Jane Austen Weekend 2026

Easy-breezy, fun session to give you a taste of music in the Regency Period and around the Austen piano. Come prepared to sing, hum or just listen.

Come and learn a little science about brain development and have a laugh at the antics of the immature prefrontal cortexes of Lydia and Mrs. Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice"

An examination of the narrative importance of dancing in Austen's novels and how a characters relationship to dance aligns with their narrative roles.

Learn about fashion and dress codes during the Regency era and what getting dressed through a typical day would look like.

Imagine the travails of engaging in proper society in such an improper world as post-colonial America. While Jane Austen and Martha Washington lived vastly different lives, this talk will also explore what these two important female figures had in common, as well as offer an invitation to explore digital archives of Mount Vernon and other historical sites.

Are you a proper member of the Ton? You must prove your merit- and puzzle solving ability- to escape from Lady Catherine de Bourgh's salon... or else no shelves in your closets! Beware, guests can't outstay their welcome or you might have to stay FOREVER!

In my talk, I will introduce the audience to Thomasine Gyllembourg (1773-1856), whose novellas An Everyday Story and Two Ages I have translated. Gyllembourg is said to have been influenced by Austen, as she was the first author to successfully introduce realist fiction into Denmark. Yet a study of Gyllembourg's so-called "poetic realism" can show us what makes Austen's realism so distinctive.

What if reading Jane Austen is a remedy to today's widespread disconnection and depression? We'll explore how Austen defines and promotes connection in the lives of her characters and in the reader's experience with the text. From nature to creativity, to specific writing techniques, let's unpack Austen's ideas to increase connection, acquire self-knowledge, and improve overall wellbeing.

An exploration of the nitty, the gritty, and the pretty of Pride and Prejudice.

Participants will have the opportunity to create a neckerchief reminiscent of those worn during the Regency period.

The Buddhist concept of "compassion," as incorporated into contemporary psychological approaches, appears throughout Pride & Prejudice, and may in some ways be the antidote to the obstacles named in the title of the book. Both compassion and self-compassion are areas of growth for the two main characters, allowing them ultimately to connect with each other.

Whist is one of the card games mentioned in Pride and Prejudice. Learn a little of the history of this game and enjoy a few hands.

Join us for a lively and imaginative creative writing workshop that brings Jane Austen's language to life! Participants will craft their own poetry using Austen's words, with guidance and plenty of fun along the way, bringing her language to life in unique ways.

This talk will help readers of Jane Austen understand references to fox hunting in her novels. In particular, what does the way Willoughby use fox hunting in Sense & Sensibility say about his character?

Sisters and daughters are the reason for the stories; their lives, both real and imaginary, explain all.

Naval material contained information relevant to the Austen family's larger concerns including the slave trade. Some specifics appear in Austen's final novel, Persuasion.