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May Morning 2026
01 May All day
About May Morning 2025
May Morning is an annual event in Oxford, held on 01 May – a tradition stretching back over 500 years.
A centuries-old Oxford tradition
May Morning returns on Friday 01 May 2026, continuing a tradition that has been celebrated in Oxford for over 500 years. Each year, students, residents and visitors gather to welcome the first day of May with music, procession and revelry in the heart of the city.
Music and ceremony at Magdalen Tower
From around 5.00am, crowds start assembling under Magdalen Tower, along the High Street, and on Magdalen Bridge. Students and fellows of Magdalen College gather in the college cloisters and atop the college towers in preparation for the main event.
At 6.00am, the Magdalen College Choir perform the Hymnus Eucharisticus, a hymn composed in the 17th century by the College’s choirmaster Benjamin Rogers, from the top of the 144ft tower. The choir also sings three traditional madrigals, including the perennial favourite Now Is the Month of Maying, alongside prayers for the city led by the Dean of Divinity.
When the choir concludes, the Magdalen Tower bells ring for around 20 minutes, marking the start of the day’s celebrations. A procession moves from Magdalen Bridge up the High Street and into the city centre, setting the tone for hours of dancing, music, and spontaneous festivities that bring Oxford’s communities together.
Dancing and revelry across the city
Traditionally, May Morning features Morris dancing on Broad Street, Catte Street, under the Bridge of Sighs, in front of St John’s College on St Giles, and on the forecourt of the Ashmolean Museum. Highland dancing can be seen in Radcliffe Square, between the University Church and the Radcliffe Camera.
Recent history
During the pandemic, May Morning 2020 moved online, with choir members recording remotely, and a similar online celebration took place in 2021. Following restrictions, May Morning 2022 drew enormous crowds, particularly as it fell on a weekend.
In past decades, there was a tradition of students jumping into the rather shallow River Cherwell from Magdalen Bridge, but this was discontinued in 2005 for safety reasons, after several students were injured.
Tickets
Good to know
- A crowd management system will be in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable morning for everyone.
- Look out for stewards and signage guiding you to viewing spots.
- It’s important to follow any instructions from stewards, who are there to help you and others enjoy the experience.
- Specific viewing areas for wheelchair users, families with young children, and those with buggies are set up in the Magdalen College School car park and Rose Lane.
- Expect road closures from 2am to 9am on May Morning, affecting all traffic, including bicycles