Leys Festival

THE LEYS FESTIVAL

SATURDAY 11^TH JULY 2026

BLACKBIRD LEYS PARK

12PM-7PM

MUSIC, DANCE, ART, CRAFT, SPORT, FOOD, EXHIBITIONS

The Leys Festival is back! Get yourselves ready for an unforgettable day.

This annual event in Blackbird Leys Park – now in its third year – is made by the residents of Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys and a small team from the Cultural Programme at the University of Oxford.

Our theme is One People, One Place, and EVERYONE is welcome.  All the food is £5 or under for a main meal and all the activities are free.   

It is easy to GET INVOLVED (link) if you want to host a stall, volunteer, or run an activity on the day.  Come along to one of our meetings – it’s never too late to drop in and have your say – or fill in a very short form (link) so we have your details and we will be in touch.

Highlights to look forward to:

Music, Dance & Spoken Word: Local experienced and first-time performers from Reggae to Hip Hop to Spoken Word, Folk Song and Afro-Beat, including Lionhaire

A Dance Battle; master your moves and get ready to put BBL on the dance map

Affordable Food From Around The World: Delicious food from all the cultures represented in the Leys, all £5 and under. A chance to hear the story of each recipe.

The Leys Junior Bake-Off, is back! Open to anyone under 18 living in Blackbird Leys or Greater Leys – sign up at the QR code on this page.

Arts and Crafts: Make a carnival mask, make a memory and hang it in the trees, or make yourself a Festival Blackbird

Family Fun: Bouncy Castles, Spacehoppers, a Cardboard City and Traditional Games including a Tug-of-War.

Sports: Sign up for the Blackbirds Football Cup, for football coaching from Oxford United FC, rugby coaching from Oxford Quins, play basketball with The Hoops, or learn how to bowl with the Bowls Club

One People One Place: Learn about the history of the estates, including the Windrush story, and become part of a living archive of our hopes and dreams

Exhibition Tent: Relax with a cup of tea, see and hear stories that define The Leys, and learn about BBL icons

And for the first time this year….

A Silent Stage: pop on a set of headsets and enjoy a chill-out music channel or the recorded voices of the people who make the Leys a special place.

Co-produced by the Leys Community and the Cultural Programme at the Sachwarzman Centre, University of Oxford.