Opening Dinner

Friday 7pm

Come in your Regency costumes or appropriate formalwear to enjoy an evening of the finest Regency entertainment. Enjoy an elegant sit-down dinner, with a variety of Regency amusements on show.
As always an opportunity for photography studio portraits will also be available.

Grand Ball

Saturday 6:45pm (dinner), Ball 7:30pm

Come in your best finery to the Regency Ball on Saturday night to enjoy dancing under the guidance of our Dance leaders, or simply enjoy listening to the wonderful music of Short Dented Potts who will play traditional favourites and some surprises. There will be other evening activities available for the non-dancers amongst you.
Supper will be served half way through the ball, and photography studio portraits will also be available.

Note: Please bring a plate of food to add to the supper table. For ideas on what to bring click here.

Sunday Service

Sunday 10am

St Aidan’s Anglican Church would like to invite any who would care to join the service at 10am on Sunday 19th May.
The service will reflect on the time when Jane Austen would have attended her father’s church in Steventon, with Hymns and prayers harking back to that time.

Note: All those who attend will be assured of first provision of picnic lunch, prior to the service, and transport to Golden Vale at the service conclusion.

Golden Vale Homestead

Included in your ticket

Sunday 11am

We will all be visiting historic Golden Vale Homestead. Bus transfer has been arranged, as private cars are restricted. After morning tea and collecting your picnic lunch, we will depart Exeter Hall at 11am by bus, returning at 3:30pm in time for afternoon tea.

Whilst at Golden Vale, you will be able to tour the grounds at your leisure. Inspection of the house will also be available with National Trust volunteer guides (gold coin donation appreciated).

Note: transport is by bus, private cars restricted. BYO picnic rug or chair

Picnic lunch

Included in your ticket

Sunday 10am

n exquisite array of picnic provisions shall be made available for your discerning palate, curated meticulously to afford you the opportunity to fashion your own bespoke snack-box. This delightful offering is intended to prepare you for a leisurely sojourn upon the verdant expanses of Golden Vale Homestead. As you partake in this gracious repast, amidst the splendour of nature’s embrace, may your senses be enchanted and your spirits uplifted.

Sketching at Golden Vale

$5 (packs of 3 postcards)

Sunday – self guided

Jenny Wardrobe will provide shared sketching materials and watercolour pencils.
If you have a favourite sketching kit or water brush, please bring them.
This will be a self guided activity with samples for inspiration provided.

Note: Packs of 3 postcards will be available for purchase for $5.00

Horse & Carriage

$10

Sunday 11am

Southern Highlands Carriage Club will present a display of historic carriages for inspection and photography at Golden Vale. Carriage rides may be purchased on the day.

Note: Carriage rides cannot be pre-booked and works on a first come, first serve basis. We ask you to put your name on a list if you take a carriage ride & forward a payment afterwards.

Maypole

Included in your ticket

Sunday 11am

Watching our ribbons making patterns, as we duck and weave to the caller’s guidance- a tradition that goes back in time, but is just as much fun today. Set on the glorious stretch of lawn behind the Golden Vale Homestead, the Maypole and the dancers make a beautiful picture. Come and join in!

Archery

$15

Sunday 11am

Step into the refined world of Regency-era archery, guided by the esteemed David Potter. Amidst our estate grounds, embrace tradition and grace in this genteel pursuit. Your esteemed presence is welcomed as we celebrate camaraderie and skill beneath the azure skies of the Golden Vale Homestead.

Note: Archery cannot be pre-booked and works on a first come, first serve basis. We ask you to put your name on a list if you participate & forward a payment afterwards.

Ball Preparation

Included in your ticket

Friday & Saturday

There will be numerous dance workshops on both Friday and Saturday taught by our experienced team; David Potter, Katherine Tammaro, Dr Heather Clarke and Aimee Brown, who will lead a one-off introduction to Baroque Dancing.

These workshops will assist beginners to be in the right place at the right time and will give more experienced dancers the fun of applying their skills to familiar and new dances. The dance program is based on English Country Dance with traditional favourites and new variations sympathetic to the era.

We highly recommend inexperienced dancers attend the Beginners Workshop on Friday and at least one workshop on Saturday before the Ball in preparation.

Baroque Dance

Included in your ticket

Friday 3:15pm

Prepare to dance for King Louis XIV! In this workshop Aimee Brown will guide you through the basics of dancing in the eighteenth-century French court. You will learn basic technique, how to stand and bow, the step combinations for two popular dance styles: menuet and bourée, and the beginning of an original theatrical inspired court choreography.

Musician Session

Included in your ticket

Sunday 9am

An informal practice session with the band. Bring your own musical instrument and join them in providing some of the music for the Country Dance.

The Cultural Significance of Dance for Colonial Women

Dr Heather Blasdale Clarke

Saturday 9am

Music and dance held immense importance for women in Regency Australia. These art forms provided a means of expression, a way to connect with others, and a source of joy and entertainment. Through music and dance, women at all levels of society found solace, strength, and a sense of community.

