The Leys Festival 2026

Name: The Leys Festival 2026
Start: 2026-07-11T12:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-07-11T19:00:00+01:00
Location: Blackbird Leys Park, Oxford

11 July @ 12.00pm to 7.00pm

Blackbird Leys Park, Oxford

Cuddesdon Way
Oxford, OX4 6EU United Kingdom + Google Map

Event website

About The Leys Festival 2026

The Leys Festival is back and bigger than ever! Get ready for an unforgettable day full of music, food and fun for all the family.

This is a very special collaboration, now in its third year, between a group of dedicated residents and a small team from the Cultural Programme at the University of Oxford who co-create a warm welcome of a day celebrating all the creativity and energy of Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys.

The Festival is called One People, One Place and it brings people together from across the Leys and across the City of Oxford. It celebrates all the bridges this community builds and generates a powerful sense of belonging.

Join the festival for a brilliant day in the park.

Highlights to look forward to:

Music, Dance & Spoken Word: Local experienced and first-time performers from Reggae to Hip Hop to Spoken Word, Folk Song and Afro-Beat, including Lionhaire.
A Dance Battle: Master your moves and get ready to put BBL on the dance map.
Affordable Food: Delicious food from all the cultures represented in the Leys, all £5 and under. A chance to hear the story of each recipe.
The Leys Junior Bake-Off, is back: Open to anyone under 18 living in Blackbird Leys or Greater Leys.
Arts and Crafts: Make a carnival mask, make a memory and hang it in the trees, or make yourself a Festival Blackbird.
Family Fun: Bouncy Castles, Spacehoppers, a Cardboard City and Traditional Games including a Tug-of-War.
Sports: Sign up for the Blackbirds Football Cup, for football coaching from Oxford United FC, rugby coaching from Oxford Quins, play basketball with The Hoops, or learn how to bowl with the Bowls Club.
One People One Place: Learn about the history of the estates, including the Windrush story, and become part of a living archive of our hopes and dreams.
Exhibition Tent: Relax with a cup of tea, see and hear stories that define The Leys, and learn about BBL icons.
And for the first time this year… A Silent Stage: Pop on a set of headsets and enjoy a chill-out music channel or the recorded voices of the people who make the Leys a special place.