A Georgian gala: Jane Austen’s 250th birthday celebrated at Provo Library
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- People dance at Jane Austen’s 250th birthday party Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at the Provo Library.
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- People dance at Jane Austen’s 250th birthday party Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at the Provo Library.
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- People dance at Jane Austen’s 250th birthday party Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at the Provo Library.
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- People dance at Jane Austen’s 250th birthday party Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at the Provo Library.
A birthday party for one of history’s most beloved authors was held at the Provo Library Tuesday night.
Not a smart phone was in sight as people dressed in fancy 19th-Century England clothes socialized, ate cake and performed long line dances well into the evening, all in honor of Jane Austen, who was born on Dec. 16, 1775.
“The purpose of this is to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, her timeless legacy. She’s a positive force in the world,” event organizer Kira Shaffer said.
Austen’s literature still permeates modern society, as books that highlighted the English Georgian Era such as “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma” have sold millions of copies worldwide and been adapted into major motion pictures.
Her continued relevancy was underscored by the amount of people who came to her birthday party 200 years after her death.
Shaffer said she did not pay for any advertising, but still got 100-plus people to attend. She hoped they all enjoyed the face-to-face interaction and opportunity to dance.
“It’s important for our time to have these kind of gatherings, to have social dancing, to get off our devices and get together in person and move our bodies and talk,” Shaffer said.
