Bun throwing activities at Abingdon Museum

Details of museum fun and games during lockdown.

Buns on display at Abingdon County Hall Museum

My parents let me know that Abingdon County Hall Museum has a number of indoor activities to pass the time and keep you entertained during lockdown.

Among the lockdown fun and games are a bun throwing jigsaw puzzle and a bun throwing quiz.

The quiz is nicely tricky.

Throwing buns

We revisited the museum the last time I was back home. It's always nice to pop in and see the exhibits and have a look out from the roof when it's open.

The last bun throwing held in Abingdon-on-Thames was in November 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

That bun throwing was the 35th event since 1761.

I wonder when it will be possible to hold another bun throwing?

As a mass gathering and celebration event it's something that won't be taking place for quite some time.

It'd be nice to think a bun throwing could be held to mark the safe end of the coronavirus pandemic.

A look back at the World Bun Throwing Championships in Abingdon

A look back at the World Bun Throwing Championships held in Abingdon in 2012.

It's been eight years since the inaugural World Bun Throwing Championships were held in Abingdon.

The event set out to find the town's best bun throwers who were then selected to join the town's mayor and other dignitaries atop the old county hall for that year's bun throwing event.

Throwing a currant bun at the World Bun Throwing Championships at Abingdon Vale Cricket Club on the 14th April 2012

The 2012 bun throwing was held to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and saw 6,000 currant buns rain down on the thousands of people in the market place.

Abingdon Bun Throwing by Alastair Fear / Abingdon Blog

------------

The last bun throwing held in Abingdon-on-Thames was in November 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Bun throwing in Abingdon-on-Thames, November 2018

That bun throwing was the 35th event since 1761. The last bun throwing held before the 2018 event was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

------------

I wonder when it will be possible to hold another bun throwing event?

As a mass gathering and celebration event it'd be nice to think a bun throwing could be held to mark the safe ending of the coronavirus pandemic once a vaccine is created, distributed and working.

The first bun throwing in Abingdon marked the Coronation of King George III in 1761.

Bun Throwing at Abingdon Fire Station

A variation on Abingdon's tradition of Bun Throwing to take place in September.

This year Abingdon Fire Station celebrates its 50th anniversary and to mark the occasion a special bun throwing will take place on Saturday 27 September.

Bun Throwing normally takes place in the market place, with local dignitaries throwing currant buns from the roof of the old county hall down to townsfolk gathered below.

The Abingdon Fire Station bun throw will see buns launched from the Drill Tower!

Both my brother Jon, and Alastair at the Abingdon Blog let me know the event will be happening. Unfortunatley with such short notice I can't make it. I look forward to hearing about the event and seeing photos of the action.

The Fire Station's 50th Anniversary event runs from 11am - 3pm on Saturday 27 September at the Fire Station on Ock Street. The bun throwing will be at 1pm. Other entertainment, including Morris Dancing, exhibtions and a general open day will also be taking place.

More details can be found on the Abingdon Fire Station Facebook event page and the Abingdon Blog.

The last Bun Throwing took place to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on the 3 June 2012. The event was the 33rd since the first throw in 1761.

One of the special '60' currant buns at the last Bun Throwing in 2012

Earlier in 2012 the town had held the first-ever World Bun Throwing Championships to find the best throwing arms in the town!

Throwing a bun at the first World Bun Throwing Championships in 2012

Links:
- Abingdon Fire Station on Oxfordshire County Council's website
- Red Watch, Abingdon on Thames Fire Station on Twitter
- 365alive - an Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Initiative website
- Abingdon Blog