Jane Austen Festival

Held in the elegant city of Bath, the Jane Austen Festival is the world’s largest and longest-running celebration of the beloved author. What began in 2001 as a weekend gathering at the Jane Austen Centre has since blossomed into a vibrant 10-day programme, attracting more than 3,500 Austen enthusiasts from across the globe. The festivities open with the iconic Regency Costumed Promenade, where over 1,000 participants in period dress parade through Bath’s Georgian streets—a spectacle so grand it earned a Guinness World Record for the largest Regency costume gathering. With bonnets, military uniforms, and lively drummers set against the historic architecture of Bath, it’s like stepping straight into one of Austen’s novels.

Over the course of the festival, guests can enjoy a rich variety of events inspired by Austen’s timeless stories, including themed walks, theatrical performances, lectures, costumed balls, and much more. To keep the magic alive through the summer, the Jane Austen Festival Summer Ball is held every June, offering a truly immersive experience inside the grand ballrooms of Bath—inviting fans to dance where Austen once did and soak in the charm of a bygone era.