2024 Jane Austen Festival Experiences
Friday Fayre
Friday 13th September - 15:00
New for 2024, we will be opening the Festival Fayre for a few hours on Friday afternoon, for visitors to pick up some last-minute bits of Regency finery ready for Promenade day! Explore the Ballroom for a first look at the stalls offering hats, fans, gloves and lots more.
Venue: Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, BA1 2QH
Festival Welcome Reception
Friday 13th September - 18:00
Join us in the Card Room of the Assembly Rooms for an informal welcome drink and chatter. Catch up with old and new friendly Festival faces, and ask those all important questions about the week ahead. A chance to meet the Festival team and a great place to meet up if it's your first Festival. Includes a welcome drink, with a bar open for the evening too. Costume is not mandatory but recommended.
Venue: Card Room, Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, BA1 2QH
Regency Hair Salon
Saturday 14th & Saturday 21st September - 8:30 - 17:30
You have the outfit; you have the accessories… now all you need are the ringlets! ForeHairs’ top two professional stylists will create a whole new look for your Jane Austen experience. Choose from a selection of styles. The ticket price is for ½ hour appointments and includes a colour matching hair piece and decorative accessories. Stylised wigs will also be available to hire or purchase.
Venue: Bath Elim Church, Charlotte St, BA1 2ND
Grand Regency Costumed Promenade
Saturday 14th September - 11:00
Join 500+ people dressed in Regency style for this world famous, spectacular official opening to the Festival. Stroll through this beautiful city for approximately 1 hour ending at the Promenader's Fayre.
Meet: In front of the Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, BA2 4DB
Promenaders Festival Fayre
Saturday 14th September - 12 noon
Go on a Regency shopping spree through the Bath Assembly Rooms with stalls offering hats, fans, gloves, books, hair pieces, jewellery and lots more. The Fayre will open to Promenade wristband holders first, with doors opening to the general public* from 12 noon.
Venue: Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, BA1 2QH
A Whole Campful of Soldiers
Sunday 15th September - 11:00
Visit The 33rd Regiment of Foot's encampment at the Holburne Museum and experience a whole campful of soldiers with authentic drill displays, music and talks presenting life at war.
Venue: Holburne Museum Grounds, Great Pulteney Street, BA2 4DB
Regency Church Service
Sunday 15th September - 11:30
Attend the family service in Bath Abbey, this will be a specially themed service to encompass some Regency church elements.Regency Costume very welcome but not mandatory.
Venue: Bath Abbey, Abbey Churchyard, BA1 1LY
Regency Picnic
Sunday 15th September - 12 noon
Join other Austen lovers for an informal bring-your-own picnic in the beautiful surroundings of Sydney Gardens. Promenade along paths Jane Austen herself would have walked and discuss any scandalous antics of the previous evening's entertainment.(Weather permitting event)
Venue: Sydney Gardens, Sydney Pl, Bathwick, BA2 4DB
Croquet Game
13:00 & 15:00 - Sunday 15th &
10:00 & 12 noon -
10:00 & 13:30 -
Spend 1 hour experiencing the Regency sport of "Pall-Mall" with an outdoor croquet game at Bath Croquet Club. Equipment and introductory instructions provided, enjoy a relaxed game of croquet, followed by post-match refreshments in the Croquet Pavilion. (Refreshments included in the ticket price)
Venue: Bath Croquet Club, Great Pulteney Street, Recreation Ground, BA2 4DS (entrance via Great Pulteney Street)
Regency Bathing
Sunday 15th September - 14:00
After listening to the enthralled swimmers from last year’s hot Sunday swim, the Jane Austen Festival will be taking over Cleveland Pools for an exclusive Regency Bathing event this year. Swim in the UK’s only surviving Georgian lido in your Regency bathing outfit, or bask in the English (or not) sunshine and enjoy the atmosphere. Participants are welcome to bring in their own refreshments, there will also be an onsite cafe selling light refreshments.
Venue: Cleveland Pools, Hampton Row, BA2 6QS
This event has been suspended due to site flooding during winter 2024, causing damage to the pools and meaning Cleveland Pools Trust currently don't have a timescale for re-opening. If it becomes possible to run it, please rest assured we will...
Afternoon canal cruise
“If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.”
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon canal cruise. Meet at Bath train station for a short train ride through the English countryside to Bradford on Avon. A promenade along the banks of the river takes us to the canal boat marina where we board the ‘Barbara McLellan’. We’ll then embark on a slow, truly delightful cruise along the canal passing through the Avoncliff Aqueduct. On board there will be afternoon tea, games and stories with and amusing conversation with the Queen of Hearts about affairs of the day. We shall have our own adventure. Return train fare and afternoon tea included in ticket price.
