County's 1,000th birthday celebrations put
the 'Ox' into Oxfordshire
Wednesday 2 August,
2006
In 2007 Oxfordshire will be
celebrating its 1,000th birthday*—and everyone is invited. To mark
the occasion, the county will be hosting Oxfordshire 2007, a series of
over 70 festivals and dozens of special events taking place throughout
the year. Among the famous local names lending their support are the chef
Raymond Blanc and Sir Roger Bannister, who ran the first four-minute mile
in Oxford.
All the events in this special
festive year will carry the multi-coloured Ox logo. Drawing inspiration
from two famous local symbols—the White Horse at Uffington and the
City of Oxford Ox—the logo reflects the breadth and diversity of
the county’s cultural life.
Turning on their heads such
traditional images as the "dreaming spires" of Oxford and quaint
Cotswold villages, Oxfordshire 2007 will show the county in a fresh light,
making inventive use of public spaces and introducing residents and visitors
to new and exciting creative experiences.
Among the large-scale events
planned are: Oxford Hours—an exciting large-scale art installation
and urban ritual in Broad Street, Oxford’s finest public space;
Go with the Flow—encouraging enjoyment of Oxfordshire's extensive
network of rivers and waterways; The Faces of Oxfordshire—a celebration
of residents past and present and the different communities that make
up today’s county; Street Games—a festival of outdoor sporting
events; The Children’s Food Festival, also known as Munch at the
Clumps—an inspirational and humorous event at the Wittenham Clumps,
in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to stimulate children’s
interest in cookery, food and agriculture.
Other events will present music,
dance, drama, visual arts, architecture, sports, science and technology
in innovative ways and surprising locations across the county. There will
also be competitions, including one to select Oxfordshire’s most
successful entrepreneurs and a play-writing competition for young people.
The organisers of Oxfordshire
2007 hope as many people as possible will get involved and enjoy the year's
activities. Would-be visitors can find more information on the website
at www.oxfordshire2007.com
or by calling 01865 815525. Oxford Inspires, the cultural development
agency for Oxfordshire is coordinating Oxfordshire 2007.
*Oxfordshire was formed in the
West Saxon kingdom of Mercia in around 1007. The most rural county in
South East England, it is also the only English county to boast three
areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Oxfordshire has been birthplace and/or
home to countless famous figures, among them Alfred the Great, Edward
the Confessor and Hadrian IV, the only English Pope. Oxford, the county
capital, is one of the world’s most famous university cities. As
a centre of car manufacturing, it is closely associated with those icons
of motoring, the Morris Minor and the new MINI.
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