Oxford Entertainment

Oxfords nightlife centres around the student population, which in turn centres around the numerous pubs of the city. Simply wander along High Street during the summer and youll find plenty of entertainment. The town also has a reputable theatre scene, thanks in part to the students. Live music also gets lots of airtime, and Oxford gave birth to such bands as Radiohead and Supergrass.

Nightlife

With its thriving student population, Oxford has a huge selection of nightlife entertainment. Pubs are the most popular place to have a drink, and visitors are often pleasantly surprised by how authentic and relaxed the towns central pubs are. But as the night wears on, the scene often moves to one of the nightclubs where dancing takes precedence over drinking. The Coven, PoNaNa and Clementines are hot spots for music and fun.

Theatre and music

With many of Oxfords students pursuing thespian endeavours, the town is home to a healthy theatre scene. Local companies exist at all levels of skill and play in the dozen or so playhouses around town. New Theatre is Oxfords main venue for plays, comedies, ballet and even opera performances. The Apollo Theatre is good for visiting theatre troupes, and for standup comedy check out Jongleurs.

The live music scene is alive and well in Oxford. Everything from indie bands to choral church music can be enjoyed in this active town. The Old Fire Station covers just about everything, with live entertainment, a theatre, a bar and even an art museum. Zodiac is a hot spot for live music ranging from Celtic tunes to big-name DJs. Freud is a converted 19th century church that now sports jazz and folk music in its classy environment. For more cultural music, the Oxford Playhouse Theatre runs the Music at Oxford series throughout the year. Classical music and ensembles also perform here. Finally, you can always drop by Magdalen or New College to hear choral music every weekday at 18:00.

Festivals

Oxford has an impressive array of artistic and cultural festivals to keep things lighthearted in this academic town. Most of them occur during the summer, when the city becomes an open-air party zone.

• The Oxford Folk Festival presents dance, concerts and workshops at venues throughout the city over this fun spring weekend (April).
• Mayday is big fun in Oxford. The pubs open all day long and a choir of boys sings from the tower at Magdalen College at 05:00 to start things off (May).
• Henley Festival is an upscale event featuring a floating stage and spectacular events to go follow up the regatta which comes the week before (July).
• The Windsor Festival is a 2-week event featuring concerts, poetry readings, and childrens events with some events happening in the castle itself (October).