This year marks the official birthday of the Bard of Avon and his hometown will hold its annual Shakespeare celebrations from 26-27 April.
In 2014 we celebrate 450 years since the birth of William Shakespeare and although his actual birthdate is unknown, it is largely accepted that his birth year was 1564 (he was Christened on 26 April 1564) and so the occasion is marked on the date of his death, 23 April, which also happens to be St George’s Day.
For almost 200 years Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon has celebrated the birthday of the poet and playwright. This year over the weekend of 26 and 27 April, Stratford-upon-Avon will be leading the world in celebrating and paying tribute to Shakespeare on this landmark anniversary.
Thousands of visitors are expected to descend upon Stratford-upon-Avon over the weekend for two days of pageantry, pomp and performance.
From 10.30am on the morning of Saturday 26 April the Elizabethan market town of Stratford-upon-Avon will witness a grand 1,000-strong procession including actors, foreign diplomats and civic dignitaries. They will be followed by a lively community pageant, street entertainers and the Stratford Morris Men. Local people and visitors can join in too and walk with the pageant through the town to lay flowers on Shakespeare’s grave in the Holy Trinity Church.
There will also be entertainment throughout the day courtesy of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Find out more about Straford-upon-Avon’s Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations.
Related articlesThe life and times of William Shakespeare |
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