IF FESTIVAL TALK & TEA TASTING

What stories are hidden in your cup of tea? Taste a selection of teas from around the world while unravelling histories of empire, trade, labour and resistance. Learn how tea cultivation and consumption shaped lives, environments and global connections, discuss its lasting legacies, and discover the uncomfortable histories behind your daily brew...

Join speakers from Uncomfortable Oxford at Fantastea for an informal and interactive talk about the cultural and social history of tea. We will match each story with a specific brew that you will be able to sample during the event. 

This event is presented in collaboration with IF Oxford, part of the Festival's annual programme to spark curiosity and engagement with science and ideas. The Festival, now in its 35th year, runs 16–31 October 2026; for all events, see: https://if-oxford.com

Image © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

No booking is required for the talk, just drop in. However, to help with planning, it would be useful if you could register your intention to attend.

Festivals are powerful and cost-effective ways to bring people together, inspiring curious minds of all ages and backgrounds to access and help shape new ideas. IF Oxford is run annually by the small charity Oxfordshire Science Festival. If you like what we do, please make a donation to support the future of the Festival. IF Oxford uses Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing so you can choose to pay whatever you want, or can afford. You can make your donation during booking

About Uncomfortable Oxford: Uncomfortable Oxford is a social enterprise dedicated to sparking critical conversations about the past and its legacies in the present.

About Fantastea: Fantastea is a global tea café in the heart of Oxford that offers bubble teas, rare brews, and community experiences.