Meet: outside taxi rank entrance of Bath Spa Train Station, Dorchester Street, BA1 1SU
High Tea at Highbury
Monday 16th & Thursday 19th September - 19:00
Partake of a deliciously decadent selection of High Tea Treats, finished off with a traditional Regency pudding in the gorgeous surroundings of the Regency Tea Room. Complete with bubbles and highly entertaining Austen interpretations, why not escape for a couple of hours to this haven of literary fiction? With musical interludes join Emma and Jane Fairfax from the Jane Austen Centre and finally decide who is most accomplished.
Venue: Regency Tea Room, Jane Austen Centre, 40 Gay Street, BA1 2NT
Stargazing at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy with the Bath Astronomers
Monday 16th September - 20:00 & 21:05
Join the Bath Astronomers to stargaze from the back garden of the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, where the Planet Uranus was discovered from by William Herschel on 13th March 1781. There will also be a chance to explore the house where brother and sister musicians turned astronomers, William and Caroline Herschel, lived from 1777 to 1782.
Venue: Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street, BA1 2BL
Sew Chatty
Tuesday 17th September - 10:00
Bring along your sewing, last-minute hemming, embroidery, or latest bonnet in need of trimming to The Bath Townhouse Coppa Club for a morning session of sewing, chatting and sharing sewing advice (or sewing woes!) with other like-minded Austen friends. This non-guided, free event will take place in the upstairs of the Coppa Club, who are offering a free hot drink with any breakfast or brunch dish purchased during the event.
Venue: The Bath Townhouse, Coppa Club, 18-19 Old Bond St, BA1 1BP
Regency Games Evening
Tuesday 17th September - 18:00 & 20:00
Jane Austen was known to be particularly adept at both cup & ball, and spillikins. Enjoy an evening or late-night session trying your skills (or luck) at these, as well as lottery tickets, whist, hazard and other Regency-era games, provided by John White of Select Society.
Venue: The Botanist Bath, 46a Milsom St, BA1 1DN
Ladies & Gentlemen on Parade
Wednesday 18th & Friday 20th September - 13:30
Enjoy a unique Regency Costumed event at one of Wiltshire’s finest Georgian buildings. Dressed in your own Regency finery, you’ll be escorted by "Mr Darcy" on a short 18 min train journey through the beautiful scenic countryside to the magnificent Parade House in Trowbridge. Your ticket includes train travel, a House History Tour by the owners, a delicious Full Afternoon Cream Tea with a glass of Champagne in the grand Ballroom, Regency Parlour Games and Theatrical Entertainment.
Meet: outside taxi rank entrance of Bath Spa Train Station, Dorchester Street, BA1 1SU
Murder at Kellynch Hall
Thursday 19th September - 12 noon
Join the Moonstone Theatre Company for another Murder Mystery.William Eliot was dead. He had been murdered. His body had been found in the grounds of Kellynch Hall. Whilst in life he was considered by many to be charming,he was a cold, calculating opportunist. But who could have killed him? Was it Mrs Smith or Sir Walter Eliot or Mrs Clay? All of them had motives…..After the murder Captain Wentworth decided to take on the role of investigator and see if he, and the lunch guests, could discover the truth and bring the killer to justice. Your ticket includes a 2 course lunch.
Venue: Abbey Hotel, North Parade, BA1 1LF
Twilight Jane Austen experience at No.1 Royal Crescent
Thursday 19th September - 18:00 - 21:00
Visit No.1 Royal Crescent after hours and experience our immersive Jane Austen tour which brings the house to life. The self-guided tour looks at life in Britain in the 1790s – 1820 (the Regency into Late Georgian period), including when Austen was writing - and for a time living - in Bath. This is an immersive 60 minute experience that runs on a timed loop.
Venue: No.1 Royal Crescent, BA1 2LR
Mini Prom
Sunday 22nd September - 12 noon
Meet for an informal short stroll from the Royal Crescent down Gravel Walk, Milsom Street, Stall Street and ending in front of Bath Abbey. A last chance to show off your Regency finery along the pavements of Bath. No booking or tickets necessary for this event, turn up and join in!
Meet: on the grass below the ha-ha in front of the Royal Crescent, Victoria Park, Bath, BA1 2LX
*To book tickets click on the underlined date of the talk to find that specific day's events.
