University Parks is a beautiful green space located in the heart of the city centre. Primarily it is available for the enjoyment of members of the University, local residents, and visitors to Oxford. The policy of the Curators of the Parks is to make as much of the space available to those user groups all year round.
Throughout the year the Curators permit the Parks to be used for numerous charity events as well as offering an ideal space for open air entertainment such as theatrical performances and the ever popular Giffords Circus.
Parts of the Parks can be hired by individuals and community groups as a unique setting for private parties and events. Each application is carefully considered by the Curators. It is not possible to agree to meet every request and the Curators take many factors into consideration as part of the decision-making process.
To hold an event in the University Parks please download, complete the event application form and return to email university.parks@admin.ox.ac.uk. To discuss any request or find out more contact the Parks team.
While we strive to accommodate any events, we cannot guarantee that event requests will be approved in time if application forms are submitted at short notice. Please see below for our recommended timescales for submitting event requests at the University Parks.
- 0-30 people - at least 10 working days' notice before the planned event date
- 30-100 people - at least four weeks' notice
- 100-200 people - at least eight weeks' notice
- 200+ people, or events that are open to the public - at least six months' notice
The University Parks sports surfaces are managed by the Oxford University Sport Grounds Maintenance Unit. For more detail, contact Jon Buddington on 01865 557106 (office) or 07834 849435 (mobile) or jon.buddington@sport.ox.ac.uk.
Areas for informal games are marked in yellow on the Parks maps and with white poles on site.
