Daily Info's recommended events for the week ahead, Thursday 14th November - Wednesday 20th November
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From festive markets to remarkable festivals, plus drag, music and risk-free poker, this week's EP is all about fun!
For some, holiday shopping isn’t on the cards until it’s at least early December. But if you’re looking to spread out seasonal costs, or need longer to find something unique and thoughtful, there are a trio of Christmas markets this weekend to fit the bill.
First up, the annual Victorian Christmas Market is back on Broad St for four days, Thursday to Sunday. In this atmospheric market, traders are highly encouraged to dress in Victorian garb, and the festively decorated stalls will be dotted with live entertainment, from musicians to a Victorian stiltsman. In addition to the artisan products on sale - from garments to woodwork to condiments - there will be a variety of hot food and drink to help you stay warm.
On Saturday, Wheatley will have its own Christmas Market at Mill View Garden Centre, in aid of Four Paws Cat Rescue. Attendees can browse a range of thoughtful and handmade items across 20 stalls, plus enjoy the tombola and raffle.
Sunday brings the Oxford Etsy Christmas Market to the Examination Schools on the High Street. The online marketplace is a treasure trove of unique and intricate items, from jewellery to home decor, toys, art and more. With more than five dozen local sellers, the market promises an amazing selection of potential gifts.
Across the whole weekend is the Oxford Light Festival with events across the weekend for you to enjoy. It really is the perfect way to kick off the festive period.
And while the holidays are on your mind, have you entered our Christmas competition yet? We're giving away tickets to the best festive shows in town, from Cinderella at the Cornerstone to Hansel and Grettel at the North Wall. Free to enter, as always - click here for more info!
Victorian Christmas Market: Broad St, Thu 14th 12 noon - 8pm, Fri - Sat 10am - 8pm, Sun 17th Nov, 10am - 5pm. Free to browse, just drop by.
Four Paws Cat Rescue Christmas Market: Mill View Garden Centre, Wheatly, Sat 16th Nov, 10am - 3.30pm. Free to browse, just drop by.
Oxford Etsy Christmas Market: Examination Schools, High St. Sun 17th Nov, 10am - 4pm. Free to browse, but must book a ticket.
Oxford Light Festival: venues across Oxford, Fri 15th to Sun 17th Nov
As Madonna once said, “Music makes the people come together”. This is true most weeks but right now, in particular, we could all use a lyrical hug. And here's our selection for this week, starting at the Market Tap, for the monthly instalment of Market Tap Live. Here you can see some of the finest local talent play for free, with a tasty Tap Social beverage (this you’ll need to pay for).
There’s also the Traditional Irish Music Session, an informal evening of Irish music that takes place most Fridays at the Isis Farmhouse. You’ll find it a welcoming way to while away a few Autumnal hours.
Synth-pop 5-piece, Deco, tour to Oxford this week, having gone down a storm on the festival circuit, with their bouncy beats and raucous stage presence. Be sure to check them out for a spot of melodic joy.
Finally, November sees the 12th annual celebration of music from Oxfordshire that is the Oxford City Festival. Across the month there’ll be showcases of local musicians from a host of genres. Head along and you may find yourself watching the next Radiohead, Foals or Supergrass.
Market Tap Live: The Market Tap (Covered Market), Fri 15th Nov, 7.30pm, Free!
Traditional Irish Music Session: The Isis Farmhouse, Fri 15th Nov, 8pm, Free!
Deco: The Bullingdon, Fri 15th Nov, 7pm, Tickets £14
Oxford City Festival: venues across Oxford throughout November
Transgender Awareness Week takes place from Wednesday to next Tuesday, a time to show solidarity to our trans siblings and honour the legacy of trans people both within the LGBT community and the world at large. One of the ways you can do that is by showing up for local trans and non-binary talent, and SPUDS has it all in one place with their Trans Excellence variety show at the Old Fire Station. Enjoy comedy, cabaret and burlesque from a diverse lineup of queens, kings and things that showcase the true diversity of drag.
Meanwhile, the Jolly Farmers welcomes Kyran Thrax, serving non-binary glamour and a wicked sense of humour, with your lovely host Sophia Stardust as compère extraordinaire. Kyran is currently a top contender on the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, so if you want to brag about seeing a future RPDR champ on your local stage, act fast!
And the Oxford Poetry Library amplifies trans and other marginalised voices with their Di-Verse Poetry Festival, marking Trans Awareness Week with friendly and inclusive workshops, open mics, a full day of poetry and spoken word performances from local and rising talent and an evening lineup of nationally-acclaimed poets. Concessions are also available to make sure the event is as open as possible, so take a chance to find your voice and your community.
If you’re trans or have a trans loved one and require resources or support, Oxford City Council has a page full of useful links and resources, from meet-ups to mental health and medical advice. At a time when the world seems out to get us, we have to look after each other. Daily Info supports the trans community and are here to help in any way we can.
SPUDS Trans Excellence: The Old Fire Station, Fri 22nd Nov, 8pm. Tickets £12.50-£16.50.
Kyran Thrax: The Jolly Farmers, Fri 29th Nov, 7.30-11pm. Tickets from £15.
Oxford Poetry Library Di-Verse Poetry Festival: Cohen Quad, Exeter College, Walton Street, Sat 16th - Sun 17th Nov, all-day (10am - 9:30pm). Tickets £10-50 (concessions available).
There is fun to be had across Oxford in the evening if you know where to look! The Oxfordshire Drag Collective returns to the Tap Social with Drag Bingo mixing the much-loved game with laughs and drag to make it a fabulous evening.
Alternatively, you can try your luck at The Cape of Good Hope’s weekly Poker Night. This is a no-risk, free-to-play take on the game and is suitable for novices and more seasoned players alike.
And over at the Ultimate Picture Palace, the venue have a cracking Saturday evening planned with a Hong Kong Cops Double Feature. First up is Police Story, Jackie Chan’s star-making action comedy, followed by Yes, Madam!, which marked future Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh’s first leading role. Across three hours you get some of the most exquisite action set pieces, stunts and martial arts ever screened. You can book for the individual films but why not make it one big, high-octane evening of action.
Drag Bingo: Tap Social Movement, Fri 15th Nov, 7.30pm, Tickets £10
Poker Night: The Cape of Good Hope, Mon 18th Nov, 7pm, Free!
Hong Kong Cops Double Feature: the Ultimate Picture Palace, Sat 16th Nov, 6pm, Tickets £6.50 - £17
Do you have a special event you want to promote? We’re offering 25% off our What’s On box ads for the holidays - with over 8000 unique visitors to our site daily, it's a great option to get noticed locally.
We’ll create an eye-catching new ad that will appear prominently in our Coming Soon column and events listings - just email us your text, logos and any other instructions to [email protected] to get cracking!
Image credits: LSD Promotions, Deco, Krzysztof Hepner at Unsplash, Kilyan Sockalingum at Unsplash
