Oxford City Council is working with partners to prepare the city for thousands of people expected to attend May Morning 2025.
The city’s May Morning celebrations, marking the arrival of spring, have taken place for over 500 years.
Crowds will gather along the High Street to Magdalen Bridge at 6.00am on Thursday, 1 May, to hear the Magdalen College choristers sing the Hymnus Eucharisticus from the top of the Great Tower.
Hymnus Eucharisticus was composed in the 17th century by a Fellow of Magdalen College and has been sung every year on May Morning ever since. Following the singing, the bells of the Great Tower will ring out across the city for approximately 20 minutes.
Events and activities, including Morris dancing and folk singing, will then take place throughout the city.
Road closures
Road closures will be in place from 2.00am to 9.00am on Thursday, 01 May, affecting:
- High Street: from The Plain to just east of its junction with King Edward Street
- Longwall Street: from High Street to Holywell Street
- Rose Lane: for its entire length
- Queens Lane: for its entire length
- Merton Street: at its junction with High Street
Exemptions will be made for emergency services and essential access.
Crowd management
A crowd management system, successfully implemented in 2018, will be used again this year. One-way channels will be created on Magdalen Bridge to ensure the safe flow of people during and immediately after the event.
- Stopping will not be permitted in the channels.
- Stewards and signs will direct people to designated areas where they can stop and view the celebrations.
- Those wishing to move through or leave the event area will be asked to keep to the left.
If Magdalen Bridge reaches full capacity, stewards and barriers will prevent additional people from accessing the bridge from either side.
Bicycles – whether ridden or pushed – will not be permitted to cross Magdalen Bridge immediately before or during the event.
Designated viewing areas
Designated viewing areas for wheelchair users, families with young children, and those with buggies will be available in the Magdalen College School car park and in Rose Lane.
