The Jane Austen Festival has introduced an interactive character trail that transforms Bath into a literary treasure hunt. Twenty-six character portraits featuring quotes from Austen’s novels are strategically placed in business windows throughout the city, encouraging visitors to explore beyond traditional tourist routes while engaging with the author’s work in a novel way.

Participants collect booklets from designated locations and follow a map to discover characters hidden throughout Bath’s streets. The trail runs from June through September, allowing both festival attendees and regular visitors to participate at their own pace. This approach demonstrates how cultural organizations are reimagining literary engagement by blending physical exploration with intellectual discovery. The initiative also benefits local businesses by driving foot traffic and creating partnerships between tourism operators and retail establishments, showing how literary heritage can generate economic activity while deepening cultural connections.