2025/2026 Meeting Dates
We kindly request that you reserve the upcoming meeting dates for our organization's 2025/2026 season. Our team is currently finalizing the program details, which we look forward to sharing with everyone in the near future. All in-person meetings will be held at the Sunalta Community Hall, located at 1627 10 Avenue SW, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, unless otherwise noted.
March 21st 2026 - Guest Speaker Theresa Maille - who is adapting Emma for Workshop Theatre's production this May will be joining us to share her thoughts on Austen and adapting her novels to the stage.
May 30th 2026 - Annual Tea **PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE**
Book Club
"I declare afterall there is no enjoyment like reading. How much sooner one tires of anything than a book!"
Currently Reading: 11 Chapters of Sandition by Jane Austen.
We also choose one of the books Renata Dennis discussed at the January members meeting - "Island Queen" by Vanessa Riley. It is a heftier book, so we thought we would give everyone a bit more reading time when we discuss this book at the April 7th meeting.
Date: Tuesday March 3
Time: 7:00 PM
Host: Shanna
Location: Shanna’s hoome!
Summer Country Assembly
Our sincere thanks are extended to Vivienne and Mel, who have most graciously agreed to serve once again as co-chairs of the Summer Country Assembly. Their leadership and dedication were instrumental in the success of last year’s inaugural event, which was met with great enthusiasm, and we look forward to building upon that happy momentum. The Assembly is tentatively scheduled for June 20th, and members are encouraged to reserve the date. In anticipation of the occasion, you may also wish to attend one or two Sprigged Muslin practices in the coming months, both to brush up on your dancing skills for when you to take the floor. Should those dates not work for you, there is no cause for concern— all dances will be reviewed on the day, and the emphasis is very much on participation, enjoyment, and good cheer. Further details will be shared as plans are finalized, and we eagerly anticipate another most enjoyable and well-attended gathering.
Sprigged Muslin Regency Dance Group
New participants are always welcome to join our dance group. No previous dance experience is required. For more information, please contact Kathleen at kathleen@prairiesky.ca.
We typically meet at 2:00 PM on the 3rd Sunday of each month, though there may be a few schedule adjustments due to space availability. Here is a note from Kathleen:
Hi dancing friends,
Looking ahead our practices in 2026 will be:
February 15
March 15
April 19
May 17
June 21
Annual Tea - "Austen at 250 - Celebrating Her Life & Legacy"
What an enchanting afternoon we had as we celebrated Jane Austen at our season's grand finale! The hall transformed into a vision of beauty, adorned with twinkling lights, hanging lanterns, stunning Austen silhouette banners, and elegant flower tiers. Guests were treated to a delightful regency musical performance by the talented trio of Vivienne, Rhiannon, and Ossian as guests entered the venue and perused the raffle table. A heartfelt thank you to Yue Gong for organizing a marvellous quartet from the Mount Royal University Conservatory Choir; their rendition of “Early One Morning” truly set the perfect atmosphere as we settled into our seats. It was a record turnout, and everyone indulged in a delightful spread of finger sandwiches, scones, jam, homemade clotted cream, fresh fruit, vibrant veggies, and scrumptious cookies—talk about a feast! Laughter filled the air as each table took part in some hilarious Austen Mad Libs that were shared with all in attendance. We wrapped up the afternoon with a fabulous performance by the Sprigged Muslin Dancers, inviting everyone to join in on the group dance, creating a wonderful memory for all. A massive thank you to our amazing planning committee—Carole, Deidre, Leslie, Fatima, May Lee, Christina M, Yue, Lillian, and Susan—for their hard work and passion that made this special event a reality!
Check out the latest from our Facebook site
Read the latest Blog for meeting recaps and more
New Tweet alert! Check it out @JasnaCalgary
Treaty 7 Territory Land Acknowledgements
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we, the Jane Austen Society Calgary Region, live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
Join US
If you, like us, are interested in all things Jane consider becoming a member. We are a merry band of Austen fans who meet to enjoy talks, workshops, teas, galas and more several times throughout the year. We encourage those who are curious about joining to attend their first meeting for free to get to know us better. Whether you’re just discovering Jane for the first time or if you’ve loved her for years, you are most cordially welcome!
Member meetings are currently held in-person and via Zoom and 2025 -2026 membership is only $15.00 annually and provides admission to all meetings, access to the lending library, and supports speaker honorariums, hosting our website, technology fees, outreach ventures, and more…
Attend a Meeting
Held five times annually, JASNA Calgary meetings offer Jane fans an opportunity to discuss a variety of Austen related topics both literary and scholarly including Jane’s life, her novels, the Regency period and more.
