Oxford Events
Things to do in Oxford this weekend
Things to do in and around Oxford this weekend (13 to 15 March)
As the second weekend of March arrives, Oxford sits gently on the threshold between winter’s lingering chill and the growing promise of spring. Pale sunlight glows against the city’s honeyed stone and across the meadows, while a cool, refreshing breeze threads through ancient lanes and quiet college quads. The air carries a soft sense of awakening — longer daylight, the first tentative blossoms beginning to appear, and the subtle energy of a city easing into the brighter days ahead.
With the year now finding its rhythm, the city invites slower moments — gentle riverside walks, warming pauses in welcoming cafés, and thoughtful conversations that unfold at an unhurried pace, as winter’s stillness offers space to pause, reset and look ahead.
Across the city and countryside, the pace turns calmer – from festive events and family gatherings to scenic strolls and warm, unhurried afternoons. Oxford and Oxfordshire offer countless ways to welcome the new month with charm, colour, and comfort.
Art aficionados can peruse the permanent displays and longer-term exhibitions at the city’s world-class museums – The Ashmolean, the Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum.
Otherwise, squirrel yourself away in one of the city’s intimate arts and cultural venues like the North Wall Arts Centre and Modern Art Oxford, which often put up a bold and ambitious programme of contemporary art.
Curious and adventurers? Explore Oxford with purpose. Whether you’re a local, new in town, or just passing through, we’ve got some rather useful insider’s guides to Oxford to help you get the best out of your time discovering Oxford – because we’re good like that!
If you’d rather head out of town, experience the excitement of Cheltenham Festival 2026, where four days of world-class jump racing bring thrilling competition, electric atmosphere and top-tier sporting drama to the Cotswolds — a standout highlight of the spring calendar.
Or enjoy an evening of comedy with Josh Widdicombe: Not My Cup of Tea at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. The popular comedian brings his latest stand-up show to the stage, delivering sharp observations and relatable humour that have made him a favourite on the UK comedy circuit.
Otherwise, you could always visit one of our diverse independent bookshops (where friendly and helpful staff are on hand to help you find your next best read), or, check out some of Oxfordshire’s coolest restaurants and places to eat.
And if you’re celebrating a special occasion with a loved one or just looking to while away some tiresome hours between brunch and supper, there’s nothing as self-indulgent as enjoying a county house afternoon tea with prime views of the Oxfordshire countryside.
We hope there’s plenty here to inspire you. And if you’re still looking to fill a few gaps in your diary, do explore the Events sectionfor more things to do in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.
Now, consider this your definitive guide to what’s on in Oxford this weekend.
It’s the biggest indie night to hit Oxford, spinning all your favourite classics. It’s indie rock’n’roll! Expect tunes from Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro, The Black Keys, Blossoms, Blur, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Circa Waves, The Clash, Courteeners, The Cribs, Foals, Gorillaz, Jamie T, Kasabian, The Killers, The Kooks, The Libertines, Nirvana, and much more!
The North Wall Arts Centre
Circa 500 presents work by eleven St Edward’s School art teachers, spanning ceramics, textiles, painting, photography and film. The exhibition explores the space between classroom and studio, revealing shared curiosity, experimentation and creative dialogue across disciplines.
Bluey’s Big Play is the theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series packed with music, laughter, and fun. Join the Heelers in this live theatre show made just for you, featuring brilliantly created puppets.
This smash hit ABBA tribute returns with a brand new show, celebrating the band’s greatest number one hits in a dazzling, high-energy production touring nationwide.
Richard Chappell Dance’s BLOOM marks 20 years of Dancin’ Oxford with a powerful triple bill exploring nature, connection and modern life through contemporary dance, poetry and live music.
The North Wall Arts Centre
Mika and the Polar Bear is a magical dance-theatre adventure for all ages, following an unexpected friendship forged after a climate disaster, brought to life through original music, digital animation and enchanting puppetry.
The North Wall Arts Centre
Hollie McNish brings her much-loved poetry as she reads from this brand-new collection about love, loss, wolves, and warm morning croissants.
Oxford Bach Choir returns with Elgar’s The Kingdom, the second part of its two-year Elgar Project, featuring the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, conductor Benjamin Nicholas and a distinguished line-up of soloists in this powerful continuation of the Apostles’ story.
