What’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this September

Blenheim Palace is delighted to be hosting a series of exclusive watercolour workshops led by acclaimed Woodstock artist Rod Craig.

Welcome to The Choir of Man, the best pub in the world. Come ready to drink in the excitement. Brimming with hits from artists such as Queen, Luther Vandross, Sia, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns & Roses, Avicii and Katy Perry and many more.

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.

BAFTA-winning writer and recovering spoken-word artist Jack Rooke brings back his debut comedy-theatre show ‘Good Grief’ featuring the original show, some present day musings and a decade retrospective of Jack Rook capitalising on his dead dad to varied levels of failure and success.

Ruby Wax and Clive Tulloh review clips from Ruby’s extraordinary shows, tell scandalous stories never before heard, and take the audience along for the ride.

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. 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.

The Archers: Live at 75 tours the UK with cast performances, music and nostalgic moments celebrating the iconic BBC show. Experience Ambridge as you’ve never seen – or heard – it before!

Michael Spicer, the online sensation who brought you the award-winning viral hit The Room Next Door, brings another hilarious and brilliantly entertaining satirical stage show – Hope All’s Well.

Jon Ronson brings his latest book to life on stage, exploring mystery, crime and human behaviour in a gripping live show. You’ll also get a first look at what’s coming in the next season of Things Fell Apart, and the chance to put your questions directly to Jon.

The Rare Plant Fair at Adwell House near Thame brings together specialist nurseries and plant enthusiasts in a historic Chilterns garden setting. Visitors can explore rare and unusual plants, enjoy food stalls, and experience the estate’s celebrated walled garden and water features.

St Giles’ Fair is one of the most prestigious and long-standing fairs in the country, dating back to 1625 as a parish festival celebrating the feast of St Giles – it is held on the Monday and Tuesday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (01 September).

Over the centuries, it has evolved from a toy and children’s fair to a large-scale funfair, with rides and attractions expanding during the Victorian era. Today, the fair is run by Oxford City Council, drawing huge crowds for two days of traditional rides, games, and festivities each September.

Discover more: All the fun of the fairs

Holy Holy recreate the authentic sound of David Bowie with drummer Woody Woodmansey and producer Tony Visconti leading an all-star band through Bowie classics from the 1970s to Blackstar. Featuring Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory on vocals, the acclaimed live show celebrates one of music’s most influential catalogues with stunning performances and musicianship.

Lucy Worsley shares stories from Britain’s royal past in an engaging live event exploring palaces, monarchs and history. Prepare to be entertained, enlightened, and thoroughly charmed.

The Sustainable Fashion Show returns to Blenheim Palace as part of Sustainable Fashion Week 2026. Showcasing innovative local and emerging designers, the runway features more than 70 sustainable looks created from rescued, upcycled and pre-loved materials in the stunning Orangery setting.

Cornbury House Horse Trials is a new original eventing experience that promises to be a stylish, fun, and innovative experience for competitors and spectators from all around the world. Enjoy locally sourced and sustainable food and drink, retail with luxurious local brands, plus access to the otherwise private Deer Park and the wider historic parkland.

Experience an extraordinary piano recital from Grammy Award-winning Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson as he explores the timeless musical connections between Bach, Beethoven and Schubert. Featuring expressive performances and the introduction of the Schwarzman Centre’s new Steinway D grand piano, this captivating programme celebrates beauty, lyricism and emotional depth.

Paul Merton and Suki Webster’s Improv Show is an evening of sensational improvised comedy featuring fast, fabulously funny improvised games, scenes, stories and laugh out loud surrealism.

Join A Night of Laughs for a fantastic evening of comedy in aid of the Oxfordshire charity, Lawrence Nurses. Don’t miss Miles Jupp, Adam Kay, Lucy Porter, Arthur Smith, and Ria Lina for a night of sharp wit and big laughs – all for an incredible cause.

The team behind OxPHWOARd brings Toxic MasculiniTEASE, boylesque at its best – a racy romp of bodacious boys and satirical striptease, starring performers of all shapes, sizes, and genders, pushing boundaries and showing there’s more than one way to be sexy and masc!

Jon Anderson performs YES classics live with The Band Geeks in a tour celebrating iconic progressive rock hits.

Lucy Porter returns to Chippy with a brand new show about the power of letting yourself go – in every sense and using your midlife crisis to pursue new goals and reinvent yourself.

