https://www.windowwanderland.com/area/wantage-grove

Wantage and Grove Window Wanderland, Wantage Town Centre, Wantage (2026)

23/12/2020

Firstly, a HUGE thank you to everyone who took part in the very FIRST Wantage Window Wanderland Event 🎄 (including Grove and Surrounding Villages). This has been something of minor miracle to get a large scale event organised from start to finish in just 3 weeks (as it normally takes 3 months) 😆

So, without further ado, 🥁🥁🥁🥁the Winners 🥇and Highly Commended 🏅 in The awards go to...

Creations - Winner - Best Window display (own creation)
Room for Beauty - Highly Commended - Best Window display (own creation)

Motorlux - Winner - Best Window display (Window Art Volunteer)
The Cutting Bar - Highly Commended - Best Window display (Window Art Volunteer)

Jasmine Blanshard Whitton - Winner - Best Window display (Artist Volunteer)
Nicola Coad - Highly Commended - Best Window display (Artist Volunteer)

Best Overall Winner
Now then, Before we announce this it has to be said, The Mayor was always going to have a really tough choice with all the amazing displays created in such a short time, to such a high standard. So, it was agreed, that in a truly remarkable year, it would be allowable for our Mayor, Major James Sibbald, to choose 2 overall Winners. The 2 windows and designs are so distinct from each other, we think you’ll agree, creating more winners in this event is a good thing.

So...🥁🥁🥁🥁
Overall Winner(s)
Wildwood with Helen Towrie and Charlton junior school Year 6 pupils Sophie Dorien, Daniel Trinder, Lily Radulovic.
Barclays Bank with King Alfreds Academy Art Department. Represented by Hannah Newton - Director of Creative Arts and Design

Please note that after the event finished today at 5pm, it wasn’t possible for The Mayor and Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairman Richard Shepherd to get round to all the winners, so, we will be posting more photos of presentations in due course when they happen.

Finally, a huge thank you to Wantage Silver Band 🎺and Benny Guitar Smith 🎸for their much appreciated musical entertainment, and, on that note 🎶 we will have another epic music legend 🤘 supporting this event to announce soon, along with another announcement! Crikey, how much more excitement can we take! (Spoiler alert Steve Jones Drum Tuition 🥁🥁🥁😉)
Well, for now, a very Happy Christmas from
stay safe and go well.🎅🏻⛄️❄️🎄xx

22/12/2020

Some more pics of beautiful window displays. You can see these around Wantage Town, along with many more, and although the event officially finishes tomorrow, we know many will be continued to be displayed for a while yet.
Tomorrow the will judge the winners🏆, and we sure don’t envy that job, so many amazing creations of window art.🤩 All those signed up to the event page are included in the judges list, but, we just love so many other displays, we wanted to show what’s on offer locally as you walk around our fabulous town.
Thank you Jasmine B Photography for the beautiful photographs. 😘

18/12/2020

Finally, the Wantage & District Chamber of Commerce Christmas 2020 outdoor Art Gallery event Wantage Winter Window Wanderland is here!🎊🎉
Starting at 2pm today, until 5pm on 23rd December.
For visitors and Wanderers, please download the map, which lists where locations are displaying their Window Art.
Window Creators, it’s not too late, just follow the instructions on www.windowwanderland.com on our event page, and you can be added anytime.
After a really pants year, hope to end your year with something really lovely to enjoy, in a covid safe way.
Merry Christmas 🎅🏻❄️⛄️ and stay safe.x

