Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations 2026

Every year the Shakespeare Club of Stratford-upon-Avon takes part in the Birthday Celebrations that take place on the nearest Saturday to 23 April. This year the celebrations were blessed with beautiful weather and a real sense of community. A highlight of the main celebration was the delivery of her inspiring poem on Shakespeare and Stratford by this year’s Warwickshire Young Poet Laureate, Naomi Mba. The Club’s current President Rev Dr Paul Edmondson pulled the Club flag and carried the traditional laurel wreath down to Holy Trinity Church where Club members were joined by three-time President Sir Stanley Wells. Later on both attended the Club lunch at the White Swan Hotel and proposed the toasts to the Immortal Memory of Shakespeare and to the Club. They also attended the Shakespeare Service on Sunday morning, at which Committee member Amanda Wood read the prayers. It was an outstanding and memorable weekend.

Sir Stanley Wells and Rev Dr Paul Edmondson in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church 25 April 2026