WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s panda party time at the National Zoo in Washington.

The zoo has announced plans to celebrate the first birthday of its giant panda cub Bao Bao (bow-bow) who turns one year old on August 23.

Zoo visitors can help celebrate by decorating a birthday card and eating Chinese noodles, a Chinese birthday tradition because they symbolize long life.

Bao Bao is only the second surviving cub born at the National Zoo since the first pandas arrived in 1972 to commemorate President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China. Bao Bao’s brother, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and returned to China in 2010.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.