It’s a big birthday bash for the Bard.
William Shakespeare would turn 461 years old on April 23. Join the Folger Shakespeare Library, on Saturday, April 19 for a family-friendly day of music, games, and entertainment capped off by the annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Lecture to be given by their new director, Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper, in the evening.
“Birthday celebrations for Shakespeare at the Folger have long been a means to highlight his impact on American culture in a way that is fun, accessible, and family-forward,” said Dr. Karim-Cooper. “But this year we also wanted to be intentional about showcasing how Shakespeare and the humanities build community and open doors for dialogue. We want to uplift visitors with experiences that provide joy and spark critical thinking.”
And what’s a birthday without cake? Sing “Happy Birthday” to Shakespeare around 2:45pm and serve birthday cupcakes to all. You won’t want to miss it! It’s the first public celebration at the Library since 2019. The library, which has the largest collection of Shakespeare’s works in the world, was under renovation from February 2020 through June 2024.
Scroll down for a full list of the day’s activities, plus exclusive discounts on upcoming events available through the weekend.
Doors open at 11 a.m. for visitors to explore the exhibition halls, theatre, and Reading Room, where docents will be on hand to answer questions. Printing press demonstrations will take place in the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
At 1 p.m., head outside for ruff-making, lawn games, face painting, coloring, and a sonnet-writing competition. Enjoy a puppet show version of Twelfth Night, learn some Elizabethan dance steps, and don’t miss the sword-fighting demonstration!
Then, enter the Folger itself at 7 p.m. for the annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Lecture, delivered this year by Folger Director Farah Karim-Cooper on the topic of “Shakespeare Beyond Relevance.” The lecture will explore ideas of how to position Shakespeare today as we move into a challenging phase of American democracy and how critical thinking might help us apply Shakespeare to addressing modern-day problems. Free registration is required to attend the lecture.
Schedule of activities
- 11 a.m.: Doors open
- 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Printing press demonstration #1; gallery tours
- 1 p.m.: Outdoor activities begin
- 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Printing press demonstration #2; gallery tours
- 2:45 p.m.: Birthday cupcakes are served
- 3 p.m.: Outdoor activities conclude
- 7 p.m.: Birthday Lecture
Get more info on the Bard’s Birthday and on the newly-renovated Folger here