17/12/2020

The last post...before the event officially opens at 2pm tomorrow!🥳
First, Something a bit different, 2 canvas pictures (of 6 pieces), by 2 x year 8 King Alfreds Academy art students, Holly and Ellie in Dolphin Art Gallery.
Despite a previous shout out for budding/established artists to use the window to display their work in this Art Gallery picture window, we had no volunteers😱😮, so, we are very grateful to this pair for buying materials, thinking up designs, and creating 6 pieces in just 3 hours, straight after school, less than 48 hours ago🤪😅.
Not the usual artwork to be found in Dolphin, but, the wonderful Rob has displayed them beautifully. If you haven’t been into the ONLY Art Gallery 🖼 in Wantage, please do have a look at the recent expansion, the interior is completely transformed, and, the art displays are head turning👀.
Also, Check out the display in Cleggs, another beautiful piece by Nicola Coad. We can’t add much more to what we’ve already said about the brilliant Cleggs, and The amazing Cutting Bar, but, the designs Nicola has done are so pretty we wanted to give you a sneak peek😊.
A hidden gem, Elsewhere salon is tucked out of the way behind Barclays Bank, one of many amazing hairdressers ✂️ in Wantage, Zoe signed up as a Creator today! She is one of a handful of High street hairdressers who work alone, and her salon aims to be as sustainable as possible, and with products that are sulphate and parabens free. We can’t not mention the stunning pom-pom wreath in the salon (you’ll have to actually go and look through the window to see it 😉)
Last, but not least, is the very pretty chalk work, by Nicola Coad, at the brand new charity shop, Sobell House. The new manager, Valeria, is just such a sweetheart🥰, and we are so pleased to bring attention to the great work that Sobell House does. When you spend money in this shop you are providing resources and support for specialist palliative care. In any year this is a very much needed service, but this year, more than ever. So, do pop in and experience the warm welcome from the lovely staff. 🤩
And...drum roll...🥁🥁🥁🥁 in Market Place is expecting a special delivery tomorrow...what could be appearing in their windows? 🧐Here’s a clue, its characters 🦊🦉🐭are from a story book that’s sold millions of copies, won several prizes for children’s literature📚, developed into plays in the west end and Broadway, and...a theme park ride! Even though this impressive and much loved Wine Bar 🍷 welcomes a more adult audience inside, parents and children 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 will certainly enjoy the view from the outside. Which is brilliant, since 30Something have an outdoor covered area with outdoor seating and table service, so, do pop down for a drink/substantial meal 🧀🥖🍱 in this unique local licensed premises.
If you are taking part in this event, and we haven’t mentioned you yet, fear not, Penny Locke, roving reporter of Penny Post will be touring the local area tomorrow afternoon creating a video of the event. Then, on Saturday, our artist, of the much anticipated MotorLux window Jasmine B Photography will be photographing displays on Saturday. The event runs until 23rd December, so, plenty of time for us and the Wanderers to get round to see you all.
Ok, that’s all folks, until tomorrow, the Wantage and Grove Window Wanderland have worked their socks off to get this show on the road in just 3 weeks.
Je suis knackered, as they say in France. Until tomorrow...👋💋

17/12/2020

Morning Campers! Well, are super excited today, as we are making the final preparations for tomorrow’s start of the event!😃
Lots more windows to see on the Wanderland trail between 18-23 December.
Lets just take a peek at 2 more recent additions...
Campbells Opticians 👓in Market Place have created their own beautiful window displays, cleverly making each window very different, for 2 Window art creations, and we loved the spectacle cases hanging from the Christmas tree🎄, a bit of fun!😊
Did you know the business was established in 1935? and still going strong, with an excellent aftercare service 👌
The Mind Charity Shop in Market Place is a real treasure trove of good quality preloved clothes and gifts. Now we all know that this year has been particularly hard on many people’s mental health and emotional well-being. So, did you know, when you buy from this shop, you are contributing to the resources of a national charity that are pulling out all the stops 👏👏to help those who need a little bit of peace and relaxation 🧘during this time.
And, take a look at their window display, they have beautified their own brand of Christmas string, with handmade art creations from Charlton School year 2!😍 Another super hero Teacher, we thank Mrs Goodman for taking on the challenge, literally just a few days ago, and we wish to pass on our thanks to all those little people who made this happen.🤗👏👏
And, heads up, there are other windows in town also preparing their window displays of Charlton Year 2 window art 👀 this space!
All we can say is, we don’t envy the who took on the job of judging all the event displays...😬😎🥰

16/12/2020

So you probably noticed the event is called The Wantage AND Grove Window Wanderland. So, without further ado, here’s a Wanderland first, not just a window decoration🌌, but an ENTIRE house🏡! 😍Actually, make that TWO houses! 😮
The wonderful residents of Grove are joining in the fun!
To register your house (In Wantage, Grove, Surrounding Villages all welcome) on the map for our Wanderers to enjoy, please go to www.windowwanderland.com and register as a creator in the Wantage event listing.

16/12/2020

Things are moving at pace (aren’t they all in these corona times!), but, for once, this is good news! Because...we have another 2 art windows on the map!🥳
Here we have 2 little gems 💎 in Grove Street.
First up is Snob & Lock, a brilliant shop run by the warm amd welcoming, husband and wife, Team Richard and Samantha, providing a knowledgable, first class experience for all locksmith 🗝🔐and cobbler services👞👢
Did you know they also sell high quality leather gifts such as bags 👜and purses👛, and, an engraving service for metal and glassware.
New this year are funky covid masks😷. Another ‘must visit’ gift shop in town.
And, just look at their beautiful own designed window display, a picture postcard this season ❄️❄️❄️
Next is Cartridge UK, run by the unflappable, chilled out, cheerful Bryan. Another one stop shop, this time for all your printing🖨 laminating, binding and cartridge needs. Expect a very caring and personalised service here, plus extensive knowledge with their very own Printer Clinic.
Bryan’s window has been created by local Artist👩🏻‍🎨 Nicola Coad. Originally from London, she moved to Wantage in 1986 when her Dad, a lorry driver, drove through Wantage on his way back to London and liked the look of it. A former King Alfreds student, she works at the Culham UKAEA. Her passion is window art🎨🪟, and she will be creating more designs for this event, so, keep 👀 for them.

