Your guide to the 2024 Jane Austen Festival

Our favourite time of year is fast approaching on the horizon. Yes, of course, it's the Jane Austen Festival. This year's events will take place from Friday 13th of September to Sunday 22th September 2024, meaning nine whopping days of Regency and Jane Austen themed events and activities. There is so much on, in fact, that we thought we'd highlight a few events from this year's jam-packed programme, including many which are yet to sell out. If you haven't got your whole trip planned yet there's no time to lose, tickets are getting snapped up right this very second!

The Festival Fayre

If you're looking for something to do post-arrival in Bath, why not pop by the Festival Fayre to peruse this year's stalls. If you want to find some final bits and pieces for your Grand Promenade outfit, you'll be able to find them here, with gloves, bonnets and fans amongst a wide range of Regency accessories on offer.

Where? Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, BA1 2QH
When? 3pm-6pm, Friday 13th September
Entry £3 on the door by cash or card

The Grand Regency Costumed Promenade

If you can only get to Bath for the weekend, you must not miss the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade. The jewel in the crown of the whole festival, the Promenade offers the unique opportunity to don your favourite Regency garb and go for a stroll through Bath with hundreds of likeminded individuals. Regency costume is mandatory for this event and you'll need a wristband if you want to join the procession. As an added bonus, your wristband offers free, priority entry to the Festival Fayre, which would otherwise be £5 on the door.

Where? Meet outside the Holburne Museum
When? 11am, Saturday 14th September, wristband collection from 9:30am
Get your wristband for £14

A Whole Campful of Soldiers

If you're a military reenactment fiend, you don't want to miss Sunday at the Holburne Museum. His Majesty's 33rd Regiment of Foot will be setting up an encampment throughout the day, with a series of demonstrations and talks taking place. The best bit? It's all free

Where? The Holburne Museum
When? 11am-3pm, Sunday 15th September, with talks at noon and 1pm
Free entry

Walking and Talking

Many talks and guided tours are taking place throughout the week of the festival, offering opportunities to learn more about the Regency period and the work of Jane Austen. Architecture enthusiasts can try their hand at designing their own Northanger Abbey at our Building Northanger Abbey event on Monday afternoon, or you can debate the merits of different incarnations of Pemberley at That’s not Pemberley…but does it matter? on Wednesday. History buffs are also well served, with Why Mr. Collins? The Church and Clergy in Jane Austen’s Novels taking place on Monday afternoon, and Maggie Barton talking all things royal succession at Race for an Heir on Thursday morning.

Those looking for something a bit more active can enjoy a theatrical walking tour with the Natural Theatre Company's Jane Austen-themed Lost & Found show, taking place on the first and second weekends of the festival. On Friday, The Beastly Bath Walking Tour will also take visitors through Bath, pointing out spots of interest and historical quirks of the Georgian city.

Where? Venues throughout Bath
When? Times and dates vary
Tickets £13-19. See which events are still available at this link.

Get Hands-on

During the Jane Austen Festival, there will be many opportunities to join in with interactive events and workshops that let you get hands-on with some historical material. If you'd like to learn how to set your table properly, you should sign up for our Honours of the Table event, where butler Mr Adams will talk you through the proper way to arrange your crockery, cutlery and other table dressings. If you've ever been curious about shoemaking, master cordwainer Brett Walker will also be showing guests how to DIY a Regency shoe at Wednesday's Georgian-Era DIY Cordwaining In The Drawing Rooms of “The Better Sort" event. Singers should rush to get the last few remaining tickets to Wednesday's Singing with Jane Austen Workshop, promising all kinds of Regency sing-along fun with songs from Jane Austen's own lifetime.

The festival is also hosting two premium sewing and stitching events on Friday with Fig Leaf Patterns. If you'd like to learn how to hand-stitch your own outfits for the 2025 festival, you should invest in the Regency Hand Sewing and Drawstring Spencer Toile Workshops.

Where? Venues throughout Bath
When? Times and dates vary
Tickets £13-95. See which events are still available at this link.

Explore Bath

Once you've got all of your official festival events planned, you should make sure you don't miss out on the beautiful city of Bath itself. Of course, you should pay us a visit in the centre -- there are still plenty of tickets available for the week of the festival. You should also make sure to pop into all of our gorgeous local bookshops (Topping and Company and Persephone are my personal favourites), sample our various coffee shops and eateries, and maybe even check out the Roman Baths too.

We can't wait to welcome all of our fellow Jane Austen fanatics to Bath in September. Do go to the Jane Austen Festival home page to find all the information you need about everything that is happening this year. Let us know which event you are most excited for in the comments down below.

Ellen White is editor of the Jane Austen Centre blog. She would love to hear from you! Check out our Submission Guidelines and get in touch.