Last year’s 250th birthday celebrations will be a tough act to follow - but the organisers of Jane Austen Regency Week are confident of staging another successful festival from June 19 to 28.

Pat Lerew - of the Alton Jane Austen Group, which stages Regency Week - said: “Although Jane Austen 251 will not have all the heady excitement of Jane Austen 250 and visiting TV celebrities, the programme we have put together does include all the regular favourites and some new ones which we hope will become favourites.”

The festival begins with a free ticketed welcome event at the Alton House Hotel on June 19 from 6pm to 8pm.

Regency Day is in Alton on June 20, with a High Street market, horse-drawn carriage rides, and a parade of Regency characters leaving Market Square at 11am before going along Market Street and High Street to Crown Hill. There is entertainment outside The Swan from 11.30am-2.30pm.

After the market closes there is a dance workshop, followed by the Midsummer Ball, at the Assembly Rooms.

On June 21 historian Jane Hurst will lead a walk round Chawton, followed by a Knight Family Picnic in Chawton. Regency Choral Evensong is at 3.30pm in Alton’s St Lawrence Church. There are two performances of Being Mr Wickham at the Holybourne Theatre.

June 22 starts with Chawton House in Jane’s time. Professor Michael Biddiss will talk about Sanditon at Goldfinch Books in Alton, and people can spend time with Caroline Knight - Jane’s five times great niece - at the Alton Maltings Centre.

On June 23 the Maltings has a dance workshop and Bishop Christopher Herbert’s talk about his book Jane’s Favourite Brother Henry. The evening features Alton Town Hall’s Regency Quiz and Painting with Jane at Cassidy’s Wine Bar.

On June 24, Jane Hurst will lead walks around Alton town centre and St Lawrence Church. Professor Biddiss will talk about Jane Austen’s Heroines at the Alton House Hotel.

Jenny and Susie will be at Goldfinch Books on June 25 to converse about Jane Austen’s letters. Hazel Mills will talk about Two Anns and Jane at the town hall.

There is a St Lawrence Church organ recital from 1pm-2pm, and Alton Library will exhibit its Jane Austen books.

The evening features a dance workshop at the Maltings, Austen cocktails at Cassidy’s and a Georgian transport talk at Alton Community Centre.

On June 26 Gilbert White’s House in Selborne hosts a sewing workshop plus house and garden tours. Jane Austen’s House in Chawton will stage a drop-in reading session and a twilight tour.

People can Dine Like Jane at the Maltings with Caroline Knight; Jenny will play Hill from Pride and Prejudice and cook period dishes.

Jane Austen’s House events on June 27 include Chawton walks and an embroidery workshop. Alton Library will host Austen-themed children’s crafts. A Country Ball is at the Assembly Rooms.

And on June 28 there is Jenny and Susie’s Sunday Morning Saunter around Chawton, plus the film Love and Friendship at the Assembly Rooms.

For full details visit www.janeaustenregencyweek.co.uk