Entertainment in Abingdon

Housed in the restored ruins of The Checker Hall in Abingdon Abbey, the Unicorn Theatre is easily one of the most evocative and impressive theatres you’ll visit. The medieval ruins were restored in 1952. Since then the 100-capacity theatre has become a cultural beacon in the region, putting on a wide range of plays, events, live music, comedy and more, with plenty of local groups putting on their own productions as well as events from across the UK. The theatre recently added a two-screen cinema to its wide range of programming, with state of the art sound and light, screening the latest blockbuster action as well more alternative new releases.

Near Abbey Meadows and overlooking the River Thames, the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre is home to a huge range of sports and facilities including a gym, squash and badminton courts, sauna and steam room, cycling studio and more. The centre also has a soft play area, a wide range of fitness classes, family and toddler swimming sessions and over a dozen tennis courts including grass, indoor and clay courts. Non-members can turn up and use the facilities including the fitness and gym sessions or you can sign up to a full-day pass to get free-reign of the whole centre. The centre also has a creche if you need childcare and a large coffee shop serving snacks, hot and cold food and a wide range of drinks.

An annual air and country show, the Abingdon Air Show launched in 2000 as a small event and has grown into a huge spectacle that attracts over 10,000 people each year. Held at the semi-active Abingdon Airfield at the start of May, the event features over 50 aircraft and displays, a parade of vintage cars, flight simulators, live bands, family activities and more. Tickets are available from March each year, with advance online tickets 25% cheaper, while there’s a wide range of food and drink stands at the air show which is located less than three miles from our Abingdon hotel.