Fans of Jane Austen are being asked to dust of their corsets and grab their breeches as Bath prepares to battle it out for a Guinness World Record.
This summer the International Jane Austen Festival, held in Bath, hopes to beat the current record for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed in Regency Costumes - 409 - which it achieved in 2009.
Before they get their chance, however, the record could be broken by American Austen festival-goers three months earlier.
The rival festival, organised by the Greater Louisville chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America and held annually in the town since 2007, will attempt to break the UK held record during its own three-day event in July.
Director of the UK Jane Austen Festival, Jackie Herring, said: "It will be fun to see what happens over the summer and I am sure any rivalry will all be in good-humour. Nonetheless, I would like to believe that whatever the outcome in July, come September we will still hold the record."
Guinness World Record guidelines for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed in Regency Costumes attempt include;
1. All participants must be fully dressed in Regency costume outfit:
- Males in knee-high boots, tail or long great coats, tall neckties, floppy shirts and tight breeches.
- Males can also be dressed in military or navy uniform of the period.
- Females in full-length dresses with a high waistline, low cut necks and bonnet.
2. All participants must carry and wear the necessary accessories to complete the costume, e.g. hat or bonnet, reticule, gloves, Spencer jacket, pelisse or shawl.
3. All participants must be in position simultaneously and remain so for a minimum of five minutes.
4. A loud start and finish signal will be used. Two experienced timekeepers will time the attempt.
5. All participants must wear the costume for the entirety of the attempt.
The record attempt, which will take place at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on Saturday, September 13, is just one of the highlights of what organisers are calling the biggest festival yet in the event's 14 year history.
After leaving the Assembly Rooms, participants will then take part in the Grand Regency Promenade making their way past the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Queen Square.
The rest of the festival programme includes more than 90 events, beginning with Jo Baker – the acclaimed author of Longbourn fame – on the first Friday and ending ten days later with a performance by the hugely popular Austentatious.
As usual, £1 from each Grand Promenade ticket sold will be donated to charity. This year all proceeds will go to the Bath and District Branch of Multiple Sclerosis Society UK, in memory of Sue Le Blond, a former Jane Austen Centre and festival colleague who died last year.
For more information, visit www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk/festival-programme/
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