Jane Austen’s 250th Anniversary in Bath
Jane Austen had a ravenous appetite for life, including writing about its intricacies, taking all who read her novels on a delightfully cheerful but simultaneously scathing romp through English society. Austen’s fiction is still played out in the timeless splendour of the cities she frequented, the country homes she lived in and the many events and festivals that immortalise her compendium of characters. Jane Austen, to us 21st Century folk, is at once recognisable and anonymous, intimate and aloof. We may be familiar with her zingy rollercoaster of an anthology but there is much more to discover about Austen during the 250th anniversary of one of Britain’s most revered authors. Follow in her literary footsteps and let us steer you through Bath. Here, we give you the ultimate guide to making the most of the enduring delights of Jane Austen.
The Jane Austen Centre
Opening Hours: Spring: Every day 10am – 5:30pm. Summer: Every day 9:45am-6pm. Autumn Every day 10am-5:30pm. Winter: Sunday to Friday 10am – 4:30pm, Saturday 10am – 5:30pm
Austen offers us an escape from the somewhat anarchic chaos of life, and Bath is the place we think of when we think of her: a city assailed by a lovely feeling of romance, history and timeless beauty. Of course, we have to begin with the Jane Austen Centre – a space loaded with dollops of Austen’s masterful creativity. Here, you’re offered a dose of Regency Life and an insight into how the glorious city of Bath influenced Austen’s writing. You can experience a guided tour through the centre, dressing up, writing, and eating along the way. Once you’ve completed your dalliance with Austen’s colourful characters, you can relax with afternoon tea in the Regency Tea Room and perhaps even treat yourself to an ironic game of Jane Austen Guess Who from the Gift Shop.
Grand Regency Costumed Promenade
The 2025 Jane Austen Festival Grand Regency Costumed Promenade will take place on Saturday 13th September 2025
The reverie that Bath induces is canonised in this truly spectacular Grand Regency Costumed Promenade. It is an irreverent amalgamation of fiction and reality. The tranquil backstreets of Bath come alive with the fairytale escapism of Austen’s most loved characters, led by Bath’s very own town crier. Follow the vibrant parade through the city, and end at the Festival Fayre inside the Bath Assembly Rooms. You can take part in the Promenade yourself and to do so you must purchase a wristband and be in Regency attire. What better way to celebrate Austen than to dress up as English gentry? Those with creative aspirations will find themselves in good company.
An Audience with Lucy Worsley on Jane Austen
An Audience with Lucy Worsely on Jane Austen will take place at The Forum, Bath on Tuesday 27th May 2025
“The enduring reason for Jane’s popularity today is that she seems born outside her time, to be more like one of us, for she lifelong expresses the opposite point of view: in favour of vitality, strength, independence.” – Lucy Worsley
Austen rejected societal norms, or, as she viewed them: ostensibly abstract. Only, however, to masterfully return to them with a blistering irony in her elegant and intuitive construction of women. Confined to the domestic sphere, women, throughout Austen’s novels are presented with a satirical wave to that confinement. With fascinating insight, Lucy Worsley will be delving into what the home really meant to Jane, and the women who populate her novels. Lucy will invite audiences to step into the world of Austen and reveal a ‘passionate woman who fought for her freedom’.
Jane Austen’s Wardrobe with Hilary Davidson
Jane Austen’s 250th: Jane Austen’s Wardrobe with Hilary Davidson will take place on Tuesday 24th June 2025
Hilary Davidson is associate professor and chair of MA Fashion and Textile Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Hilary will be be speaking at Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath; this event is bound to occasion many a hot take. So, get booking. Bringing Austen to life, Hilary will be enlightening audiences on the author’s expansive wardrobe. Drawing together fashion and the written word in a pioneering style, Hilary will demonstrate the tangible regency style aesthetic by superimposing Austen’s garments and accessories onto our imaginations. Not one to miss.
Themed Summer Balls
Persuasion Nautical-Themed Summer Ball will take place on Saturday 31st May 2025
Sanditon Seaside-Themed Summer Ball will take place on Saturday 28th June 2025
For the 250th Anniversary, we are being treated to not one, but two Summer Balls. The Persuasion Nautical-Themed Summer Ball and the Sanditon Seaside-Themed Summer Ball. Injecting the magic of musical decadence into the prose within the most famous of titles, the Summer Balls are the place to be if you want to immerse yourself in the fantasy of Austen’s pages. Dress in Georgian gowns or don your best top hat. Then, whirl around to the whimsical sounds of the live music. Don’t worry, if you haven’t quite mastered those Regency dance steps, a workshop is also being held.
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