ATMD Diary for 2024
Monday 1st January: New Year’s Day pub tour: Punch Bowl 2pm, Broad Face 3pm, finishing at the Punch Bowl with some music. Despite the occasional rain shower, we had a very strong turnout: 11 dancers, Mayor/Fool, Deputy Mayor, Hornbearer and 2 musicians.
Good Friday, 29th March: Love Beer Brewery, Milton, two shows at 2.30 and 3.30. A generous amount of free beer, which was most excellent.
Saturday 30th March: Abingdon Easter EggStravaganza, Market Place: two shows at 12.00 and 2.30, with a rest in the Punch Bowl in between. We danced round the Easter Bunny and had our photo taken with the Storm Trooper.
Sunday 21st April : Oxford Folk Festival: 1130-1200 Oxford Castle with Harlequin,1200-1400 Tunes at the Royal Blenheim, 1400-1430 Oxford Castle with Clausentum, 1500-1530 Radcliffe Square with Clausentum, 1530-1600 Radcliffe Square with Owlswick. Very enjoyable and the weather was good.
Tuesday 23rd April: St George’s Day evening tour, Punch Bowl 7.30, Broad Face 8.00 with some tunes in the Punch Bowl afterwards.
Wednesday 1st May: Oxford May Morning. Wonderful event as usual, the Horns joined the Jack in the Green parade after the singing from Magdalen tower. We danced on the cobbles of Radcliffe Square, by the Bridge of Sighs, in Broad Street and St Giles. Some of us made it to the lunchtime festivities at the Rose and Crown in North Parade.
Monday 6th May: Chalgrove May Day Festival, 1200 and 1330. It rained heavily after our first show, so we had to shelter in the Beer Tent. Our second show was done in the rain wth most people watching the dog show behind us, so we cut it a bit short.
Saturday 11th May: Big Marcham Weekend: we did two shows at 1.30 and 3.00. A hot day.
Wednesday 15th May: dancing for the new town mayor, St Helen’s Church, 7pm. The oldest surviving Abingdon dancer, Frank Jordan, was given an award by the outgoing mayor for his volunteering work at the lock for the past 12 years (and making it the most cheerful lock on the Thames).
Thursday 23rd May: George, Sutton Courtenay with Old Speckled Hen: a very pleasant evening of dancing with some enthusiastic locals watching, followed by a music session.
Monday 27th May: Harwell Feast, parade at 1100, 2 dance spots at 1200 and 1430. A long wait between dance spots which caused some stiffness.
Monday 27th May: Bampton (evening). After a pleasant tea in the village hall, we danced with Bampton Traditional and their other guests (Sutton Masque border morris and Luascadh Irish dancers) at the Horse Shoe, Bampton Manor, the Market Place, Morris Clown and finished at the Horse Shoe. A great evening.
Saturday 15th June: Abingdon Market Place, dancing for One Planet Living at 12.00 and 1.45.
Wednesday 19th June: Coseners House, Abingdon Arts Society lunch, 1pm. A very pleasant event with free beer making it even pleasanter.
Saturday 22nd June: Mayor’s Day. Result: Rob Charlton 75 votes, Richard Grimsdale-Yates 69, Chris Newton 44. Guest sides Windsor Morris, The Vale Islanders. 11:00 Polling Station at Brewery Tap opened, procession into town behind Horns; 11:15 Black Swan; 11:40 Abbey Gateway; 12:15 – 12:45 Market Place; break for lunch at At Ethelwold’s House; 14:15 Broad Face; 14:50 Long Alley Almshouses; 15:00 Brewery Cottages, Coopers Lane; 15:45 Brewery Tap; 16:15 Election of Mayor of Ock Street, followed by chairing and dancing (Brewery Tap); 17:15 Procession along Ock Street; 17:30 Mayott House; 18:00 Return to Brewery Tap. The Vale Islanders left in the afternoon and we ended up not visiting the White Horse due to general weariness.
Saturday 29th June: Drayton St Leonard fete, shows at 1.30 and 2.30. A very pleasant and traditional village fete, but a very uneven dancing surface.
Saturday 13th July: Westminster Abbey Choir School fete. An early start allowed us to warm up in the Sanctuary House bar before performing outside the abbey entrance then leading some of the general public into the fete. A couple of dance spots inside Dean’s Court at the fete with beer, burger and even Pimm’s in between (non alcoholic and vegetarian options were available…..). As usual, a very pleasant day out.
Saturday 27th July: LoveBeer brewery, Milton. An enjoyable afternoon as ever, 2 dance spots and plenty of free beer.
Thursday 22nd August: The Crown, Marcham. Two dance spots in the back garden.
Friday 30th August: Bridge House care home Summer Fair, two dance spots at 2.30 and 3.30. Very hot, very enjoyable, most of us were reduced to drinking ice cold lager. Among the other performers was Katy Kartwheel, an excellent circus performer and certainly the best Maid of the Mill we have had in a very long time.
Sunday 1st September: Wallingford Bunkfest. 1130-1200 Market Place with Basingclog 1300-1330 Railway station with Clausentum 1400-1430 Market Place with Towersey 1500-1530 High St road closure, (top of Kinecroft) with Phoenix. Another very hot day but very enjoyable as usual. Once again the fiddler with a cockatoo on his shoulder (Tim Marris) joined in the music.
Saturday 7th September: Bear, Woodstock, private booking for a Bosch international meeting. The audience enthusiastically joined in with clapping and cheering.
Saturday 14th September: Abingdon Heritage Days. Dancing on Market Place at midday, and a round of drinks in the Punch Bowl.
Saturday 21st September: Oxford Manor Care Home, Didcot (formerly Alma Barn) Summer Fair. Danced at 3pm. After some worrying weather forecasts, it turned out to be a nice sunny afternoon. Once again we did Maid of the Mill around Katy Kartwheel (see 30th Aug) – this time she had her whole circus troupe with her. After sandwiches and cake, we refreshed ourselves in the Mulberry.
Saturday 30th November: Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza: Parade at 1200, dancing spots Bath Street 13:00-13:30 & 14:30-15:00 and Market Place 15:45-16:15.
Sunday 8th December: Mummers, private show, Lydiard Park (near Swindon)
Tuesday 10th December: Mummers Out of Town Tour, Plum Pudding (Milton) 8pm, Cherry Tree (Steventon) 8.30, The Fox.(Steventon) 8.50, North Star(Steventon) 9.15, Red Lion (Drayton) 10pm
Thursday 12th December: Mummers performed at Loose Cannon Brewery then on to ATMD social at the British Legion
Saturday 14th December: Mummers performed at Oxfolk Ceilidh’s interval, Kennington Village Hall. They generously donated their raffle proceeds to our charity collection.
Tuesday 17th December: Mummers Town Tour, Broad Face 7.30pm, Stocks Bar 7.50, Punch Bowl 8.15, Kings Head and Bell 8.40, Tipsy Mercer 9pm, Earl of Abingdon 9.30, Brewery Tap 10pm
The Mummers collected a total of £901.39 for their charities BeFreeYoungCarers and Abingdon Carousel.
Click here for some 2024 photos