Shakespeare's Birthday Celebration

Celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday at the Folger with fun, family-friendly activities and birthday cupcakes for all!

Join us for stage combat demonstrations, ruff-making, coloring, and sonnet writing. Practice writing with a quill, try on some costumes, and see our 17th-century replica printing press in action. Plus, get your face painted with a Shakespearean mustache and beard.

Doors open at 11am for visitors to explore the exhibition galleries and Reading Room, where docents will be on hand to answer questions about the collection and the history of the Folger. Around 3:30pm we’ll sing “Happy Birthday” to Shakespeare and serve birthday cupcakes to all.