Oxford police warn of closures, towing ahead of Double Decker Festival

Oxford police are warning drivers to move fast if they park downtown before the 29th annual Double Decker Arts Festival, because some streets and public lots around Courthouse Square will close and be towed beginning at 4 a.m. Friday, April 24, with more closures and towing set for 4 a.m. Saturday, April 25. The festival will fill downtown Oxford with food, music and art across the historic square, and the parking changes are aimed at keeping traffic moving in one of the city’s busiest weekends of the year.

The timing matters because Double Decker is no small local event. Last year’s festival drew 113,300 attendees and generated an estimated $18.7 million in economic impact, turning the blocks around Downtown Oxford into a weekend traffic choke point as visitors, vendors and residents all compete for the same curb space. Oxford’s red double-decker bus, imported from England in 1994, inspired the festival, and the celebration has grown into a regional draw that puts pressure on every available downtown route.

Police say the department is preparing accordingly. The Oxford Police Department says it has 91 sworn officers and more than 114 total staff, and officers will be focused on crowd safety, traffic control and keeping access open for emergency response. A special RideWithOPD livestream is planned for Friday, giving the department another way to push out real-time information as conditions change around the square.

City parking materials show that the most likely trouble spots will be the streets and public parking lots marked for Friday and Saturday towing, so drivers should not assume a familiar downtown space will still be available by the time they return. Visitors headed for Courthouse Square, Jackson Avenue East and the blocks surrounding downtown should build in extra time, expect slower movement and avoid leaving vehicles in posted event areas.

The City of Oxford is also directing residents and visitors to its parking map and downtown parking guidance, and officials are urging people to sign up for Oxford Alerts/Nixle. The alert system can send targeted notices by text, email, web and mobile app for road closures, game-day traffic alerts and events such as Double Decker. For festivalgoers, the practical move is simple: check parking before you leave, arrive early, and do not wait until Saturday morning to find out a space has already been marked for towing.