Traditionally, Stratford-upon-Avon's annual celebration has always fallen on the nearest weekend to the 23rd, but this year the Bard's birthday actually does fall on a Saturday, and the Warwickshire town is hosting a lively programme of events to wish the bard a happy birthday!

The weekend offers a rich variety of spectacles for all ages, centred on the famous Shakespeare's Birthday parade on Saturday. Over the course of three days, visitors can listen to music, see street performers, practice treading the boards and attend concerts, plays, book signings, lectures and even
a masked ball...

The Bard's Birthday Celebration Events:

On the Street

Stratford-upon-Avon comes alive over Shakespeare's birthday weekend, with every street corner vibrant with street performers, musicians and dancers.

Friday 22nd April

English Folk Dancing
10.00 - 10.50am, Henley Street
Performed by the children of Stratford-upon-Avon
(free admission)

The Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers
10.00 - 11.10am, Bridge Street and throughout the town
The band fill Bridge Street with music while strolling players, circus performers and musicians in costume entertain the crowds. The travelling players 'Shakespeare Live' will treat pedestrians with scenes from Shakespeare's plays.
(free admission)

Unveiling of the Sculpture
3.00pm, Great Garden of New Place
(free admission)

Beating Retreat
5.30pm, Henley Street
By the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers.
(free admission)

Saturday 23rd April

English Folk Dancing
10.00 - 10.50am, Henley Street
By local children and The Shakespeare Morris Men.
(free admission)

The Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers
10.00am, Mason Croft, Church Street
The band play while street performers, strolling players and costumed musicians entertain visitors.
(free admission)

Shakespeare Live
10.30am, Bridge Street
Scenes from Shakespeare performed by local actors.
(free admission)

Main Procession
10.55am, starts at Chapel Lane
From Chapel Lane, Great Garden of New Place, and moves along Waterside past the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Tradition dictates that parade dress is mostly formal, with walkers wearing morning dress or lounge suits, or national dress and academic gowns where appropriate.

Scouts & Guides St George's Day Parade
11.00am, starts at Bridge Street
From Bridge Street to celebrate St George's day, before the arrival of the main procession.

Unfurling of the Flags of the Nations
11.15am, Bridge St, Henley St, High St and Union St
On the signal of a drum roll, followed by the fanfare composed by Guy Woolfenden played by the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers, ambassadors will display their country's flags, while actors, directors and others carry banners depicting scenes from the Shakespearean canon.
Immediately following the unfurling of the flags, the National Anthem is played and the parade makes its way to Holy Trinity Church where the Bard's remains are buried.

Pupils join the Procession
11.20 - 11.45am, starts at The Shakespeare Centre, Henley St
Stratford High School and Girls Grammar School join the procession.

Shakespeare Live
11.30am, Bridge Street
Scenes from Shakespeare performed by local actors.
(free admission)

Street Entertainment
11.30 - 12.30pm, Stratford-upon-Avon
The Shakespeare Morris Men, strolling players and costumed musicians entertain.

Procession of Local Primary School Children
11.35am, starts at Bridge Street
From Bridge Street through High Street, Church Street and Old Town to Holy Trinity Church.

Procession of Distinguished Guests
11.45am, starts at Henley Street
Moves through Henley Street, High Street and Church Street to Holy Trinity Church where they will lay floral tributes on Shakespeare's grave.
By tradition boys of Shakespeare's school, the King Edward VI Grammar School, take up the procession's lead as it nears the school, and are first to lay their tributes.

Follow-on Procession
11.50am, starts at Henley Street
Groups and members of the public wishing to participate can now join the procession to the church to lay floral tributes.
The Shakespeare Morris Men bring up the rear of this procession.

Shakespeare Live
1.00pm, Bancroft
Scenes from Shakespeare performed by local actors.
(free admission)

Street Entertainment
1.30 - 4.00pm, Stratford-upon-Avon
Strolling players and musicians entertain in the streets.

