What’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this August
Hello and welcome to your essential guide to the best events, exhibitions, and things to do in Oxford and across Oxfordshire throughout August.
From open-air theatre under golden evening skies to leisurely weekend brunches in sun-dappled courtyards, August is a glorious time to explore everything our beautiful city and surrounding countryside has to offer.
Whether you’re staying local with a picnic basket and a blanket or fancy venturing further afield for a cultural day trip to a quieter-than-usual London for a West End matinee, there’s plenty to inspire your days out.
Dive into our events section for more handpicked events and happening in Oxford and across Oxforshire – from family-friendly festivals and food markets to art shows and live performances – as well as unmissable events beyond the county that would make for a great day out.
So, here it is – your go-to guide for making the most of August in Oxfordshire. Enjoy the sunshine, soak up the culture, and relish your summer adventures. And if you’re hosting an event, list your event on The Oxford Magazine website and reach our growing audience of people who live, work or play in Oxfordshire.
Comedy Club
Comedy Club is back by popular demand with even more of the finest up-and-coming comedians from the UK’s prestigious comedy circuit. It’s the hottest Comedy Club in town. Join for a night of stand-up that’s guaranteed to have you aching with laughter!
Joy of Scything Summer Workshop at Cogges
Joy of Scything Summer Workshop at Cogges is a one day course is designed to introduce you to using and looking after an Austrian scythe. The course is suitable for a range of experience levels, from complete beginners to those who have been using a scythe but feel that it could be working better for them.
The Oxford Shakespeare Festival 2025
The Oxford Shakespeare Festival is back for its 15th year! This outdoor theatre experience that takes place in the castle yard of Oxford Castle & Prison will see Wild Goose Theatre, BMH Productions, and Siege Theatre will be putting on marvellous performances of Shakespeare’s finest classics.
Oxford Piano Festival 2025
The Oxford Piano Festival was founded in 1999 by Marios Papadopoulos, renowned pianist and Music Director of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra. Each year, the Festival welcomes piano players and pedagogues, experts and enthusiasts, to some of Oxford’s most historic venues, such as Sir Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre, the Holywell Music Room, and Christ Church Cathedral.
British Transplant Games 2025
Oxford is set to host the Westfield Health British Transplant Games, the flagship event of charity Transplant Sport, for the first time in 2025. Organised by Transplant Active – formerly known as Transplant Sport – this annual four-day event celebrates transplants, donors and life.
Wilderness Festival 2025
Wilderness festival is the multi-award winning 4-day festival combining live music, contemporary arts and an array of theatre, artisanship, late-night parties, outdoor pursuits and culinary experiences. It’s one festival where genres are redefined, identity is turned on its head, and arts from across the spectrum sit side by side.
Festival lineup includes: Basement Jaxx / Supergrass / Wet Leg / AURORA / Air / Orbital / Annie Mac / Jalen Ngonda / Bear’s Den / The Howlers / Brògeal / Mista Trick Collective / Die Twice / Mary In The Junkyard / Låpsley / The Jungle Giants / Eats Everything / Hot Dub Time Machine / Berlioz / Hinds / The Bootleg Beatles / The Wilderness Orchestra.
Dinosaur World Live
Experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Triceratops, the Giraffatitan, the Microraptor, and the Segnosaurus!
The Gingerbread Man
Come and see the adventure of the deliciously smelling Gingerbread Man and meet the bravest biscuit of all times. Stuff and Nonsense apply their usual brilliance with a mix of puppetry, live action, great music, humour, and a stunning staging of this well-loved classic tale.
Stuck In The 90’s: performance by Gyptian
Stuck In The 90’s is one night with one of Reggae’s most celebrated acts, Gyptian will be performing hits like ‘Hold You, Wine Slow’ and many more.
Oxford Piano Festival: Akiko Ebi
World-class pianist, Akiko Ebi, makes her debut at the Oxford Piano Festival this year. Ebi is renowned for her spell-binding interpretations, particularly of French and Japanese works.
Oxford Coffee Concerts: Viv McLean
Oxford Coffee Concerts presents music from Chopin, Fauré/Bonis, Hahn, Schumann and Beethoven, performed by Viv McLean.
