Mothers’ Day falls on Sunday 15th March this year. You’ll probably already know it’s looming from all the pastel advertising, and indeed many big businesses are hoping to squeeze some cash out of the occasion. If you’d prefer to send your money in a more local, indie direction, and if the mum or mother-figure in your life is a bit more three dimensional than a floppy bunch of supermarket tulips or an overpriced scone would truly do justice to, then check out our alternative guide to Mothers’ Day 2026 in Oxford!
First, a wee moment to de-influence ourselves, with a reminder that there are myriad meaningful, fulfilling and free/inexpensive ways to celebrate the wonderful women who care for us, like some quality time spent together (or some rare alone-time!), breakfast in bed, a walk along the river, a hedgerow posy, or something handmade.
But if you do want to splash out, then read on for a few of DI’s favourites:
Flowers
For a handmade bouquet, of seasonal flowers if you choose, you can order online from Iffley-based family-run florist Bloomin Chic. If you’d rather see the stems to choose from in person, you’ll find both The Garden of Oxford and Jemini Flowers in the Covered Market, handily alongside purveyors of other things that make good presents (a book from Gulp Fiction? Speciality coffee or loose-leaf tea from Cardews?)
Dining Out
Of course there are the usual going-out-for-a-treat restaurant options, like Browns, who are offering a free glass of champagne for mothers, and the Trout Inn with Saturday afternoon bottomless bubbles and a Mothers’ Day set menu on the Sunday. You could also choose to head to brand spanking new, and super stylish, deluxe coffee house Kelpie Coffee at the Castle Mound, or enjoy riverside views with your excellent coffee and sandwiches at the highly recommended Paper Boat Cafe on Folly Bridge. The wonderful La Smorfia on Cowley Road, run by a mother and daughter team, will furnish you and your mum-type with very tasty (and coeliac-friendly) authentic Italian dishes and sweets. And for those of us who are craving lunchtime drinking and shoulder pads, on the Saturday the Slug and Lettuce are doing an ‘80s themed bottomless boozy brunch.
Workshops
If the one you’re treating enjoys writing, perhaps you’d like to celebrate by going together to a writing session at the Lamb and Flag. They offer free tea, coffee and cake, and a writing prompt, and it runs every Sunday morning so if it’s fun you can go again. Or if you’d like to learn writing techniques for calming the mind and bringing focus and clarity, then you can head to the Friends’ Meeting House on Sunday afternoon for the Healing Page’s meditative creative writing session.
For the textile artist in your life, the Pitt Rivers will be hosting two workshops on Bai Embroidery. Or, for singers, well regarded vocal ensemble Stile Antico are running a Come and Sing event at St Barnabas, exploring works by Guerrero, Monteverdi, and Tallis.
If your mum-figure is anything like mine, then she might enjoy a day spent coppicing hazels, with Oxford Conservation Volunteers. What better way to bond than working together in bluebell woods for the day?
Music
Music lovers have options to suit all tastes over the Mothering Sunday weekend. The Heath String Quartet are at the Holywell Music Room as part of the regular Sunday morning Coffee Concerts series. The International Song Festival’s Spring Song event will be filling Oxford with music for the whole weekend, with three evening recitals given by leading singers and pianists, auditions to find the next generation of song artists, a showcase recital in partnership with the Zeist International Lied Festival, and a study event on Britten and English song. The Isis Tavern, as it often does, will be resounding with gypsy jazz and swing. And at the Nest, Oxford’s cosiest space dedicated to women and minority genders, mother-figures can enjoy a triple bill of live punk, techno and metal.
Other Fun Events
To give your mama bear something to make her laugh, there’s improv at the Library pub on Cowley Road, courtesy of the Awkward Actors, or a duo of Tom T’s at the Glee club. Or to celebrate the general awesomeness of women, the UPP is showing Iron Ladies, a documentary about the wives of striking miners in 1984/5, as part of the Oxford International Women’s Festival.
Exhibitions
Whatever your mother-figure is into, you’ll likely find an exhibition you can enjoy together. The Weston Library is offering two free installations, gloriously varied: you can dance with Jane Austen, or skulk in the shadows with John Le Carre. At the Ashmolean, poetry, calligraphy and painting, the Three Perfections, are combined by Hong Kong Artist Pat Suet-Bik Hui and others in her field. And in the Kendrew Barn Gallery at St John’s College you’ll find the Oxford Craft Guild exhibition, featuring twenty local designer-makers.
Sport
If the mother in your life enjoys watching rugby then you could give her the chance to see it on a huge screen, as the Abbey Cinema in Abingdon is showing the Six Nations match on the Saturday night. And if she’d rather be taking part than spectating, what about signing her up for Oxford Kung-Fu’s adult acrobatics, gymnastics and tumbling class, to enjoy flips, kicks, calisthenics and handstands?
Retreats
Two weekend retreats are happening the mothers’ day weekend too. The first is at artists’ commune Braziers Park in the village of Ipsden (home of Wood Festival), where they are holding their community gathering which is also open to non-residents. The weekend's theme is Soul, and it will include reflective practices and creative exploration to support inner connection and a sense of belonging. Alternatively, for an altogether more bracing weekend, you could book your mum onto the Wim Hof method retreat, for ice baths and breathing techniques to gain calm and resilience.
Paying it Forward
If you’re parent to a small one, you could mark Mothers’ Day by signing your baby or toddler up to Brookes’ Babylab, where they are always delighted to receive new offers of help with their research into language development.
You complete stars!
And finally, a huge shoutout to all the mums who are doing the massively hard, rewarding, messy, exhausting, wonderful and vital work of mothering, especially single mums, mums of kids with additional needs, mums who are far from their families, mums who are ill, and mums who are finding it tough! You’re all awesome! And we send a big hug to anyone who's missing their mum just now too.
However, and with whomever, you choose to celebrate on the 15th, Daily Info wishes you all a very happy Mothers’ Day!
Photo credits: Bloomin' Chic, The Paper Boat, Pitt Rivers Museum, The Heath Quartet, Pat Suet-Bik Hui (Ashmolean Museum), Braziers Park