Oxfordshire’s biggest free music festival returns to Charlbury this weekend.
The Riverside Festival takes place on the Mill Field on Saturday and Sunday with the entrance off Mill Lane.
The free festival is run entirely by volunteers – most from the Charlbury community – with no major corporate sponsorship and it exists on donations, as well as food and drink and merchandise sales.
The festival, now running for more than a quarter of a century, will host more than 50 bands across at least three stages.
Bands playing the main stage on Saturday include Kanadia, Knights of Mentis, Arthur Turner’s Lovechild?, Emma Hunter, Black Hats, The Mighty Redox and Lovepet Horror.
On Sunday, music fans can enjoy The Standard, Alto Alto, Dead Like Harry, The Subtheory and Genevieve Miles.
Festival organisers say there will be ample car parking close to the festival site.
They said in a statement: “There is ample parking right next to one of the festival entrances at the bottom of Pound Hill in Charlbury.
“Please look out for the signs in the town. If you’re coming from Chipping Norton, parking is on your right just before you enter Charlbury.”
As well as numerous stages for performing artists there will be lots of food and drink stalls throughout the site, and people selling crafts and other items.
Thousands of people flock to the festival every year.
For those who want to take a break from the better known bands playing the main stages, they can try the busking stage.
The festival says: “In an unassuming corner of the Tea Tent, you will find one of the most talent drenched stages of the festival – the Busking Stage!
“Borrow a guitar, or bring along your own instrument, and sign up to serenade the cake munching masses.
“Homemade cakes and delicious refreshments available all day, as well as arts and crafts, music and merriment. Fresh ground coffee and paper cups donated by Missing Bean. All proceeds go to the Charlbury School Association.”
There will also be a children’s tent and craft demonstrations.
The festival is scheduled to open at 1pm on Saturday and run until 10pm, then return on Sunday from 11am to 8pm.
Supporters of the festival include The Lamb Inn, The Bull, West Oxfordshire District Council and Hook Norton Brewery.
Last month, The Bull in Charlbury was crowned the best pub in the UK by industry leading publication Pub & Bar Magazine in its annual awards.
The team behind the pub are Phil Winser and James Gummer, operating as Public House Group, who also run critically-acclaimed London pubs The Pelican in Notting Hill and The Hero in Maida Vale.



































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