The best family events in Oxford this weekend! Don’t forget our Sunny Guide to Oxford with all the splash parks, lidos, shady walks and alfresco eating with children, plus our NEW 50 Free Things to do in Oxford.
SATURDAY 12th JULY
🥳Rusty Bike Street Party
Woo hoo! It’s back! Love this annual event and all that is has to offer. Nick Cope will be there playing at 12.30 and then there’s loads of fantastic local musicians, good coffee and craft beer. The fun rolls on until midnight!
🗓 Saturday 12th July ⏰12 noon – midnight 💴 Free to attend 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ Details on the Rusty Bike Facebook page.
🎉Witney Carnival
A fave with Witney locals and beyond and Witney’s biggest free family event. A summer parade (11am Saturday) with music, stalls, and a fairground on The Leys…lucky it has an awesome splash pad as it’s gonna be a hot one!
🗓 Saturday 12th July ⏰Procession starts at 11am 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ Details on the Witney Carnival Facebook page.
💦Barton Pool: BIG Open Day
Try the facilities for FREE! You don’t have to be a member. Enjoy FREE activities, children’s swimming taster sessions, classes and more! The family fun and inflatable sessions sound like lots of fun!
🗓 Saturday 12th July ⏰8am – 4pm💴 Free 🎫 Free sessions require booking ℹ️ Details on the Barton Leisure Centre website.
🐰Waterperry Gardens: Alice in Wonderland Orienteering Trail
Starting on Saturday! Follow the clues and compass directions to find the 9 hidden Alice in Wonderland characters, who are ready to be discovered by intrepid young adventurers throughout the gardens. Each child takes home a prize. Head to the playground on the lawn after for a run around.
🗓 Saturday 12th July – 1st September ⏰10am – 5.30pm 💴 Adults: £12.50, Under 16: Free, Trail and prize: £5🎫 No booking required ℹ️ Details on the Waterperry website.
🫧OPA Playday: South Abingdon (Ladygrove Meadow, Drayton Rd OX14)
Abingdon, it’s your turn! FREE fun activities for families with lots of local community groups in attendance too. There’s different activities at this one there is go-karting, art, giant bubbles, smoothie bike, Ride on Time, chemistry, zorbing, fire play and more.
📅 Saturday 12th July ⏰11am – 3pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See info in the poster here.
💦Abbey Meadows Pool
Don’t forget that Abbey Meadows outdoor pool is still open! We’ve been many times and loved the graduated entry point for little ones, it’s also fully accessible with ramp access too. Keep using it and they might open it much earlier next summer!
📅 Saturday 12th July ⏰9am – 6pm 💷Adults: £6.80, Children: £4.30. Up to two children swim for free with every adult before 10am 🎫 Pre-booking recommended ℹ️ More info on Better website or Better app.
SUNDAY 13th JULY
🚣🏼Falcon Boat Club Community Open Day
Explore the club, meet the team, and enjoy a relaxed afternoon by the water. There’s opportunities to try give canoeing, kayaking, or rowing a go, check out the new Boathouse and enjoy the family-friendly activities on offer.
📅 Sunday 13th July ⏰1pm – 5pm 💷Free 🎫 No pre-booking required ℹ️ More info on the Falcon Boat Club website.
👑 Christ Church Tudor Fayre
Experience the Tudor times of Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII in 1525. There will be sword fighting, falconry, music and dance. See how the Tudors viewed the world through astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. Try your hand at spinning and carding fleece, play Tudor games and make your own pilgrim medal.
📅 Sunday 13th July ⏰11.30am – 5.30pm 💴 Adults: £5, Under 16: Free 🎫 Pre-booking required ℹ️ More info on Christ Church website.
🪖 Oxford Bus Museum: Military Day
Wowsers! This looks amazing. I’ll just list what’s on as there’s so much: Oxfordshire Home Guard parade & display, half scale Spitfire on show, military model & aircraft relics from WWII, military vehicles on display, flags, costumes & competitions, paper plane flying challenge onto an “aircraft carrier” – great fun for all ages. And way more! This is their busiest day of the year for a reason!
📅 Sunday 13th July ⏰10am – 4pm 💴 Adults: £8, Junior: £5, Under 5: Free 🎫 No pre-booking required ℹ️ More info on the Oxford Bus Museum website.
💨 Wheatley Windmill Open Day
A lovely local windmill experience! One of only two working windmills in Oxfordshire – don’t miss this opportunity to climb to the top and savour the views! The mill is dated to at least 1671 and was left in various states of ruin before being restored by a dedicated group of volunteers: Wheatley Windmill Restoration, then Preservation, Society. Come hungry because fundraising coffee, tea and cakes are on offer!
📅 Sunday 13th July ⏰ 2pm – 6pm 💴 No entry fee but donations welcome 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ Details on the Wheatley Windmill website and more info and pics on our post here.
