The annual Bunkfest celebration is set to return to Wallingford this weekend, marking another edition of the Oxfordshire festival that has entertained crowds for more than two decades.
The event will occupy the town from Friday, September 4 through Sunday, September 6, transforming the Kinecroft and numerous establishments across Wallingford into stages for approximately 170 musical performances.
Pubs, restaurants, cafes and additional venues throughout the town will host acts throughout the weekend.
The festival traces its origins to 22 years ago, when it launched as a folk music gathering at the Cross Keys public house.
From those modest beginnings, the celebration has grown substantially over the intervening years into its current form.
Archive images from the Oxford Mail document the festival’s early days, capturing performances in the town square and various local venues, as well as events staged along the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway line.
The railway route, known as the Bunk line, provided the inspiration for the festival’s distinctive name.
Historical photographs from 2003 depict Rose Bennion and Mandy Trowbridge, both aged 14 and residents of Wallingford, attempting stilts during that year’s festivities.