Discover more: Oxford Coffee Concerts
Fairport Convention – Cropredy Festival Warm-Up Shows 2025
Fairport Convention returns for their traditional, pre-Cropredy warm-up concerts. These popular shows not only give the audience a run through the Fairport set that will take place at their annual festival in the village of Cropredy the following Saturday, but also a sneak preview of the guests who will be joining them onstage.
SFX Make Up Workshop
Get ready for some dramatic fun! In this workshop, children will uncover the secrets behind creating realistic bruises, cuts and wounds for the stage. (You might want to double-check those injuries before reaching for the first aid kit!)
Make Up Through the Ages Workshop
Discover the fascinating history of make-up, from the Egyptians, Ancient Greeks and Romans, to the glamour of the Roaring Twenties, the bold looks of the Swinging Sixties, and everything in between! Join us in one of our traditional dressing rooms and get creative with your own theatrical designs.
Dinosaur World Live
Experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Triceratops, the Giraffatitan, the Microraptor, and the Segnosaurus.
Circus Skills Workshop
Roll up, roll up! Join Circus Sensible and learn a host of classic circus skills, from juggling and stilt-walking to plate spinning, Chinese ribbons and much more. It’s the perfect chance to have fun, get active and discover your inner circus star!
Cirque: The Greatest Show – Reimagined
Cirque – The Greatest Show has been Reimagined and is back for 2025—bigger, bolder, and more electrifying than ever. Get ready for a dazzling fusion of musical theatre and jaw-dropping circus acts, taking the original Circus meets Musical Theatre spectacle to thrilling new heights.
Fairport Cropredy Convention 2025
The Fairport Cropredy Convention 2025 will be staged over the weekend of 07 to 09 August. The annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention is held on the edge of the village of Cropredy near Babnury in Oxfordshire.
Festival lineup: City Funk Orchestra / The Deborah Bonham Band / El Pony Pisador / The Trevor Horn Band / King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys / Rosalie Cunningham / Skipinnish / The Henry Girls / Martin Barre / Bob Fox & Billy Mitchell / Albert Lee / Urban Folk Quartet / Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble / Peatbog Faeries / Plumhall / Cropredy Primary Folk Class / Churchfitters / Richard Digance / The Salts / Fairport Convention
Compere for the weekend: Anthony John Clarke
This Is What You Get
This Is What You Get is a major exhibition that will explore the visual art of Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke and the iconic images of Radiohead. More than 180 objects will be on display from the artists’ 30-year collaboration, including original paintings for album covers, digital compositions, etchings, unpublished drawings, and lyrics in their sketchbooks.
Waterperry Opera Festival 2025
Waterperry Opera Festival 2025 will feature nine productions this summer, including the fun-filled Winnie the Pooh-themed children’s workshops in the orangery and unforgettable nights of operatic classics. The festival’s inclusive and accessible opera is open to all and for all ages.
Headlining the festival are productions of Semele by George Frideric Handel and Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Florence Nightingale Presents School of Rock
Florence Nightingale Presents School of Rock, an electrifying production packed with high-energy music and unforgettable performances. More than just fundraising, these shows bring the community together—uniting performers, volunteers, and audiences to create something truly special in support of local hospice care.
The Koala Who Could
The Koala Who Could is an Australian Outback adventure based on the award-winning book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. Join Kevin, King of the staying-still-kings, and his friend’s kangaroo and wombat as they learn that “life can be great when you try something new!”
Cogges Annual Beer & Cider Festival
Cogges Annual Beer & Cider Festival is a party in the barns where you can try over 40 different locally produced craft beers and ciders, with live music all afternoon and evening to get the crowd dancing.
Musical Theatre Workshop
Got a young musical fan at home? This lively workshop combines singing, acting and dance. Children will learn a song and dance routine, rehearse a scripted scene from a real-life musical, and perform together on the New Theatre’s main stage!
