With the kiddos shortly to be let loose from school, we've packed a plethora of family-friendly outings into this week's EP for detectives, dragon-lovers and mess-makers.

School's Out

Kick off the summer holiday fun outdoors while the weather is looking a little cooler, yet dry. Waterperry Gardens (near Wheatley) have designed an orienteering trail for children to find the butterflies dotted about the gardens . The orienteering activity pack costs £5.25 per child and includes a compass, instructions and sticker chart. At the end, a prize can be claimed at the Garden Shop and they are keen to emphasise that each child will receive a prize for effort, so no need to worry if they have not managed to locate every single butterfly! Child admission tickets to the gardens are free, but they must be accompanied by an adult, who will need an entry ticket. Of course, there is plenty else for families to enjoy together at Waterperry Gardens (including the Tea Shop at re-fuelling time) and the entry ticket is valid all day.

Another stalwart of the Oxfordshire family-friendly scene is Millet’s Farm Centre near Abingdon. This summer, the Maize Maze returns , opening this Saturday! Made up of two maize mazes, a fort maze, and several other different spaces to explore, it offers a full day of fun, plus a whole lot of activities including ride-on tractors, (pedal) go-karts, giant board games and even musical instruments. The ticket is valid for the entire day and you are free to dip in and out once you have been furnished with your wristband. Towards the end of the holidays, Millet’s are holding a special maze-by-torchlight evening…see their website to find out more.

There are very, very few tickets left for the Flubber, Rubber and Slime workshops at Science Oxford in Headington, but if you manage to nab a ticket, this month’s Science Oxford club event looks great fun. This time, it is all about plastic and the future of natural polymers. Participants will learn about the chemistry of slime and even have a go at making plastic from milk. Can't make this one? Don't worry! You can still book for Science Oxford's regular Family Day also on Saturday, or look ahead to their summer holiday programme; do check out the Oxford Science What’s On page for a full listing.

For a family activity in central Oxford, take a look at The Story Museum’s new exhibition, Mystery Academy , which opens on Saturday and will run until November. The Story Museum opens every day during the state school holidays (closed Mondays during term-time) so this would be a good one if you find yourself heading into town. It is an exhibition that has been created largely by the ‘Story Curators’ - a group of young people aged 12-16 who have worked throughout the term, after school, with the museum’s production team to bring this to life. Mystery Academy explores the genre of detective writing and is centred on an original tale by Sharna Jackson with contributions from author Robin Stevens (of Murder Most Unladylike fame). It’ll have you solving puzzles and spotting clues, and promises interesting objects along the way.

Our most recent blog is all about the summer holidays - head there for even more family-friendly inspiration!

Summer Orienteering Butterfly Trail: Waterperry Gardens, nr. Wheatley, Sat 11th Jul - Sun 6th Sep, 10.00am-5.30pm. Tickets: £5.25 child + £12.95 accompanying adult garden admission fee (booking not required).

Maize Maze: Millet’s Farm Centre, nr. Abingdon, Sat 18th Jul - Wed 2nd Sep, 9.30am-5.00pm (last entry 3.00pm); SEND sessions Sun 2nd Aug & Wed 19th Aug 9.00-11.00am. Tickets: child (2-16yrs) £12.99 / adult £9.99 (pre-booking discount available).

Flubber, Rubber and Slime: Science Oxford, Headington, Sat 18th Jul, 10.00am/12.30pm/3.00pm. Tickets: £15 (child + adult, incl. access to woodland & outdoor Water Lab).

Mystery Academy: The Story Museum, Sat 18th Jul - Wed 11th Nov, daily from 10.00am-4.30/5.30pm (state) school holidays, closed Mondays during school term-time. Tickets: £14.50 adult / £12.70 age 5-15 / £6.60 age 1-4 (additional donation option available). Admission is included in the Galleries ticket.

Days in the Sun

Head to East Hagbourne’s Fleur de Lys pub for a long weekend of music, at their annual Fleur Fest. There are local bands, cover bands, and the real genuine D:Ream! Days are themed, with big hits on Friday, Disco and classics on Saturday (Miss Disco, ABBA UK, The Beached Boys and Jake Hanson) and SKA Sunday including the fabulously named Captain Accident and the Disasters. At £100 for a weekend ticket you can boogie the whole weekend away, and top up your energy with their extensive starters menu (seriously, we’ve never seen a menu to match it!).

More music, this time in Oxford city, as the Rusty Bicycle Street Party returns . Nine live acts take over the Hurst Street/Magdalen Rd junction, in a joint Truck Store / Rusty Bicycle venture. Start at 12.30 with Nick Cope, heat up during the afternoon wth Hot Sauce Rhythm & Brass, Papa Nui and finish up with DJ Skylarkin’ 10 - late. With Dodo beer and Rusty Bicycle’s food, take over the street and settle in.

For the next few Saturday mornings, hot local atelier Designs to be Different are taking over Summer Arts (the former URC Church opposite South Parade) with their Handmade Clothing Sale . We love their bright, individual aesthetic. Pieces are unique, sizing ranges 6 - 18, and prices are extraordinarily reasonable for handmade clothes! Add a bit of colour to your summer wardrobe that’ll get everyone asking where you shopped.

If you’re young and wondering what to do in Didcot over the holidays, head to Didcot Youth Fest at Cornerstone on Wednesday, for a totally free day of entertainments. Get a taster of all sorts of young-person-only activities you might want to do in the coming weeks, from sports, to music and art. There are pancakes, pizza and ice cream (again all free!) and no booking is needed. This event is created by young people, with support from youth workers locally, and is perfect for exploring with friends. Be safe, be independent, be inspired for the summer. This is for older YP, 10-20.

