Saturday, April 28th onwards: Festival of Open Gardens

A total of 22 gardens will open in aid of Katherine House Hospice in Adderbury between April and July. The first garden to open on Saturday, April 28th will be Broughton Grange near Banbury, an impressive 25 acre garden. It will be open from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Tea, cakes and plants will be on sale and there will be a hospice stall. Entrance is £6 for adults, children are free.

Sunday, 27th May: NGS Open Gardens

The Steeple Aston gardens opening this year under the National Garden Scheme on Sunday 27th May from 1.00pm to 6.00pm are:

. Willow Cottage
. The Longbyre
. Kralingen
. Payne's Hill House
. Acacia Cottage
. Primrose Gardens
. Touchwood

Combined admission for all the gardens will cost £5, children are free.

The Village Hall committee is once again organising the refreshments for this event. The money raised for this charity goes to the Macmillan Nurses and other cancer charities. Half of the tea money will go towards these charities, so if anyone would be kind enough to bake or supply a cake or perhaps help serving teas in the afternoon for approximately one hour on a rota basis to suit you, please contact Barbara Brewer on 01869 340423

Sunday 3rd June: Jubilee Celebration

There will be a special service to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in Steeple Aston Church at 11.00am on the Sunday of the Jubilee celebrations. Everyone is welcome.

Saturday 3rd June: The Big Lunch

The service will be followed by a 'bring and share' lunch in the church yard (or in the church if wet) Everyone is welcome at the lunch, whether they have come to the service or not.

Just bring a plate of finger food, homemade or bought, and place on the tables for all to share. Such gatherings are planned nationwide, so come and be part of Steeple and Middle Aston's celebration. Bring a few garden chairs with you if you can.

Monday, 4th June: Whit Races and Jubilee Celebrations

The traditional Whit Races will be held at Robinsons Close, followed by a Jubilee Refreshment for those who have taken part in the Races and guests from the Valentine Club. The food will have a 1950s theme and the Refreshment will be held in the Village Hall from around 1.00pm.

In the evening there will be a Ceilidh with a live professional group and a pig roast. A bar will be on hand to allay the thirsty work of dancing This will be a ticket only event. Tickets will be on sale nearer to the time.

Thursday, June 14th - Saturday, July 7th: Deddington Festival

The tenth Deddington Festival programme includes events of art, literature and music; its aim is to bring together all ages and groups to join in a summer time festival to celebrate the local community.

Public events start on Friday, June 15th with a free rock concert in the Market Square. Other events include Open Gardens, art and craft exhibitions, a guitar recital, a poetry evening, a sing along, a farm walk and much more.

There's a 'come and sing' event on Saturday, June 23rd. Local musical director Martin Quinn will be leading workshops during the day, and conducting a concert performance in the evening. This year the chosen work is the popular Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Members of choirs from all over north Oxfordshire and beyond will be joining local residents to rehearse during the day. For the evening performance they will be accompanied by a professional band and soloists from the renowned Akeman Voices will take the lead vocal parts.

Saturday, 16th June : Church Fete

The Annual Church Fete will take place on Saturday, 16th June on Robinsons Close.

Saturday, 16th June: Summer Concert

Steeple Aston Choral Society will hold their Summer Concert in the Village Hall starting at 8.00pm. For more details contact Margaret on 01869 347346

Saturday, June 30th: Steeple Aston Festival Party

Put on your wellies, maxi dresses, hats or sunglasses and gather your friends and family for an evening of live music, fun, dancing, pig roast, bar and more on Saturday, June 30th from 7.00pm to 1.00am.

The adults only party in aid of Steeple Aston Pre School will be held at Robinsons Close. As well as the pig roast and live music in the Festival Marquee, there will be an auction of promises. Items up for auction include a weekend hotel break, a weekend in an Andalucian cottage with infinity pool, a four-course meal with wine cooked in your home by a Le Manoir chef, a Red Bull Racing F1 private factory tour, a photo shoot, garden landscaping and much more.

The live musicians are:
. the "soulful and emotive" Harry Pane
. Tallulah Rendall, "she can barely hide her star quality.this is avant garde rock/pop at its best" Richmond Harding. Alive is "a great album" Jools Holland
. Cooper Black - "eclectic folkbluescountrypop" from gentle and sensitive acoustic to highly charges interpretations of the obscure and familiar

Tickets cost £20 and include the pig roast and the live music. To book tickets and/or for a complete list of items up for auction (auction open for sealed max bids on 1st June) please email steepleastonfestivalparty@hotmail.co.uk, call 07795 072064 or ask at the village shop.