Buxton Georgian Festival 2024
Join us from Wednesday 25 September to Sunday 29 September as we commemorate the Georgian and Regency history of Buxton and its surrounding area with the Buxton Georgian Festival.
This year’s festival, coordinated by Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, promises a wide range of talks, demonstrations and activities, culminating in the elegant Regency Ball.
Festival highlights include talks by Dr Richard Gaunt and Dr. Peter Collinge. With his illustrated talk, Dr Gaunt will dive into the “golden age of Caricature” and consider the irreverent, biting, bawdy and scurrilous outpourings of caricaturists and visual satirists in the Georgian age, highlighting key themes and artists of the period including Hogarth, Gillray and Cruikshank. Dr Collinge will explore “country house visiting in the Georgian era”. An entertaining guide to the pleasures and pitfalls of visiting country houses in the Georgian era. He draws on a wealth of contemporary evidence, including letters, journals and guide books. Set within the wider context of eighteenth-century tourism, access arrangements, encounters with owners and servants, hospitality, and mistimed visits come to life through the expectations, experiences and opinionated reactions of those who sought entry to the grandest homes in the land. Gabby Monet will also give an introduction to the fashion, accessories and styling of the Georgian and Regency periods.
During the week, there will be authentic Georgian costumes on display in the Pump Room, curated by Notty Hornblower from the Hope House Costume Museum, and creative workshops with Abigail Rose, where participants can learn the intricate art of Georgian embroidery; and with Jane Walton, where participants will create stunning floral headdresses reminiscent of the Regency period.
On the Friday evening, you’re invited to dress in your finest 18th century clothing for an evening of gambling(!) with Dr Helen Davidge, Director of Georgettes of Oxford. Learn the popular card games and wager chocolate coins. Fortunes may be won and lost; a truly immersive experience!
At the weekend, visitors can engage with living historians and enjoy various demonstrations and there will be a historical costume market on the Saturday.
Performances by local heritage tour company, Discover Buxton, will bring history to life with character-led guided walks with Georgian poet, Anna Seward, and Regency entrepreneur, Anne Lister. Listen in as they discuss the goings on of their visits to Buxton.
Also on the Saturday, guests can dance the night away at the grand Regency Ball with fabulous music and dance calling by the Pemberley Players.
Event Details
Wednesday 25 September to Sunday 29 September.
Events take place at The Pump Room, in the Crescent Assembly Rooms and around the town.
Tickets are available from The Pump Room or via the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust website.
Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust is a registered charity which works to maintain and promote the town’s historical and architectural significance. Events held by the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust help fund and create awareness for the ongoing conservation efforts, ensuring that Buxton’s cultural legacy is preserved for future generations.
Buxton Georgian Festival 2024
Join us from Wednesday 25 September to Sunday 29 September as we commemorate the Georgian and Regency history of Buxton and its surrounding area with the Buxton Georgian Festival.
This year’s festival, coordinated by Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, promises a wide range of talks, demonstrations and activities, culminating in the elegant Regency Ball.
Festival highlights include talks by Dr Richard Gaunt and Dr. Peter Collinge. With his illustrated talk, Dr Gaunt will dive into the “golden age of Caricature” and consider the irreverent, biting, bawdy and scurrilous outpourings of caricaturists and visual satirists in the Georgian age, highlighting key themes and artists of the period including Hogarth, Gillray and Cruikshank. Dr Collinge will explore “country house visiting in the Georgian era”. An entertaining guide to the pleasures and pitfalls of visiting country houses in the Georgian era. He draws on a wealth of contemporary evidence, including letters, journals and guide books. Set within the wider context of eighteenth-century tourism, access arrangements, encounters with owners and servants, hospitality, and mistimed visits come to life through the expectations, experiences and opinionated reactions of those who sought entry to the grandest homes in the land. Gabby Monet will also give an introduction to the fashion, accessories and styling of the Georgian and Regency periods.
Image Source: Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust
During the week, there will be authentic Georgian costumes on display in the Pump Room, curated by Notty Hornblower from the Hope House Costume Museum, and creative workshops with Abigail Rose, where participants can learn the intricate art of Georgian embroidery; and with Jane Walton, where participants will create stunning floral headdresses reminiscent of the Regency period.
On the Friday evening, you’re invited to dress in your finest 18th century clothing for an evening of gambling(!) with Dr Helen Davidge, Director of Georgettes of Oxford. Learn the popular card games and wager chocolate coins. Fortunes may be won and lost; a truly immersive experience!
Image Source: Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust
At the weekend, visitors can engage with living historians and enjoy various demonstrations and there will be a historical costume market on the Saturday.
Performances by local heritage tour company, Discover Buxton, will bring history to life with character-led guided walks with Georgian poet, Anna Seward, and Regency entrepreneur, Anne Lister. Listen in as they discuss the goings on of their visits to Buxton.
Also on the Saturday, guests can dance the night away at the grand Regency Ball with fabulous music and dance calling by the Pemberley Players.
Event Details
Wednesday 25 September to Sunday 29 September.
Events take place at The Pump Room, in the Crescent Assembly Rooms and around the town.
Tickets are available from The Pump Room or via the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust website.
Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust is a registered charity which works to maintain and promote the town’s historical and architectural significance. Events held by the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust help fund and create awareness for the ongoing conservation efforts, ensuring that Buxton’s cultural legacy is preserved for future generations.
From November 2025, this website is owned and managed by Buxton Civic Association Ltd - Charity No. 258163.
Buxton Civic Association celebrates the natural and human heritage of Buxton including its outstanding buildings and wildlife. We conserve and enhance this heritage and advocate its importance in making Buxton a special place to live or to visit.