When: the third Saturday in the months of January, March, May, September, and November
Time: from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: via Zoom until further notice and then at the Sunalta Community Association, located at 1627 10 Avenue SW (wheelchair accessible) when we can meet in person again.
We encourage those who are curious about joining to attend their first meeting for free to get to know us better.
“We are all hastening together to perfect felicity.”
— Narrator, Northanger Abbey
Are you attending the Annual Tea?
Although we all know Jane Austen's birthday is on December 16 (common knowledge is it not?), the Calgary Regional group holds its birthday celebration in January, when we can all appreciate a party and some good cheer in the face of our cold prairie winters.
To honour Jane we celebrate a delightful gathering including refreshments and afternoon tea, fun and scholarly talks, a dance presentation featuring the Regency Dance Group Sprigged Muslin, games, and more.
Borrow a Book
JASNA Calgary Region is proud to offer its members a well stocked library of Jane Austen novels and related works. Through the generous donation of past members, as well as select acquisitions by the group, we now feature over a hundred works both literary and scholarly to choose from including a complete set of Persuasions, JASNA’s annual, peer-reviewed print journal.
Members have access to the library during each Member Meeting and can borrow materials until the following meeting for the small sum of 25 cents per item. To plan your reading in advance, review the Library List and send an email to JASNA Calgary to request your particular books, as our library is now too large to bring all the books to each meeting. If you cannot wait until the next meeting, try the resources of the Calgary Public Library.
Attend Local Events
Join us for local events in and around Calgary that feature Jane Austen or Regency period or historical activities.
From Gala events at the Palliser to plays held by local theatre groups, there’s something for everyone.
Would you care to Dance?
Learn Regency dances and share good fun and laughter with the Sprigged Muslin Dance Group of Calgary. The group helps beginners and experts alike find the real spirit of dancing in the Regency period. Best of all, costumes are both welcome and encouraged.
Sprigged Muslin is always seeking new members and no previous experience of any kind is required. In fact, enjoying laughter and camaraderie are the only qualifications. We are currently seeking a new Dance Mistress or Master; if you have enough basic dance knowledge to make it easy for you to learn new dances and would like to try on this role, we would be happy to help you hone your skills. The group is very accepting and supportive of whatever others offer so this could be a great opportunity to stretch yourself by taking on a new role. Help and resources are readily available.
Practices are held monthly, in order to keep members on their toes, but if you are simply interested in the dances themselves, PDF descriptions are available as well.
“Fine dancing, I believe, like virtue, must be its own reward.”
— Mr. Knightley, Emma
Stage and Screen
Over two centuries after her life, Jane still lives in the hearts and minds of the fans all over world. As part of her modern persona, she inspires us to create new media experiences from stage and screen through to digital adaptations, on-line courses, and more.
So what’s your favourite Austen film adaptation? Have you taken advantage of the free on-line course from the University of Southampton's Future Learn on her life and time? Or perhaps you’ve visited the virtual Regency world of “Ever, Jane” featuring a Jane inspired on-line role-playing game Or maybe you’ve snuck a peak through Lizzie Bennett’s Diary, a YouTube vlog based on Pride and Prejudice? There are simply so many adaptions of Austen’s work to choose from.
Visit Jane Country
Has your love of Jane Austen ever inspired you to take the trip to England and visit the world she so eloquently described? Many of our members have, and you can find their travel diaries and essays here, along with travel tips and tour suggestions.
If you’ve already made the journey, consider sharing your experiences with the group and adding to the richness of these travel stories by sharing them with others.
Are you a Friend of Jane?
As a JASNA Calgary Regional Member you belong to one of the many organizations around the world dedicated to the celebration and preservation of all things Jane.
Whether you choose to join the main JASNA organization based in the US and attend their AGM, or simply explore the plethora of global Jane societies, there is always an opportunity to meet and befriend new Jane friends.
To learn more about sister societies and fan groups in North America and beyond click the link below.
Learn more about us
Curious about who we are, or perhaps interested in volunteering your support and talent to the group. Look no further. Learn more about the JASNA Calgary Region group of volunteers dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Jane Austen.
“One man’s ways may be as good as another’s, but we all like our own best.”
— Admiral Croft, Persuasion
