Prosecco in the Park Abingdon: What to expect this year

The three-day festival at Rye Farm Meadow was due to start tomorrow night, featuring hit movies on the big screen and a steady stream of Prosecco.

But it will now take place a week later after organisers expressed concern that the weather forecast featured possible lightning strikes.

A spokesman said all tickets would now be transferable for the festival when it goes ahead at the same location from next Friday, July 26.

She added: “With all national weather forecasts predicting lightning and rain storms throughout Friday and Saturday of this week, for safety reasons we have been forced to postpone the event, due to be staged at Rye Farm Meadow, for seven days and it will now be staged on July 26, 27 and 28.”

Event organiser and Abingdon resident Matt Bates said: “Naturally any postponement isn’t ideal and while we realise that weather forecasts can be unpredictable, the predicted lightning storms are enough for us to have to make this very difficult decision to postpone the event.

“Safety of our growing audience is always our first priority.

“Our event last year was such a success and with a much larger screen, live content and additional bars, food offerings and activities for young families, we really want to make sure that we stage an event that Abingdon are proud of – and we can only hope that next weekend is as hot and sunny as being predicted!”

Organisers apologised for any inconvenience and said they would transfer all tickets to the new dates - July 26 – 28.

Anyone unable to attend the new dates should email grace@arenasportslive.com.

Organisers say the event is ‘one of the most affordable’ festivals in the country.

Admission is £10, while a glass of Prosecco will cost £7 and a pint of craft beer £5. A bottle of Prosecco will cost £30.

After making its debut in the town last year, the festival has expanded to eight destinations around the UK, boasting a much larger cinema screen, new Cocktail, Craft Beer and Gin Bars to accompany the Prosecco Bar that kept last year’s festival goers entertained.

There will be eight screenings of films for all ages, including Queen movie Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star is Born, The Greatest Showman and Mary Poppins Returns.

The town’s popular 5k park run, which sets out from the meadow and finishes there, was cancelled last month when a food and drink festival took place.

But organisers of the Prosecco festival said it had been agreed that the park run should go ahead as usual.

The run, which starts at 9am every Saturday, can attract about 400 people.

At the second annual Prosecco in the Park there will be 10 all-new VIP garden areas.

All-inclusive VIP packages include the Private Tented Butterfly Garden Room, priority screen viewing, five bottles of Prosecco, five pizzas of your choice.

For more information visit the website proseccointhepark.co.uk.