Rewind Festival South 2025
Rewind Festival South is probably the biggest 80’s music festival in the world. It is a spectacular event, packed full of fun, laughter, great (and terrible!) costumes and friends. Celebrate the best decade around with all your favourite 80s icons. Get your tickets and join the biggest party of the summer. This really is going to be one of the 2025 festivals in Oxfordshire you can’t afford to miss.
Festival lineup includes: Soft Cell / ABC / Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey / Sugarhill Gang X (The Furious 5) / Kid Creole & the Coconuts / Boyzlife / Cutting Crew / Wang Chung / Go West / The South / Junior / Holly Johnson / Midge Ure / Matt Goss / Heaven 17 / Haircut 100 / Blue / The Selecter / Roachford / T’Pau / Chesney Hawkes / Tenpole Tudor
Bingo Lingo – Oxford
If you haven’t been before Bingo Lingo guarantees you’ll be back. It’s the night to get absolutely plastered with on-stage antics and chaos with prizes that will change your life forever. Please note these events are very popular with all previous years selling out in advance so please get your tickets sorted early to avoid disappointment.
YouthLab: Spoken Word Masterclass
Join Spoken Word Masterclass for creative tools to write an original piece of spoken word and explore performance styles through which to share it. A celebration of individuality, life experiences, human connection, and spoken word.
NW Inventors: Reimagining Stories
Join NW Inventors drama workshop as stories are turned upside down, shaken about and re-imagined. Expect creativity, laughs, and lots of fun.
Reading Festival 2025
Reading Festival, one of the UK’s most iconic music events, returns in 2025 with an electrifying lineup across multiple stages. Known for showcasing the best in rock, indie, hip-hop, and dance, the festival promises an unforgettable weekend of live music, vibrant energy, and festival culture. Join thousands of music lovers and make Reading Festival 2025 your highlight of the summer!
Festival lineup includes: Travis Scott / Chappell Roan / Bring Me The Horizon / Hozier / Becky Hill / AJ Tracey / Sammy Virji / Shikari / Conan Gray / Lola Young / Amyl and the Sniffers / Wunderhorse / Lancey Foux / Royel Otis / Wallows
Found Festival
Found Festival is a brand-new boutique festival that will bring an unrivalled breadth of creativity into one beautiful countryside setting. Relax and let the music, dance, art & craft wash over you or jump in with both feet and experience a creative process through performances, workshops, informal gatherings and masterclasses.
Festival lineup includes: Elles Bailey / The Longest Johns / Talisk / Breabach / London Afrobeat Collective / Angela Barnes / Robin Ince / David Eagle / John Hegley / Professor Elemental / Nutty Noah / Dangerous Dave
The Big Feastival 2025
The Big Feastival will be back on Alex James’ beautiful Cotswolds farm this August Bank Holiday. This family-friendly music and food festival promises to be one truly unforgettable weekend. Expect a top-drawer selection of live music acts, some of the country’s top chefs, and plenty of hands-on activities for both big and little ones. The Big Feastival is for everyone, big and small.
Festival lineup includes: Nelly Furtado / Faithless (live) / Alex James / Britpop Classical / Travis / The Wombats / Sophie Ellis-Bextor / Rizzle Kicks / Tom Walker / Maxïmo Park / English Teacher / The Pigeon Detectives / Scouting for Girls / Daniel Bedingfield / Brooke Combe / Remember Monday / Toby Lee / Calum Bowie / Ellur / The Cuban Brothers / Raymond Blanc / Si King
Foodies Festival Oxford 2025
Foodies Festival Oxford, part of the UK’s biggest food festival, will return over the Bank Holiday weekend with a mouth-watering summer festival, live music, workshops, masterclasses and of course, Top Chefs. Watch MasterChef Champions showw off their skills, learn how to make show-stopping cakes, sample new wines, champagnes and cocktails, taste new flavours, meet artisan producers, and most importantly, have fun all day.
