UP TO 25,000 revellers are set to descend on Oxford city centre this weekend for the city's annual May Day spring celebration on Monday.

From the ethereal Magdalen tower choir to Morris dancers, breakfasts to big bands, here is our definitive run-down of the festivities ahead as the city prepares to resume a 500-year-old tradition.

Road closures

Several key thoroughfares and side streets will be closed to drivers from 3am and are likely to reopen at about 9am when crowds disperse.

They include:

Magdalen Bridge

High Street (inc. bicycles)

Rose Lane

Longwall Street

Merton Street

Queen's Lane

Singing from the Great Tower, Magdalen College

The Magdalen College choir will assemble at the top of the Great Tower and sing the Hymnus Eucharisticus as the sun rises at 6am.

The traditional hymn lasts for about seven minutes and is followed by about 20 minutes of bells ringing out from the tower.

Street entertainment

Morris dancing sides from across Oxfordshire, including Oxford City Morris Men and Oxford University Morris Men will dance in Radcliffe Square from about 6.15am.

Groups can also be spotted in Broad Street and St Giles later on in the morning.

Local high-energy band Sol Samba will parade up High Street immediately after singing finishes.

Meanwhile Oxford's festival band Horns of Plenty will perform at the corner of High Street and Queen's Lane and are likely to then move to Radcliffe Square.

You can also catch the green-clad Whirly Band in full flow on the steps of the Clarendon Building in Broad Street.

Highland dancing from the the Oxford University Scottish Dance Society can be seen in Radcliffe Square, just outside All Souls.

Breakfast and snacks

Cafes and venues across Oxford will be opening especially early - or even running right through the night - for hungry May Day crowds.

All night: 
Tick Tock Cafe, Cowley Road
Jimbob's Baguettes, Magdalen Street
Turl Street Kitchen (brunch from 6am)

From 4am:
Queen's Lane Coffee House
Patisserie Valerie, High Street

From 4.30am:
The Buttery, Broad Street
Rick's Cafe, Cowley Road
Art Cafe, Bonn Square
The Cape of Good Hope, Iffley Road

From 5am:
The Turf Tavern, Bath Place
Green's Cafe, St Giles
The Rose, High Street

From 5.30am:
The King's Arms, Holywell Street
The Grand Cafe, High Street
The Chequers, High Street
The Vaults & Garden, Radcliffe Square
The White Horse, Broad Street
G&D's, Cowley Road, St Aldate's and Little Clarendon Street
Organic Deli Cafe, Friars Entry

From 6am:
Quod, High Street
The Bear Inn, Alfred Street
George Street Social, New Inn Hall Street
Cafe Coco, Cowley Road
The Old Black Horse Hotel, St Clement's


Events

Those looking to dance away the Sunday night can head to:

O2 Academy, Cowley Road, 11pm to 6am

The Bullingdon in Cowley Road, 10pm to 5am 

The Jam Factory, Park End Street, 10pm to 4am

The Cellar in Frewin Court from 11pm to 5am


Early starters the next day can look forward to a mix of psycho-eclectic rock at The Wheatsheaf in High Street, or John Otway's annual May Day concert at The Bear in Alfred Street, both from 6am.