Abingdon Rugby Octofest

Abingdon RUFC (Oxfordshire’s finest Ruby Club) is holding a festival to celebrate 80 years of Abingdon rugby this Saturday 12th May 2012. The day includes mini, junior and senior rugby events, live music and a beer festival of local ales including Loose Cannon’s latest arrival ‘Bombshell’.

The day starts at 10am and will continue late into the night at Abingdon RFC, Lambrick Way (off Preston way), Abingdon. Click here for a map and directions.

For a full schedule see their website at www.abingdonrufc.co.uk/whats-on/486-octofest-timetable-sat-12th-may

Beer Festivals this weekend (May bank holiday) around Abingdon

This weekend (May bank holiday 5th-7th May) there are two beer festivals near to Abingdon, as well as morris dancing in town on Saturday.

Waggon and Horses, Culham


This is their first beer festival since the pub reopened last year. It is about 2 miles from Abingdon, which is a short cycle ride and not too far to walk and also has a car park. The beer list is:

  • Village Idiot 4.1%
  • Hi Ho Silver 4.3%
  • Zebedee 4.7%
  • Abandon Ship 4.2%
  • Oxford Scholar 4.5%
  • Cotswold Lion 4.2%
  • Broke Piston 5%
  • Adnams Southwold Bitter 3.7%
  • Black Sheep Bitter 3.8%
  • Hook Norton Bitter 3.6%
  • Smuggler 4.1%
  • Abingdon Bridge 3.6%

On Saturday there is music from the Dirty Earth Band in the evening.
On Sunday music from The Bembos in the afternoon and The Headington Hillbillies in the evening.
On Monday, music form Sub-Way in the afternoon.

Prince of Wales, Shippon


Another great pub within walking or cycling distance from Abingdon is having their 2nd beer festival between 4th and 6th of May with 20 ales from within a 30 mile radius of the pub and 10 ciders. Festival starts at 5pm on Friday

There is also morris dancing there this evening (thursday 3rd May) with Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers and Speckled Hen.

Mr. Hemmings Day of Dance


Mr. Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris dancers along with 7 visiting morris sides will be dancing in Abingdon this Saturday (5th May). This is an annual event celebrating the birthday of Tom Hemmings who was a prominent Abingdon Morris dancer in the early 20th century.

Dancing starts at the White Horse at 10:30am, working down Ock Street to Cross Keys and then into the town center where dancing will take place on the market place and outside town center pubs (Swan, Kings Head & Bell, Punch Bowl, Harp (former Plough on Station Yard).

Broad Face Easter Beer Festival Preview

The Broad Face Pub signAbingdon’s beer festival season continues next weekend with The Broad Face Easter Beer Festival 2012, starting on Good Friday, April 6th over the Easter weekend.

This will be Dusty’s 3rd beer festival, and features 12 beers and 2 ciders, with live blues/rock and jazz music each day.  Whilst not as big as last weekend’s very successful Brewery Tap festival (which got through 50 ales/ciders and 400 pies), the previous two beer festivals at The Broad Face have been very enjoyable and popular. Continue reading

Brewery Tap Beer Festival Preview

We are now into beer festival season in Abingdon on Thames. Last weekend we enjoyed The Cross Keys beer festival, where the first drink to sell out was Bristol Port Cider, and next week The Broad Face has a beer and music festival (6th-8th April). However this weekend sees probably the largest beer festival ever held in Abingdon on Thames. The Brewery Tap’s Spring Beer and Cider (and pies and music) festival.

There are several beers here never before seen in Abingdon on Thames, including the launch of Abingdon’s Loose Cannon Brewery’s Blonde ale; three new beers from The recently opened Aylesbury Brewhouse and the launch of XT Brewery’s Number 6. The complete list of ales and ciders along with tasting notes can be found here.

There will live music from Rascals of Rythmn on Friday evening, Big Blues Band on Saturday and George Haslam’s Swingtime band on Sunday at 5pm.

The Festival runs from Friday March 25th to Sunday March 27th.