Thousands gather in Bath to mark Jane Austen’s 250th birthday with Regency festival

Thousands of literature fans are descending on the city of Bath this week to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.

The 10-day festival celebrates the beloved author of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, drawing enthusiasts from around the world, as per a report by Associated Press.

The highlight of the festival is a Regency costumed promenade, where about 2,000 participants in period gowns, bonnets, and cravats will parade through Bath’s streets. 

Organisers say it holds the Guinness World Record for the “largest gathering of people dressed in Regency costumes.”

Immersing in Austen’s world

Among those attending is Ellie Potts, 25, who dances with the Hampshire Regency Dancers. The group performs English country dances that were popular during Austen’s time, recreates costumes, and studies the music from the era.

“I’ve been interested in Jane Austen since I was about 8 or 9,” Potts said. 

“I mainly joined (the dance group) so I can have balls and things to go to in my costumes, but I really got into it. I’ve been surprised how much I enjoy the dancing,” she told AP.

Fans flock from across the world

Bonny Wise, from Indiana, is attending her sixth Jane Austen festival. She brought four handmade period dresses and leads a tour group of 25 Austen enthusiasts from the US.“You start with the books, the movies, then you start getting into the hats, the tea, the manners … one thing just led to another,” Wise said.

Wise also admires Austen’s perseverance.

“I admire Jane and what she managed as a woman in that era, her perseverance and her process of becoming an author,” she said.

The Jane Austen Society of North America, the world’s largest organization dedicated to Austen, has over 5,000 members globally.

“We’re growing all the time because Jane Austen is timeless,” said president Mary Mintz.