FESTIVAL season has finally run its course, ending with a bang at big muddy Bestival at the weekend. But there’s time to catch one last al fresco music event before autumn descends.

Binsey Village Fete, which takes place on Saturday, has been a fixture on the local musical calendar for 10 years.

An endearing combination of village party, church and school fundraiser and mini-festival it sees a high-quality line-up of artists and bands featuring Art Thief, Papa Nui, Water Pageant, perennial favourites The Gees, The Shapes and Olly Wills of soaring country-rockers The Epstein.

There will also be a haystack to climb on, tractor rides, excellent real ale, Gin Shack, kids games, food from Binsey Cakes and Paella Man and manic action from Ferret Man.

The Epstein frontman Olly lives in Binsey and is one of the organisers of the fete. “It’s a lovely event and the last big party of the summer,” he said, while taking a break from fine-tuning the preparations. “It’s a wonderfully naive, totally unprofessional event run by volunteers.

“There is a real ale bar in a vintage army tent, lots of food and music. The musicians give their time for free and it’s all about the community coming together.”

He praised the line-up, saying: “Art Thief, with Matt Sage, are really well known, and then we’ve got Papa Nui who are great. Last year they got interrupted by rain so hopefully they’ll have a better stab this time. Then we’ve got Water Pageant who are absolutely gorgeous. Their music is really beautiful. Then there are the mighty Gees who can get a party going anywhere.

“Hopefully the weather will be kind – it usually is. And we are encouraging people to try and arrive on foot or bike and come from the meadow, as it looks lovely as you approach from a distance.”

The fete is a huge achievement for a community which numbers only about 30 people, pulling in more than 1,000 visitors from around Oxford and beyond.

“It started life 10 years ago as a fete raising money to fix the church roof,” says Olly. “And you don’t get more traditional than that!

“There’s a tight-knit community here and they got on board from the start.

It still raises money for local good causes, raising something like £25,000 since it began. Binsey Church is still a beneficiary as well as West Oxford Primary School, whose parents run the tea tent and the Oxford Food Bank.

The Epstein are one of Oxford’s best-loved bands, their sun-kissed harmonies and expansive country rock pulling in admirers at eagerly anticipated gigs, and providing the highlight of festivals for more than a decade.

Over the course of three albums, they have gone from folky Americana to a more soulful-country sound and back to roots, with some legends of the Oxford music scene joining their ranks.

The present line-up features Olly and Humphrey ‘Huck’ Astley on guitars, Tommy Longfellow on drums, and two new members Ben Heaney on violin and multi-instrumentalist Joe Bennett.

Joe has a formidable CV, having set up Truck and Wood Festivals with his brother, and currently also appearing in Dreaming Spires, Co Pilgrim and Saint Etienne.

“It’s great to get a new violinist on board in the shape of Ben, while Joe has actually played with the band for many years and was on the first two albums,” says Olly. “He helps take us back to a more rootsy sound.”

The band have had a busy summer, playing eight festivals. “It has been lovely,” says Olly. “And it allowed us to keep rolling and get our name out there.

And the best? “Cornbury was great,” he says. “Then last week we played downstairs at Modern Art Oxford. It was nice to get underground and in close proximity to the crowd after all the festivals but it was one of the hottest gigs we’ve ever done!”

For now though, all eyes are on Binsey, with Olly contemplating a solo acoustic set.

“It’s a really lovely event,” he says. “The kids have only just gone back to school so there’s a residual feeling of summer in the air, and we are trying to grab it back for a bit longer.”

* Binsey Village Fete is on Saturday. Entry is only £2, with kids getting in for free. First band on at 1.30pm