Banbury parkrun plans to run on Christmas Day and New Year's Day at Spiceball Park. Bicester runs both days too; Daventry and Chipping Norton are off both.
Banbury parkrun plans to run on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026, and on New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January 2027, at Spiceball Park. Both are declared with a tick on parkrun’s own Christmas Day and New Year’s Day table, read on 6 November, and the Banbury team announced both on its news page in September.
Bicester parkrun has declared both days as well. Daventry and Chipping Norton School are off on both.
The quick answer
- Christmas Day, Friday 25 December: Banbury is on, “subject to resourcing the necessary volunteers”, in the team’s words.
- New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January: Banbury is on.
- Start times: not published yet for either day. Banbury normally starts at 9am on a Saturday.
- Nearby: Bicester is on both days; Brixworth Country is on New Year’s Day only; Daventry and Chipping Norton School are off both days; Oxford and Abingdon have not declared.
Christmas Day at Spiceball Park
The Banbury team’s Christmas Day post, dated 25 September, says it intends “to host a parkrun on Christmas Day 2026 (subject to resourcing the necessary volunteers of course!)” and tells runners to “grab your Santa Hat and a Mince Pie”.
That condition matters. A parkrun cannot go ahead without its volunteer team, and Christmas Day is the hardest morning of the year to fill. If you plan to go, it is worth checking the event’s home page in the days before, and volunteering yourself if you can.
New Year’s Day
The team’s New Year’s Day post, dated 28 September, invites runners to “join the Banbury parkrun team for the first 5km of the year”. parkrun’s table shows Banbury on for Friday 1 January.
parkrun’s rule is that only one result can be recorded on each extra day, so you cannot run Banbury and then a second event on New Year’s morning for two results.
Which parkruns near Banbury are on
| Event | Christmas Day | New Year's Day |
|---|---|---|
| Banbury, Spiceball Park | On | On |
| Bicester, Langford Fields | On | On |
| Brixworth Country | Not declared | On |
| Daventry | Off | Off |
| Chipping Norton School | Off | Off |
| Oxford | Not declared | Not declared |
| Abingdon | Not declared | Not declared |
A blank on parkrun’s table means the team has not said either way yet. We will update this page as they declare.
Bicester parkrun
Bicester parkrun is at Langford Fields, Langford Village, Bicester, OX26 6SX, and is on for both days. Its course page says it switches to a winter course from about November to March: two laps on the tarmac paths to avoid the muddy grass, from the same meeting point by the middle bridge.
Bicester asks runners not to park in Mallards Way or the surrounding streets and to use the Langford Village School car park. Bicester Village station is a five-minute walk from the start.
Getting to Spiceball Park
Banbury parkrun starts in the middle field of Spiceball Park, OX16 2AY. Its course is fairly flat and multi-terrain: one shorter lap and two longer laps, with wet and muddy patches, narrow sections and small bridges. Trail shoes are worth it in December.
The course page says there are two car parks at the park, a large pay and display and a free one with limited spaces, and more car parks within walking distance. Council car parks in Banbury charge on Sundays and bank holidays: our parking in Banbury page has the tariffs. The nearest toilets are at the leisure centre, about five minutes’ walk from the start.
If you are coming by train or bus, our Christmas trains and buses page has the holiday timetables as they are published, and our roadworks page has closures.
What to bring
parkrun is free, but you must register once before your first run and bring a scannable barcode, or you will not get a time. Santa hats are welcome on Christmas morning.
Still to be confirmed
- Start times for both days at Banbury and Bicester.
- Whether Banbury has the volunteers for Christmas Day.
- Oxford and Abingdon’s declarations, and Brixworth’s for Christmas Day.
More of the season is on our What’s On in Banbury page.
Sources
- parkrun: Christmas Day 2026 and New Year’s Day 2027 events, read 6 November 2026, for every event’s declaration and the one-result rule.
- Banbury parkrun: Christmas Day 2026 and New Year’s Day 2027 news posts.
- Banbury parkrun home page and course page, for the 9am Saturday start, venue, course, car parks and toilets.
- Bicester parkrun home page and course page, for the venue, winter course and parking.
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