DH and I are going to London in April, staying in an apartment in Kensington. We know that April 23 is St. George's Day but we're not sure how much of a holiday it is. Royal Albert Hall has a gala with some rip roaring music (some patriotic)and I wonder if this would be worthwhile. Will it be sold out or should I buy tickets now? Does anyone have any thoughts about what other very English things to do on St. George's day?

"other very English things to do on St. George's day?"

A few suggestions:

- Stay at home and grumble about how all this St George's Day nonsense has all been invented by the pub owners
- Write a letter to The Times complaining about how no-one celebrates Shakespeare's bithday (also on April 23), and how that shows our educational system's going to the dogs
- Ignore it
- Get dragged into a Web discussion group where some loopy foreigner tries telling us we ought to have a national day, like lesser nations do (Yes PalQ: this one's aimed at you)
- Throw a welly at the TV if any New Labour politician bangs on about national identity.
- April 23rd? What's special about that?

But they all take the lunatic idea of a national day seriously. And that's unEnglish in far more different ways than anyone's got time to explain.

"Does anyone have any thoughts about what other very English things to do on St. George's day?"

Not notice it.

Thanks for the Shakespear lead, Flanneruk. There is a free showing of King Lear at the Globe Theatre that day. Other than that, sounds like extra pints at the pubs might be the only thing to do.

Avoid any shaven-headed people marching in the street with flags of St George. It has been substantially reclaimed from unsavoury political organisations, but not totally.

It's also Cervantes Birtday.

Cervantes and Shakespeare were both born and died on the same day.

CHOLMONDLEYTRUFACT!!!

We English don't care about St George's day. It's only the two bob nations that have national days.

Thanks to you experts on England and for the cheeky humor as well. Instead of celebrating St. George's Day, I will remember the Bard at the Globe.

Thanks for this help and all that you provide to travelers to Britain.

There's no actual evidence that Shakespeare was born on 23 April. I think it's been extrapolated from the fact that he was baptised a few days later, and that it was the date he died.

Off the subject, but I just wanted to post it anyway:
My uncle is another who was born and then died on the same day. Not actually the same day, mind you. We would not have known him well if that were the case. But you know what I mean - died on his birthday. He had been in the hospital for a week or so, and one evening we went to sit with him and then stayed with him until past midnight, teasing him a little that we needed to stay late so we could sing "happy birthday" to him. We did. He died. I don't think the singing had much to do with it.

cynthia, I don't think it either..but just in case, I wouldn't invite you to sing me "Happy Birthday" LOL

St Georges's day is more celebrated in Spain It is Book's day and every bookshop offers discounts !
In a more formal sense, it is the saint patron of Catalunya, and they celebrate gifting a book and a rose to women