Tom Bailey opens his 2026 UK tour with a Friars Aylesbury performance celebrating the biggest Thompson Twins hits, joined by special guests Blancmange for an evening of iconic Eighties synth-pop classics.

The UK’s No.1 outdoor cinema shows come to the beautiful Stonor Park & Gardens near Henley-on-Thames. Get ready for an experience like no other in this incredible setting.

Join Miriam in conversation for stories from the new book, naughty confessions, and a no-holds-barred Q&A where no question is off-limits. Expect memories & mammaries, Arsenal, politics, filth, and absolutely everything in between.

Oxford Open Doors is a weekend that celebrates Oxford’s heritage and culture by giving everyone the chance to explore the colleges, university buildings and green spaces together with a range of heritage sites across the city – many of which are not usually open to members of the public.

Read more: Oxford Open Doors: nine properties to see inside

Henley Farm & Country Show is a fun, family day visited by thousands every year and this year features the spectacular Bolddog Motorcycle Display Team, Shetland Pony Racing, Scurry Racing, Grand Parades of Animals, Heavy Horse Parade, Farm Machinery, Classic Cars and Vintage Tractors in the main ring.

Sam Campbell brings his surreal comedy show Kid Giblet live, blending absurd humour with sharp observational wit.

Witney Feast 2026 brings the community together for a lively celebration of local food, drink, entertainment and family-friendly fun in the heart of Witney.

Lord of the Dance presents their 30th Anniversary, a combination of precision dance, powerful music, pyrotechnics, and emotional storytelling featuring over 150,000 taps per performance, with the dancers’ energy and passion promising an electrifying experience.

Transform Trauma Oxford 2026 by Masters Events presents Science, Spirit and the Body: The Synthesis of Healing, exploring how modern science, embodied practice and spiritual understanding come together to create a more integrated vision of healing. Join thousands of people from around the world who are advancing the future of trauma and mental health care.

Lineup of speakers includes: Gabor Maté / Bessel van der Kolk / Licia Sky / Tara Swart and many more.

MAN WOMAN, a visually striking dance performance by New York choreographer Vangeline that reimagines the world of Butoh for contemporary audiences. Inspired by Eikoh Hosoe’s iconic photographs, the production blends expressive movement, visionary costumes and an immersive electro-acoustic score to explore identity, transformation and female agency through a bold feminist lens.

The Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials is a must for any eventing enthusiast. It’s four days of eventing action, including Dressage, Cross Country and Showjumping, all taking place in the breathtaking grounds of one of Britain’s most beautiful and historic venues – Blenheim Palace, home of the Duke of Marlborough.

Get ready for three days of rides, thrills, treats and family fun as the annual Thame September Fair lands on the High Street. From dodgems and waltzers to hot dogs and candy floss, there’s something for everyone.

Learn to move with ease, fluidity and total control with internationally acclaimed choreographer, dancer and teacher Vangeline. Whether you’re a dancer, performer, or simply a complete beginner who is curious about movement and creativity, this workshop welcomes all. 

Fin Taylor, the King of the Internet Jungle, is back with his Pre-emptive Comeback Special live, delivering sharp, fearless stand-up on his biggest tour yet.

The Knights of Royal England return to Stonor Park for an action-packed weekend of medieval jousting, thrilling full-contact tournaments and family entertainment. Enjoy archery, falconry, axe throwing, street food and adventures at Tumblestone Hollow in a spectacular historic setting.

Experience the electrifying reunion of Formula One’s most captivating driver partnership, as former team-mates, fierce rivals and companions David Coulthard and Mika Häkkinen are back on the road for a live evening of stories, insight and humour.

Step aboard When the Blackbird Sings, an immersive promenade production that takes audiences on a remarkable journey through Oxford’s past and present. Following Paulette’s inspiring story from 1966, this powerful new production combines live performance, travel by bus and historic locations to explore identity, community, resilience and the people who have shaped the city’s history.

The Lemonheads head out on their 2026 tour, representing a significant new chapter for the band rooted in a commitment to their music and the community that surrounds it.

The award-winning Oxford Opera Company is back at The Playhouse with Puccini’s iconic Tosca. New Zealand-born Samoan soprano, Marlena Devoe returns following critically acclaimed performances as Mimi in La Bohème and Pamina in The Magic Flute. Be swept away by the majesty of Puccini’s music as Oxford Opera Orchestra brings this epic human story of love, lust, loyalty, corruption, jealousy, and revenge to life.