Celebrating their 50th Year, The Arcadian Singers are pleased to announce their Spring Concert – Scarlatti x Bach in the glorious surroundings of Keble College Chapel on Sunday 15 March 2026 at 7.30pm. The evening concert will feature Stabat mater dolorosa (Scarlatti) and Jesu, meine Freude (Bach) together with music by Kuhnau and Telemann.
Out of the Deep is a family-friendly specimen handling and exploration of the underwater world of marine reptiles.
Images of Authority: Portraits Between Iran and Europe explores how Fath Ali Shah Qajar, King George III, and Napoleon Bonaparte used portraiture to convey power and personality. Featuring works from Iran, Britain, and France, the exhibition includes restored Qajar paintings and reveals the strategies behind these rulers’ compelling visual representations.
Pat Suet-Bik Hui & the Three Perfections showcases the Hong Kong-born artist’s mastery of painting, calligraphy, and poetry, presented alongside works by her teacher Lui Shou-Kwan and other historical examples. The exhibition highlights Hui’s contemporary approach, blending abstract ink and colour washes with poetic inscriptions exploring love, loss, and life’s quiet joys.
Our pick of where to meet Santa in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this Christmas
Have they been naughty, or have they been nice?
For children, one of the highlights of the festive season has to be a visit to see Father Christmas himself, a.k.a. Santa Claus, in his grotto IRL, ho-ho-hoing and dishing out gifts.
And, as all the little ones have been extra nice this year, we’re putting together this growing list of where to meet Santa in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this Christmas.
Make sure you’re not caught short. There’s only so much Santa to go around, so it’s more important than ever to book your kids a slot with ol’ Saint Nick in advance to avoid tears and tantrums.
Kick off the festive season with Breakfast with Santa at Oxford Covered Market by enjoying breakfast from any of the Market’s cafés or food stalls, offering everything from cosy pastries to hearty breakfasts in the morning. From 10.00am, Father Christmas will be on hand to meet children, help them write their Christmas letters, and collect them in his special North Pole post box.
Enjoy the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas at Cogges, and meet Father Christmas and his elves in Santa’s Grotto for a special audience with the man himself and a gift for every child. Kids will be able to burn off energy and boogie away to festive tunes at the Christmas Disco and take part in a whole host of exciting Christmas Craft Activities in the Party and Craft Barn.
06, 07, 13 &14, 20, 21, 22 and 23 December
Steam Into Christmas and help Santa find his missing reindeer! Explore the 21-acre site to find each of Santa’s lost reindeer, culminating in a visit to the grotto to meet Santa. Grab your tickets, make tracks to Didcot Railway Centre and Steam Into Christmas!
In Victorian times, Santa travelled by a sleigh pulled by reindeer. More recently, he’s also well known to have travelled by steam train, but now he’s hopping onboard a vintage Oxford bus. Visit Father Christmas in his bus grotto while enjoying a complimentary vintage bus ride on Sunday 14 and Sunday 21 December.
Looking for more Christmas inspiration? Take a look at our comprehensive guide to Christmas in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.
About the Christmas light events in Oxford and across Oxfordshire and beyond in 2026
’Tis the season to see Oxfordshire at its most dazzling!
The arrival of Christmas lights brings a little extra magic to the darker evenings, transforming Oxford’s historic streets and town centres across Oxfordshire with festive illuminations.
From the first flick of the switch to the glow of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, these annual events mark the beginning of the countdown to Christmas, often accompanied by live music, family entertainment, market stalls and visits from some familiar festive faces.
Whether you’re planning an evening in Oxford city centre or heading to a nearby town for its own celebrations, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the atmosphere and discover somewhere new along the way.
Each event has its own character, from community-led gatherings in market squares to larger celebrations bringing people together for an evening of festive entertainment.
Our guide brings together Christmas lights switch-on events in Oxford and across Oxfordshire in 2026, with dates, times and details of what to expect. We’ll keep updating the page as further events are announced, so bookmark it and check back as the festive season approaches to help plan your Christmas outings.
City centre plus various venues and neighborhoods across Oxford
The festival has been taking place since 2009. It’s evolved over the years from a single evening’s event in the city centre to a full three day weekend that includes light and sound installations, a festive market, music, dance and lots of free activities in venues across the city, and more recently to light trails and events in residential areas of the city.
