William Shakespeare 400th anniversary: Stratfords of the world unite for global celebrations

Stratfords of the World will be sending 140 delegates to Stratford-upon-Avon's annual Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations

Stratfords across the globe are uniting in celebration of one iconic anniversary: the 400th year since the death of William Shakespeare.

Stratfords of the World was established in the 1980s as a joint venture between respective towns in Connecticut, USA and Ontario, Canada; further opening its invitation to the Bard's own birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. Stratfords in New Zealand, Prince Edward Island in Canada, and Victoria, Australia have since joined the group.

Essentially a creative exchange, with bands and theatre groups travelling between locations; Stratfords of the World is hosting something particularly unique for Shakespeare's 400th anniversary (via Stratford Observer). Delegates from each town, numbering 140 in total, will be travelling to Stratford-upon-Avon for the annual Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations which take place there.

Furthermore, each town will be hosting specific local events. Connecticut's Stratford will issue a proclamation in Shakespeare's honour on 23 April, with playwriting group the Square Wrights performing one act plays with a Shakespearean theme throughout the month; in Ontario, the town is hosting its own annual Shakespeare-inspired festival, with young people encourage to compose their own version of Orlando's love poem to Rosalind in As You Like It.

Prince Edward Island's Stratford will host a special display of Shakespeare's works in its library, with Victoria's town hosting its annual Shakespeare festival which includes a masquerade ball themed around Verona and Venice of the 1500s. New Zealand's Stratford, located on the North Island, features 65 streets named after Shakespearean characters; with its glockenspiel clock tower playing the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet three times a day.