Festival lineup includes: Example / Blue / Scouting For Girls
Festival chef lineup includes: Chariya Khattiyot / Thomas Frake / Dhruv Baker / Alex Webb / Ritchie Stainsby / Mich Turner / Mike North / Mark Peregrine / Mark Chandler / Andrew Carr / Carl Cleghorn / Aimee Hunt / Graham Hornigold / Paul Welburn / Avinash Shashidhara / Madeeha Qureshi / Christine Jensen / Phil Jensen / Jack Sturgess / Manju Malhi
EMSP Showcase 2025
EMSP Showcase 2025 is a showcase of young musicians from across the UK, of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience. 2025 is the fifth year Showcase-ing at The Mill, and there is a larger number of performers taking part than ever.
Salon Privé 2025 at Blenheim Palace
Salon Privé returns to Blenheim Palace with their most sensational line-up to date. For four days, the South Lawn will be overcome with the finest super and classic cars in the world, accompanied by luxury brands and exquisite hospitality to form the UK’s Most Exclusive Motor Show.
Oxford’s Queer History Walking Tour
Led by city guide Hannah Field, meet a host of fascinating characters including a ‘lesbian, Indian princess, suffragette, refugee smuggler’, a flamboyant bus conductor, a Catholic Saint, and many more. Learn about local characters, pubs and clubs of Oxford, University societies, Oxford Pride, and future events.
Technical Theatre Workshop
For those curious about what happens behind the curtain, this workshop is a brilliant introduction to the technical side of theatre. Children will work alongside the technical team, learning the basics of lighting, rigging and sound.
Here & Now – The Steps Musical
Happiness is only a heartbeat away with Here & Now, the hilarious and heart-warming new musical based on the songs of the multi-million-selling pop phenomenon, Steps. Don’t miss this sparkling celebration of love and friendship produced by Steps themselves, ROYO, and pop legend Pete Waterman.
BunkFest 2025
On the banks of the Thames in South Oxfordshire, Wallingford BunkFest is a free-access community festival providing a unique, family-friendly celebration with something for everyone. In 2025, BunkFest celebrates its 23rd year of life – from a small marquee in a pub car park to filling the KineCroft and providing entertainment throughout Wallingford, on the River Thames and the Bunk Railway line.
Festival lineup includes: Laurence Jones / The Red Hot Chilli Pipers / The Amy Winehouse Band / The Coverbuoys / The High & Mighty / Weekend Warriors / Evergreen / Lily Beck / Brook Ellingworth / Monkeyfists / Papa Nui / RSVP Bhangra / Maff and The Magictones / The Swamp Stomp String Band
Comedy Ladder – Summer Spectacular
Join Comedy Club for a red-hot summer spectacular of comedy in the air-conditioned piano bar. Plenty of fun and frolics to be had.
Cowley Road Carnival
Cowley Road Carnival provides a platform for artistic expression and a spectacular parade, embodying the true essence of masquerade. This uniquely colourful and vibrant community event will be back on the streets with plans that include the iconic Cowley Road procession, Eco Floats, Street Parties, and House Floats.
Marquee Square Heroes – Marillion Tribute
Marquee Square Heroes invites you to relive the shows that made Marillion one of the biggest bands in the world, performing the entire classic Misplaced Childhood album as well as other classics, and featuring the cream of local talent, including renowned musicians from the genre who have performed worldwide alongside members of Marillion.
Fair Water
Travel from water source to river mouth to learn about the water inequality that lies below the surface. Fair Water reveals some of the global barriers to water equality and explores how researchers, communities and policymakers are working together to shape a fair water future.
Guercino at Waddesdon: King David and the Wise Women
Over 350 years after they were painted, five paintings by renowned Bolognese painter Guercino are on display together for the first time at Waddesdon in a new exhibition. This historic exhibition spotlights one of the great painters of 17th-century Italy. See, close-up, Guercino’s brilliant use of paint to depict silk, flesh, ermine, paper, wood and stone. This is an opportunity to explore how King David relates to the sibyls.
The Oxford Shakespeare Festival 2025
The Oxford Shakespeare Festival is back for its 15th year! This outdoor theatre experience that takes place in the castle yard of Oxford Castle & Prison will see Wild Goose Theatre, BMH Productions, and Siege Theatre will be putting on marvellous performances of Shakespeare’s finest classics.
The post What’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this August appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
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