Here is a list of events that we love, and if you’re a Jane Austen fan – you will too.
There are many more events taking place this year, as well as the usual balls, theatre shows and festivals. Some include female writers that Jane admired or who admired her, or involve fashion or an interesting aspect of the 18th and early 19th century that Jane would have known. 2
For events in the USA or Canada, the Jane Austen Society (JASNA) event calendar can be found here.
This is the most viewed page on the website, so if you would like to see your event featured on this page please contact us here.
January to March
Trailblazing Women: Travel Writers and the Exchange of Knowledge
Chawton House, Chawton
12 September to 26 February 2023
Exploring the fascinating stories of the trailblazing women who set out to explore the world in the 18th and 19th centuries. Entry to the exhibition is free with your ticket. See our review of this fantastic exhibition on the BLOG page.
Jane Austen’s London
Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton, Hampshire
8 September to 5 March 2023
This exhibition is centred around a newly acquired Jane Austen letter, written from Jane to her sister Cassandra in September 1813, from their brother Henry’s house in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. It is a long, chatty letter in which she reveals the details of everyday life, from shopping trips and visits to the theatre, to a hair appointment and a painful trip to the dentist. Whilst Jane Austen lived in Hampshire for most of her life, she greatly enjoyed visiting London, where she revelled in the luxuries that a big city had to offer. Free with house entry.
Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel
Arts Theatre, London
13 February to 24 April 2023 (Every Monday Night)
The all-star Austentatious cast improvise a hilarious new Jane Austen novel every night! Inspired entirely by a title from the audience and performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment – it’s a riotous, razor-sharp show where swooning is guaranteed.
Pride and Prejudice (*Sort Of)
Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
23, 25 & 25 February
Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice is a unique retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story where men, money and microphones will be fought over. It’s the 1800s. It’s party time. Let the ruthless matchmaking begin. Exceptionally funny! Many dates are available throughout 2023 so worth finding your theatre of choice here.
Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of) Theatre Tickets
Jane Austen Virtual Tour of Bath
The Enchanted Book Club (Online Event)
25 February
The Enchanted Book Club presents a virtual tour of Jane Austen’s Bath with special guest, Gabrielle Malcolm. Join us as we discuss the history and reputation of the city in Jane’s books, letters, and in her life.
Jane Austen Virtual Tour of Bath Tickets
Trailblazing Women Curator Tour
Chawton House, Chawton
25 February
Exploring the fascinating stories of the trailblazing women who set out to explore the world in the 18th and 19th centuries. See our review of this fantastic exhibition on the BLOG page.
Curator Tour of Trailblazing Women
A Private View of Anne Sharpe’s Copy of Emma
Chawton House
1 March
Published in 1815, Emma was the last of Austen’s novels to be published during her lifetime. The author sent one of 12 special presentation copies of the novel to her friend Anne Sharp, who was governess to her brother Edward Knight’s children at Godmersham Park. The copy carries the handwritten message ‘From the author’ inside, along with Anne Sharp’s own signature.(If you cannot make this one, there will be another opportunity to view it during Jane Austen Regency Week in June)
Private Viewing of Anne Sharp’s Emma Tickets
Virtual Book Club: Lady Susan
Zoom Call with Jane Austen’s House Museum
7 March
Join in the discussion to talk about Jane Austen’s novel Lady Susan.
Jane Austen Lady Susan Book Club Tickets
International Women’s Day: Women Adapting Women
Online Event with Chawton House Library and Jane Austen’s House Museum
8 March
Women’s Day with Bafta-award winning screenwriter, Sandy Welch, who is responsible for top TV adaptations including North and South, Jane Eyre, Emma and Our Mutual Friend. Join us online for a revealing look at women’s classics of the 19th century and their re-invention for the small and big screen.
This event is produced in partnership with A partnership event with the Brontë Parsonage Museum, Chawton House, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House and Jane Austen’s House.
Jane Austen Walking Tour of Bath
Sydney Gardens, Bath
12 March
Jane Austen walking tour of Sydney Gardens led by local historian Diana White. Followed by afternoon tea in the Sydney Gardens Pavilion.
Virtual Tour: Cassandra Austen
Jane Austen House Museum (Online)
22 March
Together, we’ll discover the rooms where Jane and Cassandra lived, and learn more about Cassandra’s life story. From her happy childhood in Steventon to the tragic death of her fiancé, followed by a life dedicated to family and friends, art, reading and charity work, we’ll get to know Cassandra through objects, portraits, stories and letters.
