated to his memory as a teacher and has a modern statue there in his memory. He studied in Oxford and Paris and taught in Oxford. In 1222 he became Canon of Salisbury Cathedral during the cathedral’s great building period. In 1233 Edmund became Archbishop of Canterbury. He was known for personal austerity, care for the poor, and for defending church rights during the reign of Henry III. His efforts to challenge royal interference brought him into conflict with the king. He left England intending to present his case to the papal court in Rome, but he fell ill on the journey and died in France in 1240. Edmund was buried at Pontigny Abbey, where he became venerated as Saint Edme. He was made a saint in 1246, only six years after his death.

Abingdon is marking the 850th anniversary of St Edmund with the ‘Cakes and Ales Festival’ on Saturday 16 May 2026. The celebration includes music, refreshments and community events connected with St Edmund’s life and legacy. There will be a Medieval Recipe Cake, a talk on Anglo Saxon Beer-Making, a cake stall on the Market Place and a Loose Cannon Special 850th Ale.

One featured event is a piano recital at St Michael and All Angels Church at 3pm, followed by tea and cakes.

Another event is a Ceilidh at St Michael’s.

A fuller weekend of events can be seen on the official leaflet. Most of the other events are free.

The blog will be taking a short rest over the next few days to catch its breath. Before then, here are a few events happening in Abingdon over the coming week – some of them marking a momentous change in the town.

The last event to be held in the Abbey Buildings before they close for their revamp project is the Abingdon Beer Festival. Running from Friday 1st May to Sunday 3rd May, the festival takes place at Abingdon Abbey Buildings, down Checker Walk. Opening times are 5:00–11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 1:00–4:00 pm on Sunday. It will be a last chance to see the Upper Gallery without glass windows.

With the Abbey Buildings closing, the regular live Music at the Unicorn – part of the Abbey Buildings – is relocating. For the near future, performances will be part of Music at St Helen’s Church, with the first concert taking place next Saturday, 7th May.

During the week, Oxfordshire Artweeks will be underway across Abingdon and beyond. Locally, the Abbey Group will be exhibiting at St Nicolas Church from 2nd May (10:00 am) to 9th May (5:00 pm), with five artists showing original art, prints, crafts, cards and jewellery.

There will be 9 artists exhibiting at St Ethelwold’s House during the week, and if you pick up one of the Artweeks booklets at any of the venues – or visit the website https://www.artweeks.org/ – you will find more.

More soon.