A FESTIVAL for lovers of all things bicycle-related will take place in Oxford this month.

It will be the first Cycle Oxford Festival and will include everything from bike polo tournaments, to a bicycle treasure hunt and even an orchestra made up of bicycle bells.

Organiser Dan Harris, who runs Oxford Cycle Workshop in Magdalen Road, said: “We are very excited.

“It feels like a bit of a milestone, not only in terms of the things we have been setting up in the last six months but also in establishing something that we really feel that Oxford needs.

“It is an opportunity on one day to get as many people out as possible, on their bikes, having fun.”

The cycle workshop regularly holds bicycle treasure hunts, known as “alleycat” rides, in the city, but this is the first time they have planned a day of events devoted to the bike.

It will start with an urban bike polo tournament at Marsh Park, Cowley, on Saturday at 11am, with teams from cities across the country crossing mallets.

Then on Sunday there will be a series of events which people can get involved in.

Mechanics will be challenged to beat the clock while changing an inner tube — with a record set by one of the festival team known as the ‘Bike Stig’ at one minute and 48 seconds.

Bike polo enthusiasts will have a chance to “pimp their mallets” at a session run by charity artisjustaword.

Marsh Park will also be the scene for picnic and polo in the park, before the bizarrest event on offer — a performance by an orchestra formed solely of bicycle bells. Mr Harris said: “Hopefully it will be very open, very laid back and people won’t feel too scared about coming along. We will just be having fun.

“The one thing that we are most excited about is the bike bell orchestra.

“The idea of getting everyone together, riding through the streets playing music is really exciting.”

The orchestra will be made up of people who turn up to the Radcliffe Camera at 2pm on the Sunday, with the first 50 receiving a free bell.

Then they will be allocated when and what to play after being given a specific colour, before performing a piece of music written by local composer Danielle Balentine especially for the event.

Mr Harris said: “It will be almost like painting music by colours.”

There will also be the screening of an animated cycling movie, and a “dance attack” alleycat, where people will have to perform selected dance moves at various stations along the route.

It will finish with a post festival party at The Jericho Tavern, in Walton Street — which will include the grand final of the inner tube challenge.

More information is available at myspace.com/oxfordbikefestival