Phase | Pattern | Pulse features three audio programmes of Steve Reich’s compositions: Music for 18 Musicians, Drumming and The Sextets, offering an exploded 360° insider’s view of some of Reich’s most admired compositions, revealing the inner structures of each piece in fresh and startling detail. 

Experience an enchanting candlelit evening with the English Chamber Orchestra and acclaimed violinist Harriet Mackenzie, featuring Vivaldi’s exhilarating Winter from The Four Seasons, Vaughan Williams’ soaring The Lark Ascending and John Eccles’ beautiful Aire from The Mad Lover’s Suite.

Fresh from starring in the latest series of Taskmaster, Ania Magliano brings Peach Fuzz, a brand-new show full of jokes, confessions, and occasionally unhinged observations.

Explosive indie-rock favourites return to the stage with their signature blend of huge riffs, anthemic choruses and raw, high-energy performance. Expect powerful guitar-driven tracks, soaring vocals and the kind of urgency that has made them a standout force in modern British rock.

The Jeff Beck Experience is a celebration of the extraordinary sound, style and legacy of one of the most influential guitarists of all time, Jeff Beck. This is your opportunity to hear some of the most iconic instrumental rock work performed live, with a focus on authenticity, atmosphere and respect for a truly unique musical legacy.

Al Murray brings his brand new stand up show – All You Need Is Guv, with hot-takes for the masses and offering a much-needed truth tonic. With a fresh and frothing pint to hand, a barrel of laughs to pour from, and a flower in his heart, Guv is all you need.

Bringing his successful sellout and highly praised show on a UK tour, Astronomer and author Adrian West (aka VirtualAstro) presents a glorious visual and thought-provoking experience for everyone who looks up and wonders. Using amazing visual effects, The Night Sky Show will take you on a fantastic and epic journey across the cosmos from our celestial backyard.

Get ready for a night of raw emotion, powerhouse vocals and thunderous guitars as Love Hurts – Rock Anthems and Power Ballads storms across the UK in 2026.

Tom Davis is back on the road with his fully loaded show Spudgun, firing out his freshly cooked observations on life’s hot topics.

David Essex returns to the stage with his ‘Thanks for the Memories’ tour in September 2026, celebrating decades of music, theatre and performance in a must-see live show for fans old and new.

Comedy star Urzila Carlson heads to the UK in 2026 with her new show Fatty on a Yacht, blending deadpan humour and sharp observations on identity, belonging and life’s awkward moments.

Out of the Deep is a family-friendly specimen handling and exploration of the underwater world of marine reptiles.

Join Family-Friendly Sundays for free sessions including nature-themed activities, creative crafts, family-friendly trails and more, all provided by the museum’s volunteers.

Step back into the golden age of the Great Western Railway at this 21-acre living museum, where trains from Victorian times to the 1960s bring railway history to life. Explore historic engine sheds, restored locomotives, interactive signalling displays and wartime exhibits, with the rare chance to see steam-era engineering up close in a quieter, immersive setting.

Meet the four-legged and feathered summer guests this summer as the Walled Garden comes alive with the sights, sounds and snuffles of the Marlborough Mini Farm.

Camp Tumblestone arrives at Tumblestone Hollow with a brand-new outdoor adventure included in every summer holiday ticket. Families can enjoy giant garden games, an agility trail, imaginative play in the teepee camp area and even more exciting activities alongside the popular adventure playground.

Developed through research into the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments at the University of Oxford, the exhibition brings together sound, video and photography to consider what is revealed and concealed through the collection, preservation and display of musical instruments. At its centre is a new sound work created using recordings of historic instruments from the collection.

Blenheim Palace presents Life Through a Royal Lens, a major photography exhibition tracing the Royals’ enduring relationship with the camera, from the reign of Queen Victoria to the present day.

The Bodleian Libraries’ Wonder of Birds exhibition explores art, science and culture through the lens of avian life. Featuring rare archives, manuscripts and immersive sound, it invites visitors to reflect on both the beauty of birds and their decline.

Join Pip & Posy’s Treehouse Trail in Adventure Play on an adventure to solve the mystery of the missing toy Piggy!