Session and discounted weekend tickets are available here: events.humanitix.com/derwentregencyfestival24.
Friday 29th November (5pm) – Monday 2nd December (9:30pm)
Hobart and surrounds, Van Diemen’s Land
Celebrate the Regency era in style and fun with events including a Regency evening at Narryna Heritage Museum, dance workshops and a Grand Regency Ball in the fine St James Church Hall in New Town, a Regency Assembly of dancing, music, games, history, a promenade and delicious period food in the historic town of Richmond, and a music and history sail on the majestic tall ship, the Lady Nelson. Four days of fun, food, fine music, dancing and general frivolity. This year we also have a bonus night of historically themed contra dancing on the Monday night.
Tickets: events.humanitix.com/derwentregencyfestival24, including discounted weekend tickets and tickets for individual events
Entry conditions, health and safety, inclusion: folktas.org/conditionshealthsafety
Draft programme – subject to minor changes. Download printable version of the weekend’s programme (here) and the Regency Assembly programme (here).
| ACTIVITY | TIME | DESCRIPTION | LOCATION | PRICE |
| Friday 29th November | ||||
| Georgian and Regency Evening at Narryna Heritage Museum | 5-7:30pm | Regency costume showings, exhibition, tours of Narryna house (1830s merchant house), refreshments in the garden, live music and dancing, meet and greet other festival goers | Narryna Heritage Museum, 103 Hampden Rd, Battery Point | $32 |
| Saturday 30th November | ||||
| Regency Dance Workshop | 11:15 for 11:30am-1:30pm | With live period music and Dancing Masters Katherine Tammaro and David Wanless. Learn or refresh the basics of Regency dancing for the evening ball, or just have fun with some easy Regency dances. No partner or dancing experience required. Note that you are welcome to attend the evening ball whether or not you have attended this workshop. BYO water bottle. | St James Church Hall, 462 Elizabeth St (off Rupert Ave, enter behind church) | $12/$10 |
| Intermediate Regency and Georgian Dances | 2:20 for 2:30-4:30pm | With live period music and Dancing Masters Katherine Tammaro and David Wanless. Have fun with a variety of lively dances, some for the evening ball and some just because they’re exciting dances. No partner or dancing experience required but if you can make it to the earlier workshop first that would be good. Learn a Quadrille for an informal display at the ball. BYO water bottle. | St James Church Hall, 462 Elizabeth St (off Rupert Ave, enter behind church) | $12/$10 |
| Grand Regency Ball | 7:15 for 7:30-11:30pm | Grand Regency Ball – dance or enjoy the spectacle Divine period music including many Tasmanian pieces, by Van Diemen’s Angels (harp, piano, fiddle and flute) Dancing Masters Katherine Tammaro and David Wanless will lead you through an evening of fun and lively dances. No partner or dancing experience required, though attending the morning workshop would make it even more fun. Period attire encouraged, otherwise something dashing or elegant. Special guests: Historic Dance Delights from Canberra will provide inspiring dance displays including a magnificent Mazurka Quadrille. BYO water bottle and supper to share. | St James Church Hall, 462 Elizabeth St (off Rupert Ave, enter behind church) | $7-22 |
| Sunday 1st December | ||||
| Richmond Regency Assembly | c. 10:00am-5:30pm. Feel free to visit the goal or model village from 9am. | A day of Regency activities, fine food and tea in the historic town of Richmond. Your ticket includes delicious lunch and afternoon tea of period sweet and savoury food and hot and cold drinks, as well as Regency country dancing, live music, visits to the historic Richmond gaol and Old Hobart Town model village, Maypole dancing, period games to play and a promenade along the banks of the picturesque Coal river and across the oldest bridge in Australia, admiring the ducks. Period attire encouraged, otherwise something dashing or elegant.
See detailed programme (here) Please book your (free) spots for visits to the gaol and the model village, if you wish to visit with other festival goers. | Richmond Town Hall Supper Room and surrounds, 54 Bridge St (cnr Forth St), Richmond | $31-81 |
| After Party | 6pm, Richmond Town Hall Supper Room | An informal party. Includes vegetarian dinner and refreshments, more music and lively dancing without much teaching. Tickets only available for weekend or Sunday ticket holders. | Richmond Town Hall Supper Room and surrounds as above | $29 (not included in weekend ticket) |
| Monday 2nd December | ||||
| Music and History Sail on the Lady Nelson | 12:40 for 1-3pm or 3:10 for 3:30-5:30pm | An afternoon sail on the Derwent river on the magnificent tall ship, the Lady Nelson, with refreshments, live music, shanty singing and history. Regency, formal or nautical attire admired but not required. You will also have the opportunity to help haul on a line or two if you so wish. Allow at least half an hour extra if parking a carriage – it is very hard to find a spot. | Elizabeth St Pier, Hobart waterfront | $44/$22 (not included in weekend ticket) |
| Monday Night Folk Dance – Historically themed contra dances | 7:15 for 7:30pm | Our regular Monday night folk dance, this time historical/chestnut Contra Dances, most from the 19th Century. Live music and lots of fun. | St James Hall, as per the ball above | $7-15 (not included in weekend ticket) |
All ages and identities welcome.
Dressing up in period attire or some approximation thereof is highly admired. Think “dashing” or “elegant”. See But darling, I have nothing to wear for easy ideas.
Tickets: events.humanitix.com/derwentregencyfestival24
View information about the festival on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/517432143657533. Feel free to post your photos there.
Note: It is with great regret that we say goodbye to Glen Derwent, where we held our garden party in previous years. Sadly, Glen Derwent has closed. We offer a heartfelt sympathy and thanks to Liz and Rob who have been such wonderful hosts for years. We will still have a grand time at Richmond, but thank you so much for the wonderful times we had at Glen Derwent.
Information about finding the venues, and reducing our environmental impact in transport and at the events, is at folktas.org/venuesenv. If you’d like to share transport to the venues, feel free to post a request to our Facebook group, Dance Folk Tasmania, or to talk to other festival goers at the events. If you ask at an event, we can usually make an announcement for you.
We don’t have any relationship with any hotels, but if you look for something between St James in New Town (the Saturday venue) and Narryna in Battery Point (the Friday venue), you’ll be close. There are many buses going past St James to and from central Hobart, and Narryna is a walkable distance from the centre.
There are many other lovely things to do in Hobart and surrounds. Some places to visit with some Regency relevance are Port Arthur, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, the Shot Tower or simply wandering through Battery Point.
Cathy and David, 03 6273 2127, folkdancetas@gmail.com
Folk Federation of Tasmania Inc, folktas.org/regency
Facebook: Dance Folk Tasmania or FolkTas
Meetup: Dance Folk Tasmania
Instagram: folktas
Your tickets support local folk music artists, as well as the venues who support us.
For portraits and details of the 2023 festival, see here.