The Folger Shakespeare Library celebrated William Shakespeare’s 454th birthday at its annual birthday open house, held this year on April 22.
Here’s what your sample itinerary for the day might have looked like:
Noon
Listen as the U.S. Army Baroque Ensemble opens the celebration with horns.
12:30pm
Watch Casey Kaleba’s stage-fighting demonstrations on the Folger front lawn.
1:30pm
Learn how to do English country dancing after watching a demonstration by costumed dancers.
2pm
Listen to a performance by WETA Classical Players in the historic Paster Reading Room.
2:30pm
Take a tour of the Beyond Words exhibition.
3pm
Stand up on the Folger stage to be one of the readers in a play written by the creators of the Kill Shakespeare comics.
3:30pm
Watch some juggling by Nicolo Whimsey in the Elizabethan Garden.
4pm
Cheer on the Eastern High School marching band, listen to a speech by Queen Elizabeth, and eat Shakespeare’s birthday cake.
There was plenty for children to see and do at this family-friendly event, including storytelling from DC Public Libraries and a Shakespeare puppet show in the Elizabethan Garden, dress-up costumes and coloring activities in the New Reading Room, and crafts inside the Haskell Center across the street.
Join us for next year’s birthday open house in April.