Dr Heather Blasdale Clarke is a cultural historian and dance teacher who has dedicated her career to studying and understanding the rich cultural heritage of European dance in Australia. Her research goes beyond the technical aspects of dance, investigating its societal context and significance. By combining a comprehensive understanding of the many dance traditions relevant to early Australian history, she is able to bring a deep insight to this fascinating study.

Getting Started in Historical Costuming

Bronwyn Parry

Saturday 9am

If you’re interested in delving into historic and historically-inspired clothing, but not sure where to begin, or how to develop your style, this workshop is for you!

Published author & historian Bronwyn Parry will explore how to create your desired ‘look’, either by upcycling thrifted items or making complete outfits yourself. With examples to show and a discussion on where to find inspiration, patterns, materials, and events to attend. She will also discuss the underpinnings to create various historical silhouettes – and debunk some myths about corsets!

Australia in the Regency

Brian McDonald

Saturday 11:15am

So often the focus of our Regency celebrations is on England and Austen that we forget Regency Australia, and specifically Sydney, was a young and growing colony. Brian McDonald, one of Sydney’s leading Australian Colonial era historians, will present a talk about Australia’s Regency history complete with contemporary paintings and illustrations and guide participants along the dusty roads of our Regency past.

Corsets & Stays

Wendy Wildemoth

Saturday 1:30pm

Wendy Wildemoth has been interested in both sewing and historical costuming since her teenage years and obsessed over Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion on it’s first release. Regency clothing remains a special area of interest.

Wendy will present a view of women’s supportive garments between the heavily boned stays of the 1780s and the increasingly boned stays of the Victorian era. Includes an analysis of extant examples, the prevalence of white or coloured materials, how shaping was added. She will also discuss when stays move from the shorter tabbed transitional stage to the longer corded stays that continued to be used for decades.

Military Display

Included in your ticket

Saturday 2:45pm

Immerse yourself in the captivating spectacle of musket firing and regimental marching, transporting you back to the era of Lydia Bennet’s fascination with the Meryton Redcoats. Experience the thunderous echoes of history as the prowess and precision of the military unfold before your very eyes, igniting a fervor of excitement and admiration

British Army in the Regency

John Potter & John Staats

Included in your ticket

Saturday 3:30pm

John Potter & John Staats will talk about the British Army in the Regency Period. This talk will include the style of uniforms, use of weapons and equipment, and the organisational structure of the Army that Jane Austen would have been familiar with during the Regency era.

Bobbin Lace

Bookings essential, $30

Friday 11am

People have been making bobbin lace for almost 500 years. From simple weaving to ornate masterpieces, the art of lace making has developed alongside fashion trends through history, including the Regency era. Kathy Potter will help you try your hand at making simple torchon braids to trim your bonnets, caps or chemises. Bobbins, and all equipment are included in the cost.

Note: bring some scissors for cutting threads.

Bentwood Tray

Bookings essential, $60

Friday 11am (over 2 sessions)

Local woodworking artist, Eliza Maunsell (of Eliza wood Co), presents a workshop on the art of bentwood tray-making. Make your own tray, whilst learning the intricate techniques of this exquisite crafting, with Eliza’s specialist guidance, over two sessions.

Note: bring an apron to protect your clothing

Fitting a Regency Bodice

Bookings essential, $20

Friday 11am & Saturday 1:15pm (2 parts)

Do you struggle to get your Regency bodice to fit you? Is your underbust seam riding too high, or are your shoulder seams falling off because your measurements don’t fit the numbers on the pattern? Over this 2 session workshop, Adrienne Unger will guide you to make a bodice to fit you, either by working with a pattern of your own that you will bring, or by draping with calico directly on you. The aim will be that you can come away with a sleeveless spencer, or at least a bodice mock up that you can then use for your future Regency sewing projects.

Note: equipment and materials requirements list will be provided when you apply for the sessions and answer a few helpful questions.

Historic Hand Sewing

Bookings essential, $15

Friday 11am

BEGINNERS LEVEL

A workshop for those relatively new to hand-sewing. Bronwyn Parry will discuss hand sewing tips and techniques – needles, thread, wax, thimbles – and cover basic stitches such as running stitch, back stitch and whip stitch, basic seams including felled and French seams, and a good hem stitch.

Note: please bring a basic sewing kit including scissors, pins and needles.

Dorset Buttons

Bookings essential, $5

Friday 1:15pm

Dorset buttons were used on a lot of different types of clothing during the Regency era. Joanne Sandbach will show you how to make these delightful little buttons which will add a touch of authenticity to any of your Regency clothing.

Note: bring some scissors for cutting threads.

Upcycling a Bonnet

Bookings essential, $25

Using a secondhand straw hat, learn how to upcycle and turn it into a bonnet with a soft, fabric crown. Kit includes a secondhand hat, fabric and some ribbon.

