Hello and welcome to your invaluable guide to the best events, exhibitions and things to do in Oxford and across Oxfordshire throughout August 2023.
August is indeed, a wonderful time to be in Oxfordshire.
Enjoy the sun. Make time for brunch at one of the many local restaurants with outdoor seating, or grab a blanket, pack a picnic basket and find yourself a coveted spot at any of the numerous outdoor theatre events across the county.
And if you fancy venturing further afield, consider taking a cultural day trip to London’s west end on a weekend (the capital city is relatively calmer then) for a matinee in one of London’s theatres.
Need we say again that this is a curated list of things to do in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this August. Take a look at the “What’s on” section, where you’ll find a growing array of events in Oxford and across Oxfordshire, plus unmissable ones beyond the county that would make for a great day out.
Got an event that should be on the list? List your event on The Oxford Magazine website and reach our growing audience of people who live, work or place in Oxfordshire. Once again, welcome to your invaluable guide to what’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this August.
The Big Feastival will be back on Alex James’ beautiful Cotswolds farm this August Bank Holiday. This family-friendly music and food festival promises to be one truly unforgettable weekend. Expect a top-drawer selection of live music acts, some of the country’s top chefs, and plenty of hands-on activities for both big and little ones. The Big Feastival is for everyone, big and small.
2024 festival lineup (TBC)
Opening this summer, Wedding Cake is a 12-metre-tall ceramic sculptural pavilion in the form of a three-tiered cake. This major new Rothschild Foundation commission from celebrated Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos will stand within a grove of trees at Waddesdon beside the 19th-century Dairy.
Do you remember me… is a major new exhibition at Waddesdon, showcasing never before seen works by Catherine Goodman. Displayed in the Coach House Gallery and the Drawings Room of the Manor, the exhibition focuses on a new body of work, including a selection of her new paintings, drawings, collages and works on paper which capture the landscape of Corfu and its rugged, vibrant beauty.
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.