FESTIVE lanterns and fairytale-themed windows are set to brighten up an East Oxford street in the run-up to Christmas.
Magdalen Road Studios and Pegasus Theatre are busy preparing for a mini “pop-up street festival” to take place later this month.
Residents have united with businesses, community groups and charities to host the winter event for the first time along the length of Magdalen Road.
Families across the city are invited to join in the festivities on Saturday, November 22, and Sunday, November 23, between 11am and 5pm.
Magdalen Road Studios manager Claudia Figueiredo said: “It’s a really exciting time to be working in Magdalen Road and the festival will be a chance to bring together residents and businesses to celebrate what we do and our ever-changing neighbourhood.
“We thought that the whole street would become one venue.
“I think particularly at Christmas it’s a time for coming together and celebration and the festival is a celebration of the community and neighbourhood. Magdalen Road is such a rich community.”
Streetlight will see bars, shops, pubs and cafes open their doors to host family activities.
Artists, musicians and poets will use the street as a stage, performing along Magdalen Road and inside its venues.
Festive decorations will fill windows of homes along the street, inspired by the festival’s Hans Christian Andersen theme.
Visitors to a pop-up winter boutique at Magdalen Road Studios can browse artwork for sale at up to £100 a piece.
Magdalen Road Studios manager Claudia Figueiredo
Magdalen Road Studios has been given £1,890 by Oxford City Council to work in partnership with Pegasus Theatre on the festival.
The funding was awarded as part of the city’s three-day Christmas Light Festival, taking place from Friday, November 21.
It has been used to hold workshops with local schoolchildren at East Oxford Primary School and St Christopher’s Church of England School, where pupils crafted Christmas lanterns.
The paper decorations will be hung outside Magdalen Road venues as part of the festival’s lantern trail.
St Christopher’s C of E Primary School teacher Laura George said: “The children have been very very excited. They absolutely loved the workshop.
“It’s good that they are part of the local community. It will be nice for them to see their artwork and so other people can see it as well. It’s nice for all these people to come together in a positive way.”
Creative director at Pegasus, Hestor Bond, said: “We think it’s important for areas of the city to develop an identity and a real community spirit, and this kind of event can really help rally and bring everyone together and celebrate the creativity and diversity of this part of Oxford.”
- For more information or to get involved call Pegasus on 01865 812150.
Our top stories
- Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here