Bard's birthday bash

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A birthday cake that serves at least 2,000 people, live 17th-century music, and a procession led by Queen Elizabeth I, portrayed by a re-enactor, are just some of the highlights planned for the Folger Shakespeare Library's annual William Shakespeare birthday bash April 25.

This year, the playwright, born April 23, 1564, would have turned 440 years old. Despite his ancient age, Shakespeare appeals to the younger crowd, party organizers say.

"We have quite the stroller brigade here in the early part of the day," says Garland Scott, head of public relations for the Folger Shakespeare Library.

The festivities take place from noon to 4 p.m.

Ms. Scott says this younger crew enjoys free balloons, fake tattoos, face painting and storytelling, featuring among other children's books "Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England," by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema. Queen Elizabeth I was Shakespeare's contemporary.

Youngsters can meet and greet the queen during the party, and at the end of the day, the monarch will serve birthday cake.

"The queen will probably wear a glorious silver satin, bejeweled dress," says Janet Field-Pickering, head of education at the library.

Little girls and boys who are interested in Elizabethan manners will get a chance to learn how to bow and curtsy to the queen as well as learn and perform an old-time dance called the barnsle dance.

"I think children get a good sense of Shakespeare's life and times at this event," Ms. Field-Pickering says. "They get to experience Elizabethan music, manners, dress and stage combat."

The stage-combat demonstration and workshop, among the event's most popular activities, give children a chance to learn about the staged combat scenes, including swordplay, that are so common in Shakespeare's plays.