The Jane Austen Festival returns to Bath from Friday 11 September to Sunday 20 September 2026, bringing 10 days of Regency walks, balls, theatre, talks and workshops to venues across the city.
According to the Visit Bath event listing, the festival is staged at Various Locations in Bath, Somerset. There is no single daily start time for the whole festival, so ticket-holders should check the time and venue for each event when booking.
| Detail | What visitors need to know |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday 11 September to Sunday 20 September 2026 |
| Main parade | Grand Regency Costumed Promenade, 11am on Saturday 12 September |
| Venue | Various Locations across Bath |
| Cost | Promenade wristband £15; under-16s free; free to watch the parade; individual event tickets vary |
| Booking | General sale for 2026 events opens on 14 May 2026 |
| Best for | Jane Austen readers, heritage visitors, families and Regency costume enthusiasts; evening balls have age restrictions |
The promenade starts the first full weekend
The best-known set piece is the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade on Saturday 12 September. The procession starts at the Royal Crescent at 11am before moving through the city centre via George Street and on to Great Pulteney Street.
More than 500 people in Regency dress are expected to fill the streets, making it one of the most visible moments of the festival. Watching the promenade is free, but anyone taking part must have a wristband.
A wristband costs £15, with under-16s free. It also gives discounts on entry to attractions around the city, including the Jane Austen Centre, Regency Tea Room and No.1 Royal Crescent.
Ten days of Austen events across Bath
The 2026 programme begins on Friday 11 September with Jane Austen’s Bath minibus tour, a book club session titled Discussing Aunts in Austen, and Museum Lates at No.1 Royal Crescent.
Saturday 12 September brings the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade, Saturday Festival Fayre, a screening of Emma at Bath Abbey and the Dancers Harvest Regency Ball. Sunday 13 September includes a Jane Austen and Bath walking tour, Regency Choral Evensong and a Regency Feast at Prior Park.
The middle of the festival mixes guided walks with food, games and hands-on sessions. Listed highlights include Canal Cruise Afternoon Tea, a history of Georgian feasting at BRLSI, a Regency dance workshop at Bath Forum, Pride and Prejudice: A Murder Mystery at The Bird, a bonnet or turban workshop at The Art Pad, and Regency Games Evening at No.1 Royal Crescent.
Later dates include Around Bath with Anne Elliot, a Pride and Prejudice singing workshop, a Ghost Walk, Breakfast with Beau Nash, Austen’s Arcadia at Theatre Royal, a fencing workshop, a full-day Pride and Prejudice cinema experience, Taking Tea at No.1 Royal Crescent, a bookmark embroidery workshop, Mini Prom and a croquet game.
Tickets, costumes and age rules
Tickets for 2026 events go on general sale from 14 May 2026. The source states that each individual event is ticketed and there is no full festival pass, due to venue safety limits in Bath.
The festival no longer posts physical tickets. UK and international visitors receive e-tickets as downloadable QR codes in their email confirmation.
Regency costume is not required for every event. It is obligatory for a small number of events, including taking part in the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade and the costumed balls. Visitors must provide their own costume and arrive already dressed, as changing facilities are not available at event venues.
Children are welcome at most events unless an event description says otherwise. Evening balls have a minimum age of 14, and all under-18s must have their own ticket and be accompanied by an adult who also has a ticket.
Access and getting around the festival
The festival uses multiple venues across Bath, so visitors should check the location attached to each booking. The programme includes a venue map, and ticket confirmations include a Google Maps link and a what3words pinpoint location.
The majority of venues used by The Jane Austen Festival are listed as accessible. Visitors who need arrangements made should add a note at the time of booking.
Walking tours marked as step-free in the programme can be guaranteed as suitable for buggies and wheelchairs. For specific access questions, the festival gives this contact route: festival@janeausten.co.uk.
Source: Visit Bath Events
Source check How this was checked
This guide is based on the Visit Bath event listing and separates confirmed details from points visitors need to check when booking.
- Matched the festival dates to Friday 11 September through Sunday 20 September 2026.
- Checked the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade time, route and wristband price from the sour...
- Kept venue information to Various Locations across Bath because the festival uses multiple...
- Included only the listed accessibility, ticketing, costume and age guidance.
- Source
- Visit Bath Events
- Scope
- Bath
- Updated
- 2026-06-11 13:07
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