The Many Faces and Hats
of The Jane Austen Festival

Groups, Families and
Couples at The Festival

The Style Show

Fashions by Betsy Bashore

Fashions by Gayle Simmons

Gayle Simmons brings her fashions each year to the house at Locust Grove. Spread throughout the second floor it feels as if a maid has just laid out an outfit for one of the Croghan women that lived in the house in the early 19th century.

There was no lack of shopping for those looking to complete their outfits or maybe to come next year in period dress.

(At Right) Half Crown Bakehouse was not only selling their baked goods at the Festival but baking bread in their on site oven. Owner Justin Cherry says the oven weighs in at
 3,200 pounds.

"It's like six-foot-long by five-foot wide on an 11 foot trailer and the trailer is made with wide beam planks and then I have panels modeled after 1730s German architecture, handhewn pieces of wood that hide the wheels," says Cherry. Once he gets to his destination, he'll unload his wood — hickory and pecan for historical accuracy — then set out his sign designed by woodcarver Vernon DePauw, gather his dough (all made from heirloom grains courtesy of Anson Mills), and start heating up the clay oven. 

Learn more at www.halfcrownbakehouse.com

The Gentlemen of the Royal Navy

Under the Big tent - visitors learn about men’s clothing from “Mr. Darcy” aka Brian Cushing

Dr. Glynis Ridley spoke under the big tent on “ Isabella Thorpe’s Northanger Abbey: Gothic Plots and Possibilities”

Lady Caroline Linnington (recently widowed) entertains a new suitor.

Lunch on the grounds for this young lady was a combination of early 19th century mixed with a bit of the 21st century too!

As always hats are the stars of The Jane Austen Festival.

Previous Years Jane Austen Festival

(There was no festival in 2015)

Link to the Louisville Jane Austen Society

Link to Historic Locust Grove