13 November to 03 January
Christmas at Blenheim Palace returns bigger, brighter, and more magical than ever. Featuring dazzling new installations, festive food, and the chance to see Father Christmas, the Illuminated Trail transforms the palace gardens into a spectacular wonderland of light, colour, and Christmas cheer.
The Kidlington Christmas lights switch-on event usually features local school choirs, local stalls, Santa’s grotto, funfair rides, animal petting corner, concert brass band, hot and cold refreshments and lots more. Hundreds of people turn out for the annual switch-on of the Christmas lights in the High Street and Piazza by Santa.
Henley-on-Thames Town Centre
The town centre will be closed to traffic and filled with stalls and rides for the whole family to enjoy. At 7.00pm, the Mayor will switch on the Christmas tree lights alongside a VIP celebrity guest, the winner of the Christmas card design competition, characters from the Kenton Theatre pantomime. The celebrations will continue with carol singing and festive tunes performed by Woodley Concert Band.
Christmas in Thame begins with the switching on of the town’s Christmas lights. In recent years, the event has been an evening of festive entertainment – with Santa’s Grotto, gift stalls, refreshments, carol singing, and more, and primary schools parading their beautifully created lanterns down the High Street – a sight not to be missed.
Banbury Market Place & Town Centre
Banbury Winter Market will sparkle with festive cheer from Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 November 2026 with over 80 Stalls, live entertainment, the big Light Switch-On, special appearances from the festive Gingerbread Man, Christmas Tree, and live performances from Hook Norton Brass Band, and music from Radio Horton.
Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza kicks off the festive season in Abingdon. It’s a family-focused festive event in the heart of the town where the community comes together as one. Expect a Christmas market on Bath Street, a parade through the town centre, as well as music and other entertainment from the stage on the Market Place and a performance area on Bath Street.
Sprinkled with extra Christmas magic this year, wander through Bicester’s Christmas Shopping Market for sweets, treats, and much more to begin your Christmas festivities, taking place on Saturday 28 November. Join in for a magical day packed with Christmas shopping, festive treats, live entertainment, and the sparkling moment when the town is lit up.
Starting with the Christmas Market from 11.00am, expect a Craft Fair in the Corn Exchange arranged by the Faringdon Art Society, Santa’s Grotto in the Market Place, Market stalls in the Market Place, music around the Christmas Tree and much more. The light switch-on will take place at 5.00pm.
The lantern parade meets at 5.15pm at Carterton Community College. Lights switch on at 6.00pm in the Market Square. Expect live music, stalls with crafts, gifts and refreshments, funfair rides, meet the Reindeer, a snow globe and, of course, And, of course, Father Christmas will be in his grotto.
This family-focused festive event in the heart of the town brings the community together as one to kick off the festive season. The event will start at noon with activities and festive stalls to enjoy. There will be lantern-making workshops during the day, followed by a lantern parade after dark. The festive lights will be switched on by the Town Mayor at 6.00pm.
The Banbury Christmas Lights Switch On is a family-focused festive event in the heart of the town where the community comes together as one to kick off the festive season. Enjoy thrilling funfair rides, great food, and a stellar line-up of musical acts and performers, all the before the grand finale where the lights are switched on to a blast of fireworks!
Wantage Dickensian Evening is held on the first Friday of December every year in and around Wantage Market Place, and everyone is invited to dress up in period costumes. Enjoy Christmas attractions and start your holiday shopping, including switch-on of the Christmas lights, Christmas carols with Wantage Silver Band and the Parish Church Choir, childrens’ activities and much more.
Christmas at Silverstone will transform the home of the British Grand Prix into a spectacular festive wonderland. This year’s celebration will bring together exhilarating motorsport experiences, immersive family entertainment, live music, festive food and drink, and the unmistakable magic of Silverstone. At the heart of the event is Lap of Lights, the only festive experience in the world where visitors can drive an iconic Formula 1 circuit after dark.
Highlights from last year…
Residents and visitors are warmly invited to a Night of a Thousand Candles in Woodstock. Come see the Christmas lights switched on and enjoy a great family event to start the festive season. See Woodstock at its best with late shopping, great restaurants and pubs, the Woodstock Festive Fayre, live music, a short panto (oh yes, there is!), school choir, food and drink and Father Christmas.
While we do our best to ensure the information on this page is accurate, please don’t hesitate to reach out if something seems off or if you have any updates to share. We’d love to hear from you!
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