Fleur Fest 2026: Fleur De Lys (East Hagbourne, OX11 9LN), Fri 17th, 4-11pm; Sat 18th, 10am-11pm; Sun 19th July, 10am-9pm. Day ticket £40, Weekend ticket £100.

Rusty Bicycle Street Party: 28 Magdalen Road, Sat 18th July, 12 noon - 11pm. Free entry. NB You cannot BYOB.

Handmade Clothing Sale: Summertown Arts (294a Banbury Road), Saturdays until 1st August, 10am - 12 noon. Free entry.

Didcot Youth Fest '26: Cornerstone Arts Centre, Wed 22nd July, 12 noon - 5pm. Totally free! Only for 10 - 20 year olds (parents can chill in the cafe).

One-Two Punchline

A veritable who’s who of ha-ha continues to tickle Oxford’s ribs with the Oxford Comedy Festival; these are just a few of what’s coming your way this week. We kick off with Adele Cliff in Trinity College Beer Cellar, who’s working on something completely fresh with her new work-in-progress. Cliff’s pithy writing and approachable stage presence have earned her accolades aplenty, and now she’s turning her sight on love (and apparently, llamas).

Head back on Saturday to catch Hasan Al-Habib , fresh off the runaway success of last year’s solo show, Death to the West Midlands. Al-Habib’s material always pushes the envelope without feeling forced, combining sharp satirical takes on the current political moment with observations from his own life.

Then hop over to the Tap Social for Rachel Fairburn’s Vexy Beasts . This character based set places us in a salon in fictional Mancunian suburb Harpurbale, where the residents come to set their hair and air their troubles. With a new mayor and an influx of posh new neighbours, Fairburn’s set takes a wry look at gentrification, community and trying to get by in a rapidly changing world.

And no need to leave your seat; stick around after Fairburn to see Pat-On-The-Back-Foot Forward) , as Pat Cahill puts together his personal blend of askew philosophy, musical interludes and absurdist musings. Cahill’s style meshes old-school stand-up conventions with a likeably wacky, off-the-wall outlook, making this a great ticket for both comedy traditionalists and those seeking something fresh.

Adele Cliff - Work in Progress: Trinity College Beer Cellar, Fri 17th Jul, 9pm (doors 8.30pm).

Hasan al Habib - Work in Progress: Trinity College Beer Cellar, Sat 18th Jul, 9pm (doors 8.30pm).

Rachel Fairburn - Vexy Beasts: Tap Social Movement, Mon 20th Jul, 7.30pm (doors at 7pm).

Pat Cahill - Pat-On-The-Back-Foot-Forward: Tap Social Movement, Mon 20th Jul, 9pm (doors 8.30pm).

All shows are £9 for one show/£16 for both shows that night.

In The Spotlight

Bohemian 1930s France in the Uni Parks, a Torquay hotel at the New Theatre, and a school for dragons at the Playhouse.

Watching a Shakespeare comedy on a Summer’s evening in the University Parks must surely be one of life’s greatest pleasures. Oxford Theatre Guild’s production of All’s Well That Ends Well is set against the backdrop of 1930s bohemian France with a soundtrack by Django Rheinhardt and focuses on a woman’s determined pursuit of love against seemingly insurmountable odds. Renowned for its exploration of love, trust and morality, the play offers timeless guidance on how to navigate the complexities of relationships and personal conduct.

‘A young man, married, is a man that’s marr’d.’ is a quotation that could easily have come out of the mouth of long-suffering hotelier Basil Fawlty: a man for whom things rarely end well. Fawlty Towers is considered to be one of the greatest sitcoms of all time and now, 50 years since it first appeared on our screens, its creator, comedy legend John Cleese, has adapted 3 episodes for the stage. You can expect a delightful mix of misunderstanding, slapstick, cringe and some of the country’s most loved jokes about marriage, demanding guests, poor customer service and the etiquette surrounding the mentioning of the war.

One of Julia Donalsdon & Axel Scheffler’s most beloved creations, the accident-prone dragon Zog , has been enchanting children and parents alike since 2010. The stage adaptation is brought to roaring, soaring life in a delightful musical from the producers of Stick Man and Zog And The Flying Doctors featuring songs by Joe Stilgoe and beautiful puppets by Little Angel.

All’s Well That Ends Well: University Parks (Picked Mead, near the pond), 14th – 25th July. Daily (except Sunday) 7.00pm plus matinee Sat 18th Jul, 2.30pm. Tickets £17 (£14 concs)

Fawlty Towers – The Play: New Theatre, Tue 14th - Sat 18th Jul, 7.30pm (plus matinees Wed, Thu & Sat). Tickets from £20.

Zog: Oxford Playhouse, Tue 21st - Sat 25th Jul. 10.30am, 1.30pm. Tickets £23 (adults), £21 (under 18)

And Finally

They say the grass is always greener on the other side, but when you switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, it’s actually true! At Seacourt Park and Ride, Go Electric Oxford will be hosting a showcase of low carbon technologies for at home and on the go.

Attendees can test drive electric vehicles, find out how to make their homes more energy efficient, and explore the possibilities of solar and air source technologies. You’ll also get the chance to talk directly with electric vehicle users, energy providers and local environmental organisations about their work to reduce emissions. The event is drop-in and absolutely free (though spots need to be reserved); and if you’re taking an electric car out for a spin, read the T&Cs carefully and make sure you have all required documents to hand!

Go Electric Oxford: Seacourt Park and Ride, Sat 25th Jul, 10am - 3pm. Free, drop-in (spots can be reserved).

Image credits: The Story Museum, The Rusty Bicycle, Karla Gowlett, Hugo Glendinning, Go Electric Oxford