"All The Delights of the Season": A Sneak Peak at JASP 2025
- Delicia Johnson
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
JASP 2025 is quickly approaching, but we still have a few places left! We hope that you decide to 'taste all the delights of the season' and celebrate Austen's 250th birthday with us in historic New Bern, NC. If you cannot be so easily persuaded, perhaps this sneak peak will convince you!
Embroidery Workshops
Want to try your hand at a handkerchief? Or perhaps a regency pincushion? How about both? Jennie Batchelor will be leading two embroidery workshops, "Stitch a sprigged pocket handkerchief" and "Stitch the Perfect Regency Pincushion". She is the curator of The Great Lady's Magazine Stitch Off, a project in which people worldwide recreated rare, surviving embroidery patterns from the Lady's Magazine, an early British women's magazine published from 1770 to 1847. She also co-authored Jane Austen Embroidery,
a book featuring rare embroidery patterns from
Jane Austen's era, repurposed into 15 modern
sewing projects. All levels are welcome!
Lectures
JASP offers people from all walks of life the opportunity to listen to scholarly talks from esteemed academics. This year's lectures include:
Domestic Medicine on 'Both Sides of the Atlantic: A look at two Receipt Books' with Anna Cory Neill
The Constitutional Safeguard of a Flannel Waistcoat: Sense and Sensibility and the Government of the Self' with Sarah Marsh
Transatlantic Piracy in Austen's Era with Erin Mackie
Reading the Americas with Jane Austen with Susan Allen Ford
Much use and more beauty: Transatlantic Domestic Arts in the Era of Jane Austen with Jennie Batchelor.
Context Corners and Small-Group Discussions
JASP offers mini talks and small-group discussions that are designed to further engage attendees, irrespective of their academic background. JASP 2025 will be no exception. Topics will include medicine, birth, and domestic arts in Regency England and colonial North Carolina. Watch Sarah Marsh's context corner 'Medicine and Hypochondria in Jane Austen's Emma' from JASP 2015 as an example of what to expect:
Historical and Heritage Tours
Learn about colonial North Carolina through optional walking tours: African American Heritage, Revolutionary Heritage, and Colonial Homes. You can also take a tour of Tryon Palace (For all you Outlander fans, the Palace is featured in the sixth book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, and the sixth season of the tv series.)
Regency Ball
Perhaps the most anticipated of all JASP activities, our Regency ball needs no introduction! Transport yourself to the Regency ballrooms and embrace your inner Austen character. If you're inexperienced, please do not fret! You can attend dance practice with Mr. Steplively before the ball!
More than being great fun and a chance to physically engage with the Regency era, the ball fosters a sense of community amongst Austen admirers.
Theatricals
Every year grad students and volunteers produce theatricals. Austen herself wrote short plays and enjoyed the theater. What better way to celebrate her birthday than partaking in activities that she loved! Watch last year's theatrical production of 'Evelyn' below:
And Much More!
Other activities include elevenses, Sunday afternoon tea, Regency games, the Adaptations Panel, and a lecture and performance from Laura Klein, founder of The Austen Playlist.
A few places for JASP 2025 is available. Don't miss out on this unique celebration of Austen's 250th birthday!
JASP 2025 is partially supported by a grant from North Carolina Humanities.
