150 years ago, Queen Victoria would have celebrated Halloween at Balmoral. The Halloween Ball, in all its splendor, would have been reported down south in the Abingdon Herald. Now thanks to the influence of TV, and the Simpsons, Halloween is celebrated here in the south as well.
A lot of our shops and shop windows have been bedecked with spiders webs, pumpkins and other spooky paraphernalia. Here are just four shops in Abingdon . Do you know who they are?
Shop A
Shop B
Shop C
Shop D
The Abingdon Silver Group have an open evening on Wednesday 27th September at John Mason School.
There will be a splash of Pink on the Market Place on Saturday 7th October.
Dragon Boat Racing was held today, Sunday 3rd September.
12 teams took part in this annual event organised by the Rotary Club of Abingdon Vesper and held alongside the River Thames in Abingdon.
It is a big event for raising money for charity.
The wet weather didn’t dampen the spirit of the competing teams but did mean crowds were down on most years.
The event also featured a fun fair, music, BBQ, beer tent, and community stalls. The Mayor, Councillor Janet Morter, went round talking to all the stall holders, and is pictured here with the See Saw charity who provide support for young people in Oxfordshire suffering bereavement.
Next to SeeSaw was Christs Hospital Abingdon a very local charity who run the Abingdon Almshouses. They currently have three vacancies at their almshouses and welcome applicants who are in need. They also provide educational support for Abingdon state schools, and help provide essential items to people referred to them by organisations like surgeries and the Citizens Advice.
And on the other side of SeeSaw was Councillor Monica Lovatt running the SSAFA stall, as she often does at such events. SSAFA help provide support for military families and veterans in need.
Into August, the month when a lot of people go away and there is not so much happening in Abingdon. To dispel that impression three different people have sent me things happening in August.
Wednesday, August 2 – MANCUNIA – Music At The Unicorn, Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon.
Tim O’Connor, a singer-songwriter based in France; Andy Dinan, twice All-Ireland Fiddle Champion; and Maartin Allcock, internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist who has played with the likes of Fairport Convention, Robert Plant, Cat Stevens and Jethro Tull, have joined forces to form MANCUNIA.
Also on 2nd August from 4pm – 8pm there is an open garden at Stonehill Community Garden. They are currently working on half an acre, producing fruit, vegetables, eggs from their hens and honey from their bees and want groups or individuals to get involved. See www.stonehillgardens.co.uk
Weekly volunteer days every Wednesday 10am – 4pm, everyone welcome.
Then ten days later on August 12th is the annual Rugby 7s competition at Abingdon RUFC. Starts 11am.