Dozens of Georgians parade through York as festival returns

The reenactors walked from Clifford’s Tower to York Mansion House on Saturday morning (August 8) as part of the York Georgian Festival.

Georgian military reenactors led the promenade followed by dancers who performed outside the Mansion House in St Helen’s Square.

Georgian festival attendees set off from Clifford’s Tower to parade to the York Mansion House (Image: Dylan Connell)

Georgian festival attendees gather at Clifford’s Tower before parading to the York Mansion House (Image: Dylan Connell)

Crowds formed in the square as people dressed head to toe in Georgian period dress performed traditional Regency dances.

They danced ahead of the festival’s Masquerade Ball on Saturday night at the Mansion House.

Amanda Robertson, 51, travelled with her daughter Sarah, 27, from Edinburgh for the festival.

Amanda Robertson, second from right, who travelled to the York Georgian Festival from Edinburgh with her daughter Sarah, middle (Image: Dylan Connell)

Elizabeth Usher and Tom Conyard at the York Georgian Festival (Image: Dylan Connell)

The pair travelled to York by train wearing full Georgian dress.

“When you do things like this, it gives you confidence not to bother [what others think],” Amanda said.

She said it had been a “lovely” day, praising York for being a “beautiful city”.

Amanda said she and her daughter are fans of the Georgian style which resulted in them attending the Jane Austen Festival in Bath.

And when they saw an Instagram post about the York Georgian Festival, they “knew we had to give it a try”, Amanda said.

Georgian festival attendees parade to the York Mansion House (Image: Dylan Connell)

Janet Bennett, marketing and events manager for York Mansion House, which organises the Georgian festival (Image: Dylan Connell)

Elizabeth Usher and Tom Conyard, both from York, were also dressed in Georgian period dress in St Helen’s Square.

Elizabeth said she takes part in other re-enactment events and is interested in learning through the historic clothing.

“Wearing historic clothing teaches you things about how people were in the past,” she said. “I’ve worn this [Georgian dress] many times.”

Janet Bennett, marketing and events manager for York Mansion House, which organises the festival, said it was “great to see so many people” taking part.

Dancing in St Helen’s Square during the York Georgian Festival (Image: Dylan Connell)

Dancing in St Helen’s Square during the York Georgian Festival (Image: Dylan Connell)

Janet, who came wearing a Georgian dress, said it “feels quite surreal” to walk through York in a period outfit.

“It’s quite fun,” she said, “the whole festival is such a nice atmosphere, such a happy atmosphere. People are just having fun and letting go for a bit.

“We’ve had really high visitor numbers at the Mansion House over the last couple of days, and similar events at Fairfax House at the Bar Convent have also been successful.

“We’ve got more to come tomorrow … It’s all looking good.”

The festival has seen talks and tours take place hosted by Horrible Histories author Terry Deary, along with tours of the Bar convent, talks on period fashion and dress at Fairfax House and York Castle Museum, and an examination of how women were treated by the Georgian justice system at Barley Hall.

One of York’s most famous Georgian visitors, Anne Lister, will also be the subject of a new play No Priest But Love hosted by Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, and Merchant Taylors’ Hall on Sunday.

The festival ends on Monday and will see a series of talks including the launch by York St John students of a new edition of correspondence exchanged between writers Ignatius Sancho, one of the first Black Britons known to have voted in a parliamentary election, and Yorkshire-based Laurence Sterne, author of Tristram Shandy.

For more information and booking details, visit www.yorkgeorgianfestival.co.uk