The Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest

06/08/2026

Dearest readers,

Preparations are already underway for the 2027 Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest, and those wishing to secure their place in the merriment would be wise to make themselves known.

Join the 2027 waiting list to be among the first to hear when tickets and programming are released for next year’s Fest, taking place February 12, 13 & 14 in Mount Dora.

Our earliest correspondents will receive updates first, giving them the best opportunity to plan for beloved programming sessions, workshops, and space-limited events, including the Regency Ball, Afternoon Tea, Regency Dance Class, Hair Updo Workshop, Regency Table Games, Perfume Making, Lawn Bowling, Book Discussions, the Soirée, Regency Picnic, and more.

For a weekend of wit, dancing, conversation, and delightful society, we recommend placing your name upon the list.

Join the 2027 waiting list here:
https://tally.so/r/44OGVX

06/04/2026

A most elegant look back at the assembly room.

At this year’s The Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest, guests stepped beyond the dance floor for “Assemblies and Balls: More Than the Dance,” a program exploring the customs, etiquette, fashion, and social rituals that shaped Regency gatherings.

Because in Jane Austen’s world, an assembly was never merely an evening of music and movement. It was a stage for introductions, reputations, conversation, courtship, careful manners, and the occasional most meaningful glance across the room.

Presented by Sarah Gorman, the session offered festival guests a richer understanding of the world behind the ball — where every dance, every partner, and every social cue carried its own significance.

Were you in attendance, dear friends? Share your favorite photos from the festival in the comments, and send your videos to [email protected] for a chance to be featured on this page.

A delightful reminder that in the Regency era, the drama was not only in the novels. Sometimes, it was right there in the assembly room.

Thank you to Alyssa Karnitz for capturing this wonderful moment.

06/02/2026

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a town in possession of bonnets, ball gowns, books, and excellent company must be in want of another Jane Austen Fest.

We are still quite happily reminiscing on the 2026 The Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest, from the charming costumes to the lively gatherings and all the delightful moments in between.

And so, dear friends, we offer this early notice with great pleasure:

Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest returns February 12, 13 & 14, 2027.

Further particulars shall be announced in due course. Until then, there is ample time to secure one’s calendar, consider one’s wardrobe, and prepare for a most agreeable return.

05/21/2026

Uptown and Downtown Mount Dora ROLL CALL 📣

Donnelly Street is back, and we’re turning the detour into a comeback.

On Thursday, May 21, the City of Mount Dora will mark the reopening of Donnelly Street with a ribbon cutting, and the road is expected to reopen to traffic in both directions shortly after — around 1:30 PM.

So now the Visitor Center wants to know:

Who’s celebrating?

Downtown businesses, drop your specials, deals, live music, happy hours, featured menu items, shopping promos, Memorial Day weekend plans, or big “we made it through construction season” energy in the comments.

Residents, visitors, regulars, and Mount Dora fans: this is your invitation to scroll the comments, pick a few stops, and come show downtown some love.

Grab lunch. Stay for dinner. Shop the side streets. Take the long way home. Bring someone who has been waiting for the road to reopen.

It’s the Donnelly Street Comeback Tour, and we’re ready to make it a good one.

All roads lead to Mount Dora.

04/30/2026

04/08/2026

Dearest friends of the The Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest,

Pray allow me a most urgent (and delicious) recommendation… 🍦🐾

This Sunday, our fair town of Mount Dora shall be transformed into a promenade of sweets for the Mount Dora Ice Cream Stroll & Pup Walk—a most agreeable affair featuring five-and-twenty stops of frozen delights scattered throughout the village.

One might stroll from shop to shop, sampling delicacies of every flavor, in the finest company—be it friends, family, or even one’s most loyal four-legged companion (who, I am told, are most welcome on this occasion).

But alas… tickets are disappearing with alarming speed, and it would be a tragedy most profound to miss such an engagement.

Should you wish to partake in this indulgent excursion, I encourage you to secure your place without delay.

Yours in sweetness and society,
A most eager attendee 🍨

02/20/2026

Thank you to Lake and Sumter Style Magazine for featuring our 2026 Fest in Historic Downtown Mount Dora!

The event was a splendid success and we're looking forward to 2027 already.

Share your pictures, videos, and favorite memories with us to continue the fun!

02/17/2026

“The navy has always been the favourite of her; she had never been able to hear of the navy without an emotion of pride.”
— Persuasion

It's always a pleasure to host the group from The Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest. We had such a great time with you all and we're looking forward to seeing you next year👒

02/15/2026

Set in Historic Downtown Mount Dora, the Jane Austen Fest continues this weekend!

02/13/2026

🌸🎀 Bonnetmaking 🎀🌸

Surely no heroine of Jane Austen would venture out without a becoming bonnet!

Bonnetmaking was both art and necessity — shaping straw or fabric into elegant headwear, then trimming it with ribbons, silk flowers, and lace. A well-made bonnet was not merely practical; it framed the face, signaled taste, and completed a lady’s ensemble.

Delicate, decorative, and decidedly fashionable — proof that even the smallest details mattered in Austen’s world.