Note: basic sewing kit, including heavy duty scissors, fabric scissors, needles, pins, thimble and cotton thread.

White Soup

Bookings essential, $7

Friday 1:15pm & Sat 11am (2 parts)

White Soup was a popular course in Regency dinners and balls, and was also mentioned in Jane Austen’s letters. Watch and taste during a demonstration from experienced chef Lorelle Smith, showing how to prepare and serve this rich soup.

Note: this workshop & demonstration happens over Friday & Saturday

Historic Hand Sewing

Bookings essential, $15

Friday 1:15pm

ADVANCED LEVEL

For those who know the basics of sewing but want to learn more about historical hand-sewing techniques, Bronwyn Parry will demonstrate techniques such as the Mantua maker’s seam, the English stitch, and cartridge pleating.

Note: please bring a basic sewing kit including scissors, pins and needles.

Croquet

Bookings essential, $10

Friday 1:45pm, 3:15pm

Saturday 1:45pm, 3:15pm

Members of the Southern Highlands Croquet Club, which is located next to the Village Hall, will show you the finer points of this traditional Regency past time.

Note: Soft flat soled shoes must be worn (ie sneakers style). You will not be permitted on the court in hard shoes. No food or drink on the courts.

Learn Whist

Bookings essential, SRW card deck available for purchase

Friday 3:15pm

Learn to play the Regency card-game du jour with guidance from Bill Unger in preparation for down time and relaxation with other like-minded attendees at the Saturday Ball.

Cockades

Bookings essential, $10

Saturday 9am

Cockades were used as formal decorations for both sexes and were the 18th Century version of the “pride ribbon”. This is a great opportunity to dress up your Regency turban, promote your politics or your regiment! Marion Parmenter will teach you a couple of methods to assemble a Cockade, and a selection of ribbons and implements will be supplied. If you have a special ribbon of your own you’d like to use the wider 40-50mm sizes are preferable.

Note: bring a basic sewing kit including scissors, thread, needles, pins. To bling up your finished cockade you could also bring fancy buttons, beads, crystals or lace.

Basket Making

Bookings essential, $30

Saturday 9am, 1:15pm

Make a small 20cm woven cane basket without a handle, perfect to hold your Regency trinkets. Local woodworking artist, Eliza Maunsell (of Eliza wood Co) will teach you all the necessary skills to make this exciting project. A full kit is supplied.

Note: bring an apron to protect your clothing

‘Magic’ Needle Case

Bookings essential, $15

Saturday 11am

Bronwyn Parry In this workshop Bronwyn Parry will demonstrate how to start making a pretty needle book that has a clever opening system. All materials and instructions will be supplied for you to make your own, so that you can keep your needles handy and safe.

Regency Watercolours

Bookings essential, $25

Saturday 11am

The Regency period saw watercolour move from a utilitarian draftsman’s tool to the establishment of the Society of Painters in Watercolours in 1804.

Jenny Wardrobe invites you to explore watercolour painting using professional grade watercolour paint and paper. The materials sourced from modern art supplies will closely reflect those used in the Regency period. Suitable for beginners. A full kit will be supplied.

Note: bring an apron/overshirt & a small hand towel that may get paint on it.

Ribbon Embroidery

Bookings essential, $30

Saturday 1:15pm

Ribbons have been used in embroidery since the 17th and 18th century, and are a great way to decorate fabric. Learn the basics of ribbon embroidery with experienced seamstress Kelly Lock, with the resulting panel able to be made into a reticule at a later date. Kit includes embroidery ribbons and fabric. Please bring a basic sewing kit, including scissors, needles, pins, and cotton thread.

Note: please bring a basic sewing kit with scissors, pins, needles and cotton thread.

Advanced Whist

Bookings essential, SRW card deck available for purchase

Saturday 3:15pm

If you have mastered the basics of Whist, we invite you to learn some more advanced manoeuvres with guidance from David Potter in preparation for down time and relaxation with other like-minded attendees at the Saturday Ball.

Fabric Top for Basket

Bookings essential, $10

Saturday 3:15pm

Using the small basket made in the previous workshop, Kelly Lock will teach you how to make a fabric closure, with a drawstring, to turn your basket into a type of reticule. Bring your finished basket and you will be provided with some fabric. Please bring a basic sewing kit, including scissors, needles, pins and cotton thread.

Note: bring a basic sewing kit, including scissors, needles, pins and cotton thread.

Mulligatawny Soup

Bookings essential, $7

Saturday 3:45pm

Madras-born Bill Unger whose family was in India right back to the early days of the Raj will bring you some history of Indian food in Britain whilst together you create Mulligatawny Soup.

Note: bring an apron to protect your clothing

Finish your projects

Included in your ticket price

Sunday 9am

An experienced seamstress, Kelly Lock, will be available to help you finish any projects you have begun over the festival. .

Note: bring any equipment needed for your projects