Jane Austen Fest

My dear Cherished Jane Austen Friends,

The website is up and ready for your registration. We apologize for the delay.

We have been working diligently on our 6th Annual Fest. We have some new and some old…

Our New includes; our keynote speaker Claire Saim, co-author of the Visual Encyclopedia of Jane Austen. She is coming to us from Paris and will speak about Eliza de Feuillide, Henry Austen’s French wife and good friend of Jane. And on Saturday she will also share how the book came about; Sarah Gorman, will talk to us about Regency Balls on Saturday afternoon before our Ball. Both speakers we impatiently await.

Our New also includes some interesting workshops; Perfume Making, Regency Table Games which incudes a deck of cards with our logo, and a Hair Updo Workshop. We also are offering a Jane Austen Fan Fiction Writing Workshop.

And a Brand New addition is the Assembly Room or a place to gather to meet other Jane Austen Fans, rest, kibitz.

But Our Old includes … Betsy Bayshore and her Regency Fashion show. She was with us at the 1st and 2nd year’s Fest and many have requested her return; the Bonnet Making Workshop with Kathryn Page. She was missed last year. The Regency Ball returns this year and a dance class. The Stained Glass class is presented again, The Book Discussion, the Trivia Hunt, and our Saturday afternoon Teas are all on the schedule. And don’t forget Lawn Bowling, one of the few “physical” things women in the Regency Era were allowed to do.

As you all know, the proceeds of the Fest provides scholarships for women, so our hard work and your attendance excites us and gives us incentive to provide you with an exciting experience. We hope we are fulfilling our tag – A Foot in the 21st century and a Toe in the Regency Era.

Janefully,

Margaret Jane Andersen
President, Jane Austen Fest

Scholarships for Women

British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) wrote only six novels and died in 1817 at the age of 41. Yet, novelists on both sides of the pond, from Mark Twain to Kipling, could not let her pass quietly. Twain was fond of detesting Austen both in writing and speech, marveling that Austen had been allowed to die a natural death rather than face execution for her literary crimes. Kipling, however, greatly admired Austen’s work. The most famous line in his short story, The Janeites, reads There’s no one to touch Jane when you’re in a tight place.

Today her works continue to inspire debate and critique from scholarly circles to online blogs and her life continues to be explored by modern authors.

In addition to inspiring a thirst for knowledge about all things Regency, Austen has done more to inspire reproduction Regency era clothing and accessories in our century than any other author of her time. The Jane Austen Society continue to grow in membership. Their events, conferences and local chapters in both the US and abroad offer a wide range of content for serious “Janeites” as well as for those looking to simply take a step back in time for the sake of amusement and escape.

Austen’s Regency era tales of life and love brim with psychologically complex and multi-layered heroines who do not bow to the mores of their era. Add Austen’s brilliant irony to this mix and you have endless fascination and discovery for readers. Her books transcend time and geographical boundaries, allowing for adapted – and sometimes unusual – story lines in our modern books, movies and television.

Does Jane Austen remain culturally relevant today? Indeed, for as has been said, While the rules of life and love have changed since the Regency era, the game itself has not.

If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.
Jane Austen

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