Colors of Oxford - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Oxford is a large city of students, colleges and universities. Many tourists and city guests identify the city with remarkable and world renowned educational institutions. The youth living in the city has greatly impacted the lifestyle of city residents and the culture of the city. Current Oxford is an established place of holding of different popular fests and holidays as well as global festivals attracting heavy foreign tourist traffic to the city.

One of the newest and most original youth events is the Oxford's Arts Festival which is attended by representatives of various subcultures. Within the festival tourists and city guests will witness popular music bands concerts, amateur artists’ performances and great exhibitions of masters of photography and pictorial arts.

During the festival the streets of the city of Oxford are filled with companies of mates clad in weird outfits. Young people walk in the streets and entertain till the late night. Only a students’ prom can compare to this event in its scale. The prom event is always followed with bright and remarkable fests, parties and shows and other entertaining events. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

One of the most interesting ethnic fests held in Oxford is the Oxford Chocolate Festival which falls commonly within first days of April. During the Festival the streets of Oxford invite city residents and guests to visit special cafés offering inimitable sweets and treats on the menu. Traditional truffles and chocolate bars, milk shakes and hot chocolate as well as tons of other treats made of chocolate by local candy masters are presented in full choice in the cafés. Many renowned bakers apart from the best candy makers of the city take part in the festival. Guests of the fest will have a chance to attend exciting lectures and make clear some points of interest about chocolate and candies.

During the festival the city of Oxford sinks into a unique sweet atmosphere. Numerous tasting events and master classes, new sweets presentations and engaging competitions turn the festival into an engaging sweet adventure. The program of the festival is annually updated and added with ever new events and performances. No matter when tourists visit the city of Oxford as they will undoubtedly discover a great cultural entertainment program to spend an unforgettable vacation.

No matter at what time of the year you're visiting Oxford, you will surely get to some interesting festival - this is a city where "something always happens". For example, at the end of January, it hosts the Oxford Music Festival with its wonderful classical music concerts taking place at the Wolfson College's concert hall. Apart from performances, master classes are also available to its visitors. Another music festival takes place in late September - early October and is called the Oxford Chamber Music Festival. Since there are so many participants that a single venue cannot accommodate them all, there are several ones. Among them are the Sheldonian Theatre, the Holywell Music Room, the Jacqueline du Pré, and the St Hilda's College.

There are four festivals dedicated to folk and medieval music in Oxford. Tourists arriving in late April will have a chance to witness the Oxford Folk Weekend, which is held in the central streets and involves music and dance performances. The event enjoys well-deserved popularity and is never complete without mass festivities. Listen to traditional English music at an accordingly named event - the English Music Festival, which takes place annually in early May and is always broadcast on BBC. Among its venues are various cultural institutions throughout the city, including the Holywell Music Room, The Sheldonian Theatre, and New Theatre.

Of interest to tourists is the Oxford Early Music Festival held in mid-May in large local churches where they play Baroque music in a modern arrangement, as well as the Banbury Folk Festival taking place in Oxford's central streets in mid-October. Traditional English music and songs familiar to every British ear, the most "Énglish" Morris and Céilí dances - Banbury Folk Festival is ready to please all fans of Old English culture. Among other music festivals, it's worth mentioning an event dedicated to religious music - the Love Oxford Festival, which traditionally falls at the end of May. The central streets of the city serve as the venues.

Those wishing to enjoy nature while having a good time and listening to quality music should visit the Wood festival, which is traditionally held in Brazier's Park in mid-May. In mid-February, guests of the student town have a unique opportunity to attend the multifaceted Turl Street Arts Festival. Students of the three colleges in Turl Street - Jesus, Exeter, and Lincoln - organize celebrations accompanied by great music concerts (including improvised jazz sessions), performances, readings, and film screenings. Another many-sided event is called the Audiograft and is held in mid-March. At this time, various venues throughout the city (the Holywell Music Room, the OVADA and the Modern Art Oxford art galleries) present temporary exhibitions and music programs.

The end of October is time to attend another great Oxford event - namely, the Oxford Beer Festival, which takes place in the Town Hall. Besides tastings of beer, here you can find a lot of interesting information on its manufacture and become a real expert in choosing a quality drink. One of the largest gastronomic festivals in the UK is the 3-day Foodies Festival, which is held annually in South Park at the end of August. At the festival, you can explore the culture of the region through traditional local dishes. They also like cider and wine in Oxford, as evidenced by such September events as the Oxford Wine Festival (at the Oxford Union Library) and the Bo Peep Cider Festival (regularly held on Bo Peep Farm).

Columns of motorcyclists, biker parties, masterclasses- all this happens in Oxford's central streets in early June at the Oxford Bike Week, which is famous for its incredible atmosphere. The Oxfordshire Science Festival is another interesting event to check out. Tourists can witness not only discussions, lectures, seminars, and masterclasses aimed at understanding science, but also street fairs and well-organized children's activities. The festival is held at the end of the first summer month. In mid-July, Waterperry Gardens become the venue for a beautiful art fest - the Art in Action. Here you can see a fine art exhibition and watch how artists do their work.

In March and November, the student town turns into the "Fashion Capital" for the Oxford Fashion Week. The venues are various local institutions where fashion shows from eminent designers are held at this time (Alexander McQueen, Valentin Yudashkin and Matthew Williamson often demonstrate their skills here). Among the cultural institutions are the Ashmolean Museum, the Town Hall, Malmaison and Randolph Hotels, and the Sheldonian Theatre. The world-famous FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival is traditionally held at the Christ Church College and the Sheldonian Theatre. Its program involves masterclasses, readings, and meet-and-greets. As for the dates, it is worth noting that they usually fall at the end of March.