Jane Austen fans mark 250th birthday with church service, virtual party
Celebrations span Britain and beyond as Austen’s milestone is observed with events, costumes and online gatherings.
LONDON — Jane Austen fans marked the author’s 250th birthday on Tuesday with a church service in Steventon, the rural village where she was born, and with celebrations at Austen sites in Britain and around the world. A yearlong tribute has drawn participants from across the U.K., the United States and beyond. At Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, the cottage that is now a museum, organizers hosted talks, tours and performances for dozens of visitors, and a virtual party drew thousands of participants watching from afar.
The cottage in Chawton is where Austen lived for the final years of her life and where she wrote all six of her novels, including Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Regency dress was strongly encouraged for attendees at the Chawton events, and more than 500 people had signed up to join the Zoom party.
In Steventon, a church service featuring music and readings was held at the village church, inviting locals and visitors who have long celebrated Austen’s legacy as part of the year’s program. Fans, who call themselves Janeites, have marked the anniversary year with Regency balls and festivals staged in the U.K., the United States and beyond. Over the weekend, Bath hosted the Yuletide Jane Austen Birthday Ball, billed as the finale of a season of costumed events held there this year.
The celebrations reflect Austen’s enduring appeal across generations and geographies, with audiences engaging through live events and online gatherings as the milestone continues to resonate in literary culture and popular imagination.