Need some inspiration for what to do with yourself in Oxford this weekend?
Okay, so the start of August didn’t quite provide the summer vibes we had hoped for. But, didn’t mean letting all the meteorological hardships thrown at us get in the way of looking ahead to the weekend.
Now that things are starting to pick up, it’s time to get out there and enjoy the slew of excellent events and cultural happenings in and around the city this weekend.
And look no further because we’ve done the leg for you work and pulled together some of the brilliant things you should do or see in and around Oxford this weekend – you know, the kind of things worth making time for.
For museum nerds, peruse the permanent displays and longer-term exhibitions at the city’s iconic museums – The Ashmolean, the Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum.
Otherwise, squirrel yourself away in one of the city’s intimate art and cultural venues like the North Wall Arts Centre and Modern Art Oxford, which often put up a bold and ambitious programme of contemporary art.
For comedy lovers, you can treat yourselves to a Saturday night of award-winning comedy at The Glee Club in Oxford, where four superb stand-up comedians aim to keep you laughing until Monday.
Explore Oxford with purpose – whether you’re a local, new in town, or just passing through. We’ve got some rather helpful insider guides to help you get the best out of your time discovering Oxford – because we’re good like that!
If you’d rather head out of town, might we suggest a visit to one of our diverse and vibrant range of independent bookshops in Oxfordshire, where you’re sure to find more than meets the eye.
Green-fingered? We’ve a good selection of garden centres across Oxfordshire – perfect for finding ideas and inspiration, and for whiling away those tedious hours between brunch and supper.
Still looking beyond Oxford? Don’t miss the annual Thame Fun Fair that transforms Thame’s High Street for three days in September into a mini theme park with rides, bumper cars and candyfloss, or the Joana Vasconcelos: Wedding Cake tours at Waddesdon Manor.
We hope there’s enough here to pique your interest, but if you still have gaps in your diary, visit the What’s on section for more events, and be sure to check out our guide to what What’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this September.
Dispelling our monochrome idea of Victorian Britain. Rediscover Victorian society as a vibrant colour-filled era – from dazzling dyes used in chic corsets, bold experiments by avant-garde painters, and the flamboyant use of nature’s beauty in jewellery.
Boundary Encounters is a summer show of residencies, projects and live events at Modern Art Oxford, including new work from artists Valerie Asiimwe Amani, Julie Freeman and Harold Offeh. The exhibition features an interactive display of projects and events collaboratively selected from Modern Art Oxford’s archives, celebrating social learning experiences with creative communities living in Oxfordshire and beyond.
Discover more: Modern Art Oxford
The giving and receiving of gifts is fundamental to human societies.
Drawing on material from ancient Sumerian writing tablets to contemporary fiction for children, Gifts and Books explores the importance of gift-giving through books and across time and how this apparently simple act reveals wider interactions, relationships and belief systems.
Discover more: Weston Library
Ashmolean NOW is a new exhibition series of contemporary art, which invites contemporary artists to create new work inspired by the Ashmolean’s historical collections. The first exhibition is dedicated to contemporary painting. It juxtaposes the work of two London-based painters, Flora Yukhnovich and Daniel Crews-Chubb.