The Stratford-upon-Avon Wind Band
2.00 - 3.00pm, Henley Street

Jazz Concert
The Bandstand, Recreation Ground
Live Jazz by the Housatonic Valley Regional High School USA, Jazz Band and Jazz Choir
(free admission)

Shakespeare Walk
2.30 - 4.00pm, starts at Shakespeare Bookshop, Henley St
(free admission)

Beating Retreat
5.30pm, Henley Street
Played by the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers.
(free admission)

Theatre Productions / Activities

Friday 22nd April

Twelfth Night
7.30pm, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
When identical twins are shipwrecked and separated on distant shores, they each believe the other to be dead, and so embark on a single life in a strange new land.

Thomas More
7.30pm, The Swan Theatre
Shakespeare's 'banned' play, written in collaboration with Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle touches on contemporary issues of race riots and asylum seekers, with only More pleading the case for racial harmony.

No One Without the Other
7.30pm, The Shakespeare Institute
The Asterion Players stage this play about Jorge-Luis Borges and Shakespeare.
Booking: www.asterionplayers.net
(tickets also available on the door)

Saturday 23rd April

Open Day
12.15 - 5.00pm, The Shakespeare Institute
Discover library treasures, lectures and playlets.

Thomas More
1.30pm, The Swan Theatre
Shakespeare's 'banned' play, written in collaboration with Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle, touches on contemporary issues of race riots and asylum seekers, with only More pleading the case for racial harmony.

Bardfest
3.00 - 6.30pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Shakespeare Centre
Music, drama and art for the young ones.

Birthday Performance of Twelfth Night
7.30pm, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Performed by the internationally acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company.

No One Without the Other
7.30pm, The Shakespeare Institute
The Asterion Players stage this play about Jorge-Luis Borges and Shakespeare.
Booking: www.asterionplayers.net
(tickets also available on the door)

Sunday 24th April

RSC Annual Open Day
11.30am, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Join the party celebrations at the RSC. A day of talks, workshops, demonstrations, tours and special events, as well as a party, cake and fireworks.

LiVE Music

Saturday 23rd April

Jazz Concert
The Bandstand, Recreation Ground
Live Jazz by the Housatonic Valley Regional High School USA, Jazz Band and Jazz Choir
(free admission)

Organ Recital
8.00pm, Holy Trinity Church

Spoken Word / Literature

Friday 22nd April

A Talk by Richard Brassey
10.30am and 1.30pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Shakespeare Centre, Henley St

Birthday Lecture by Tim Pigott-Smith
4.00pm, The Shakespeare Institute, Church Street
(free admission)

Saturday 23rd April

Book Signing by Patricia Pierce
4.00pm, Shakespeare Bookshop, Henley Street
Author of The Great Shakespeare Fraud.

Sunday 24th April

Lecture entitled 'The Dark Lady'
5.00pm, The Shakespeare Institute
Syphilis in Times of Shakespeare and Cervantes, given by
Dr Fernando Vasquez of the Royal Academy of Medicine & Monte Naranco Hospital, Asturias, Spain.
Booking: www.asterionplayers.net

Special Events / Activities

Saturday 23rd April

The Masked Ball
7.30 for 8.00pm, Waterside Theatre
With champagne, canapés and dinner. Continuing until 1.00am, this promises to be an evening of entertainment and dancing, with raffle in aid of The Shakespeare Hospice.
Tickets: 01789 293678

Sunday 24th April

The Annual Shakespeare Service
11.00am, Holy Trinity Church

Shakespeare Marathon and Half Marathon
1.00pm, Stratford-upon-Avon

For further information please contact:

The Secretary
Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations
The Shakespeare Centre
Henley Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire CV37 6QW
United Kingdom

Tel: 01789 415536
Fax: 01789 262638
Email: birthday@shakespeare.org.uk

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advertise@stratfordshakespeare.com