Cassandra Austen Virtual Tour Tickets
An Evening with Gill Hornby and Goodnestone Park
Eliot, Newbury
23 March
From the number one bestselling author of Miss Austen, a powerful and moving novel featuring Jane Austen’s closest friend and confidante, Gill Hornby talks about her latest novel Goodnestone Park.
An Evening with Gill Hornby Tickets
April to June
Walking Jane Austen’s London
London
2 April (and then each month)
The walk is in Mayfair where Jane based the London section of Sense and Sensibility. Jane often came to London to see her banking brother Henry and would often shop, go to the theatre and meet with her publishers. See the places she frequented on this tour around the London Jane knew,
Walking Jane Austen’s London Tickets
Virtual Book Club: Sense and Sensibility
Zoom Call with Jane Austen’s House Museum
4 April
Join in the discussion to talk about Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility as part of the monthly book club.
Sense and Sensibility Book Club Tickets
Jane Austen’s Emma
Redgrave Theatre, Bristol
5 June
Meet misguided matchmaker Emma as she tries to play Cupid in this hilarious yet faithful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s satirical story. Join this fast-paced, physical and funny show filled with romance, music and The Pantaloons own charming brand of theatrical chaos.
Jane Austen Emma Bristol Tickets
Sense and Sensibility – Open Air Theatre
The Folly Theatre, Winwick Hall, Winwick, Northamptonshire
Sunday 11 June
We cordially invite you to this year’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ Matchmaker’s Ball. Ladies Elinor and Marianne Dashwood each seek to meet an honourable man of good fortune (and handsome countenance if possible) by whatever means necessary. As you mingle amongst the beau monde, revelry and romance will ensue and we shall witness these two sisters’ sense and sensibility. Rumours abound that royalty may even be amongst our number…
Open Air Theatre Sense and Sensibility Tickets
Jane Austen Alton Regency Week
Alton and Chawton, Hampshire
Saturday 17 June to Sunday 25 June
Join us at this festival in Hampshire that celebrate Jane Austen at her final home at Chawton and Alton. Each day there are Jane Austen themed talks, walks, dances, carriage rides, stalls stalls, music, as well as a Regency Ball on the final Saturday evening celebrate Jane’s life and her novels. Tickets go on sale 12 April and some of the key or new events are included below.
Jane Austen Regency Week Events
Evensong for Jane Austen
St Lawrence Church, Alton
Sunday 18 June at 6.30pm
Jane Austen fans are meeting for refreshments in the garden of the Allen Gallery and will then promenade to nearby St Lawrence Church in time for the Choral Evensong. Proceeds go to Hampshire Cultural Trust who care for some of Jane’s treasures. This is a FREE event.
Jane Austen Regency Week Events
Jane Austen’s Hampshire
Allen Gallery, Alton
Thursday 22 June at 7.30pm
Join us for a unique guided tour of Jane Austen’s House. Walking in Jane’s footsteps, you’ll discover the rooms where pride and Prejudice was revised and learn about her inspirations for the novel, as well as seeing rare first editions. Part of Regency Week.
Jane Austen Regency Week Events – Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen Regency Week Country Dance
Alton Assembly Rooms, Alton
Saturday 24 June at 7pm
“Country dances” – often referred to as “Playford” dances after the first publisher of instruction books – were popular from the 17th to early 19th century as a sociable and lighthearted relief from the formal dances of court or the precise stepping at a Regency Ball.
Jane Austen Regency Week Country Dancing Tickets
July to September
Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility Outdoor Theatre
Chawton House
1 July
Chapterhouse Theatre Company present Sense & Sensibility following the trials and triumphs of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood as they make their first tentative forays into Regency Society. A world where the parties are tremendous, emotions always run high, and every woman is on the lookout for a husband! Wear something warm, bring something to sit on, and a picnic of goodies and enjoy the show.
Sense and Sensibility Outdoor Theatre Tickets
Chawton House 20th Anniversary
Chawton House, Chawton
15 and 16 July
Chawton House invites you to celebrate a remarkable milestone during its Anniversary Weekend! Join us for a weekend filled with literary inspiration and cultural festivities, honouring twenty years of preserving and promoting early women’s writing, alongside our historic house, gardens and parkland.
Jane Austen’s Emma
Godinton House, Ashford, Kent
15 July
Meet misguided matchmaker Emma as she tries to play Cupid in this hilarious yet faithful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s satirical story. Join this fast-paced, physical and funny show filled with romance, music and The Pantaloons own charming brand of theatrical chaos. This event is close to Goodnestone Park Visitors Hall so you may want to see Edward’s home.
Annual Dress Up as Jane Austen Day!
Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton
15 July
It’s the perfect excuse to break out your favourite Regency regalia and pose, picnic or promenade at Jane Austen’s House. Meg Lara Atelier – a brilliant designer and maker who works in sustainable costume design. She’ll be creating a Regency dress in a day using reclaimed materials. Drop in for a chat, see what she’s up to, and view some of her beautiful creations.
Jane Austen Annual Dress Up Day
Jane Austen Treasures
Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton
Sunday 16 July
Join us for a very special event. As part of a small group, you are invited to view some of the treasures of our collection up close. The group will be kept very small, so there will be plenty of opportunities to handle objects, ask questions and discuss as we go along.
Jane Austen Virtual Pride and Prejudice Tour
Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton
Tuesday 18 July
On the anniversary of Jane’s death, join us for a very special virtual guided tour of Jane Austen’s House, using the House itself and objects from the collection to reveal the themes, characters and events of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Pride & Prejudice.
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice Tour
Jane Austen’s Emma at Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle, Nottingham
21 July
Join the critically-acclaimed Pantaloons Theatre Company for a riotous Regency rom-com in the open-air! Meet misguided matchmaker Emma as she tries to play Cupid in this hilarious yet faithful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s satirical story. Bring a picnic and something to sit on!
Jane Austen Persuasion Tickets
Jane Austen’s Persuasion
National Trust, Shaw’s Corner, Welwyn
22 July
DOT Productions is proud to present this new adaptation based on Jane Austen’s final novel ‘Persuasion’. We follow the story of Anne Elliot who was persuaded by friends and family to end her engagement to Frederick Wentworth. Seven years later, over many humorous encounters, they meet again…. will they once again be persuaded to stay apart, or will love conquer all?
Jane Austen Persuasion Tickets
Jane Austen’s Emma Outdoor Theatre
The Vyne, Hampshire
22 July
Jane danced at the Vyne and her nephew Edward later married the cousin of Mrs Chute. Join the critically acclaimed Pantaloons Theatre Company for a riotous Regency rom-com of Emma. Gates open at 5.45pm, bring your picnics, blankets, camping chairs and torches to the north lawn for an evening of lively entertainment.
Mansfield Park Read Along
16 Queen Square, Bath
26 July
Hosted by Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution. Our Big Read for July is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen – come along to take part in our informal discussion, led by Diana White.
Jane Austen Mansfield Park Read Along
Jane Austen’s Hampshire
Chawton House, Chawton
28 July
Tour Chawton House’s latest exhibition ‘Quills & Characters’. Explore the art of letter-writing in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, exploring women’s experiences of travel, science, reading, and scandal, and exploring the connections they made with each other through the act of writing.
Quills and Characters Curator Tour
Jane Austen’s Persuasion
Goodnestone Park, Kent
19 August
Dot Productions are returning to Goodnestone with two shows this year – a family production of Lewis Caroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and their own adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’. Jane Austen was a frequent visitor to Goodnestone, so don’t miss this opportunity to see this touching and witty story played out in surroundings she knew well.
Jane Austen’s Persuasion at Goodnestone Park Tickets
Pride and Prejudice
Heywood House, Westbury, Wiltshire
3 September
Illyria’s production of Jane Austen’s glorious social comedy attracted sell-out audiences for a total of six years. It toured throughout the UK and Europe, attracted nationwide critical acclaim. In a whirlwind of balls, dinners and very eligible officers, Lizzy Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy stand alone as the only sane, thoughtful people – and they hate each other! Or do they? Can she see beyond his pride, and can he overcome her prejudice, in order to achieve happiness?
Pride and Prejudice Theatre Tickets
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey Virtual Book Club
Hosted by Jane Austen House Museum (Virtual)
5 September
October to December
Jane Austen’s Sanditon Virtual Book Club
Hosted by Jane Austen House Museum (Virtual)
3 October
To celebrate Jane Austen’s birthday, her Chawton Cottage home usually hosts a series of activities through the day to celebrate this special occasion.
Jane Austen’s Birthday Celebrations
Christmas Fayre at Chawton House Library
Chawton, Hampshire
December
Enjoy this unique chance to do a spot of Christmas shopping and soak up the festive atmosphere of Chawton House. Browse the stalls selling handmade and local produce, enjoy a festive treat in the Old Kitchen Tearoom and meet Father Christmas in his grotto. There will be plenty of Yuletide activities to keep the family entertained including decorating shortbread with your favourite festive scene.
Chawton House Library Christmas Fayre
Please note that this website provides this list of events for your reference only and takes no responsibility for any changes, amendments or inconvenience caused by the information provided. Please check all details carefully before making any bookings. Thank you.