16/12/2020

Another drum roll 🥁🥁🥁🥁 and Ta Da! A window made up of 60 mini windows 🤩
A huge thank you to Barclays UK Wantage branch for hosting this epic display by the Creative Arts and Design department at
Run by the super helpful, jolly manager, Chris Hall, Chamber member Barclays have been supportive of this event from the start.
King Alfreds has had to cope with so much this year, just like all the schools, but, in just 3 weeks before the end of term, with everything that needs to be done by 17th December, they accepted our request to support this event with gusto🙌🏻. But hey, that’s King Alfreds Academy for you, a forward thinking, community supporting, first class educational establishment once again showing what a school can do. Special thanks to Hannah Newton, Roxy Boulter, Flora Nuttgens and all those in the art department that made this happen, heroes, every one of them 👊👏👏😍
And, here’s news just in, the fabulous, groovy, awesome JACKfm Oxfordshire are supporting this event through their page. If you didn’t know, they play some of THE BEST music🎶, especially from the 1980’s (best music era, in our humble opinion 😉) AND they have 3 radio stations to choose from! Tune in, and experience this fun loving bunch, it’s as easy as 123 with radio stations Jack, Jack2, Jack3. Simples 😊

16/12/2020

Somethings happening here today...👀👀👀 keep your eyes peeled this afternoon...

15/12/2020

Here’s another couple of Window Displays in Mill Street.
First up is The Buzz Café 🐝 managed and owned by the hard working, super kind and talented Karen. The daily homemade food is DELICIOUS!Family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦and dog 🐶 friendly, it’s a brilliant place for a tasty meal🍲, snack🥪 or hot drink☕️. Did you know they offer takeaway and catering too? Another local option to take away the stress and strain of cooking for the family this Christmas 🎅🏻.
Their crepes 🥞and frozen yoghurts🍨 are extremely popular with the kids as a special treat too😋.
The Toy Planet - Wantage is something of a local success story. Run by the perennially enthusiastic and delightful Steve Taylor, he and his team are an infinite font of knowledge on all things retro gaming👾 and toys🤖. Currently franchising their business, there will soon be more Toy Planets all over the place!
Another place to shop locally for gifts, they currently have in stock a wide range of video games🎮, collectibles 🎰 and Lego. And, they are open every single day, right up to 5pm on Christmas Eve (worth knowing for that last minute purchase, plus they do gift vouchers too 😉).
Finally a BIG 🙌🏻 to Green & Co in Market Place for donating the Over all Winner prize for the Wantage Window Wanderland event👏👏👏 we can’t wait until 23rd December to find out who that will be!🎉

14/12/2020

Well, what can we say😍...simply blown away by the amazing talent of local artist Helen Towrie👩🏻‍🎨. She requested this window at Wildwood to create her artistic vision of a ‘Reflection of King Alfreds Statue’.
From inspiration, to, installation in just a matter of days, this work of art is a much welcome addition to this years event. Thank you Helen for volunteering your awesome skills!❤️

14/12/2020

Its monday! Only 4 more sleeps to go...
And, we are excited to discover what will appear in this window today....stay tuned for more info...
Now then, the volunteers at have tried their very best to get round everybody, to explain the event starting this Friday.
But, if we haven’t seen you, or, if we have popped by and left a message but haven’t heard back, or, you were closed when we were in you’re locality, we hope we have given enough info on this page to explain what it is about, so you can sign up.
It’s really easy to sign up your shop/business and put your window display on the map.
Please go to www.windowwanderland.com find the Wantage event page, and follow the instructions.
We are now FULLY BOOKED for this years group of volunteer window decorators🧑🏻‍🎨, so we can’t take on any more windows🪟 to design and create, so, if you haven’t decorated 🎨your window by now, please join in with the other business owners who have created their own display.
Just a few snowflakes❄️, stars🌟, or a string of lights 🌌can make a super simple, highly effective display.
The Mayor will be judging this, not only on visuals, but, also on ambience, so do sign up today to take part! Thank you to Jasmine B Photography for the image.🤩

Wantage and Grove Window Wanderland

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