With more living traditions than you can shake a handkerchief at, Abingdon-on-Thames is the stage for a number of events that no-one fully understands but everyone loves. From the community craziness of our unique Bun-Throwing tradition to the day-long Morris marathon of the Election of the Mayor Ock Street, there are hidden meanings from the past in so many of the events that form part of our town calendar.
Swan Upping
Counting and checking the royal swans Swan Upping is no tourist gimmick but a genuine tradition in which the swans on the Upper Thames, which are the property of the […]
Runaway Fair
The fair for “runaways” who wanted a different master The Runaway Fair is the smaller fair on the Monday one week after the Michaelmas Fair in October. Abingdon-on-Thames has a […]
Michaelmas Fair – the longest street fair in Europe
The Michaelmas Fair was originally a mediaeval hiring fair for rural farmworkers to find work in the local area around Abingdon-on-Thames. Over the years, more and more stalls and fairground […]
Bun throwing
Bun throwing is an iconic 400 year-old tradition which is unique to Abingdon-on-Thames, when specially made buns are thrown to residents from the top of the historic County Hall in […]
