At midday today Abingdon-on-Thames Market Place looked like a bank holiday seaside town in the 1960s thanks to the Abingdon Bad Company who invited other scooter groups to an Inter County Rideout from Abingdon to East Challow.
Next weekend, sees the August Bank Holiday ride to the Isle of Wight National Rally, so today was a good chance to try out the scooters and raise some money for charity.
Following Yeah Baby last Saturday, there was another great free concert on the Market Place this Saturday
In 2012 the Abingdon-on-Thames Youth Music Festival took place in a downpour. This year the performers of the Vale Youth Music Centre Orchestra had glorious sunshine.
One annual event that is not happening this year is Abingdon’s Got Talent. It is having a short rest. Pam Ayers who won last year can keep the crown for a year or two more. She would have enjoyed this young folk group.
Last of the groups pictured are the Larkmead Jazz Band. Helen Ecclestone, seen here on the Baritone Saxiphone, works at Larkmead and leads lots of groups there including the lunchtime Jazz band. She also runs the Abingdon Music Centre and conducted the Abingdon Community Orchestra seen a few days ago on the blog.
The performances continued for three hours in the hot sun and were greatly appreciated by the audience.
The Local Excellence Market, organised by the Choose Abingdon partnership, began in September 2010 as a response to local people wanting a Saturday Market. Each time it has a different mix.
On this chilly but at times sunny Easter Saturday, some stalls were of the sort you might see on the Friday Farmers Market. Pictured above is the Old Farmhouse Bakery. from Steventon.
Then there are the craft stalls like Vallis Green Woodworking…
Then there are local organisations. The Abingdon Carbon Cutters had a egg painting stall.
Neil, who organises the Abingdon Air and Country Show was there with a flight simulator and information about the show on May 5th. The Abingdon Freewheelers were also there. The Spring Cycle Festival is on 21st April.
More pictures of the Market on the blog’s facebook page.
Mike Moon was on the Market Place organising another FairTrade event in the middle of FairTrade fortnight.
Oxfam joined in, and as well as FairTrade produce were selling Red Noses. (Red Nose day is March 15th – the chance to do something funny for money.)
Our town centre PCSOs came along to keep an eye on proceedings.
Trinity Church brought out their FairTrade stall – something that is normally only seen in church once a month.
Anishine Trading was there showing there in more to FairTrade than tea, coffee, chocolate, and bananas.
And there was a new game called Un-FairTrade Dice, which involved pushing 4 giant pictured dice off a table.
Top scores were Park Run with 123p, Cheeky Monkeys with 122p, and Fair Traders on 76p.
3 families each turned up a very impressive 3 out of 4 FairTrade Farmers with their go. They were: Umizoomi, Letcombs, and Cobner Vales.