Bei Bei the giant panda cub is seen in an enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Dec. 15, 2015, in Washington. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Like many children turning the big 1, the National Zoo’s giant baby panda is going to get his own cake Saturday. The 100-pound cake will be made from ice and frozen juice with bits of fruit and vegetables to eat — and possibly destroy — in a public celebration that thousands of visitors are expected to attend.

Bei Bei will celebrate his milestone birthday, which actually is Aug. 22, with several events Saturday. The zoo is also celebrating the birthdays of two of its other pandas that same day — Bei Bei’s older sister, Bao Bao, who turns 3 on Aug. 23, and Tian Tian, the cubs’ father, who turns 19 on Aug. 27.

The zoo has a public ceremony from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, when the pandas each will get their own frozen birthday cakes.

[Watch giant baby panda Bei Bei play in the water from a hose]

Zookeepers said Friday they had a practice run of sorts for Bei Bei’s big birthday celebration, and he did fine. He then spent several hours in the afternoon taking a nap — perhaps resting up for the big day.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo posted this video of baby panda Bei Bei playing in the water from a hose as keepers clean his enclosure. (Smithsonian's National Zoo)

Bei Bei made his media debut in December when he was about 4 months old and fell asleep during the event. Zookeepers said they don’t expect him to sleep through Saturday’s festivities because he has gotten used to going out into his yard and being active.

“We did a dress rehearsal today and he did quite well,” said Nicole MacCorkle, one of the zoo’s giant-panda keepers. “I can’t imagine he’ll be a complete no-show.”

[Bei Bei, the zoo’s giant panda cub, snoozes during his media debut]

In his practice run Friday, he also reached another important milestone for a bear — tasting honey. And as with any good bear, he liked it, zookeepers said.

In fact, he liked it so much that keepers said it might be his new favorite food. Like his father, he does not enjoy carrots.

“He’s a bear at heart,” MacCorkle said.

Zookeepers gave Bei Bei some honey diluted in water in a sports bottle with a straw on it. When they gave him some honey straight, “he was even wilder,” MacCorkle said.

On Saturday, Bei Bei’s cake will be sprinkled with honey, as zookeepers said they wanted to make sure he likes it before the big event.

Mei Xiang, Bei Bei’s mother, turned 18 on July 22 and got her own ice cake, zookeepers said. The cakes are made by the zoo’s nutrition department.

At the media event Saturday, there will be a zhuazhou, a Chinese tradition for a baby’s 1st birthday. Several objects are put in front of the child and, based on what a child picks, it is meant to predict their future.

Several banners will be put out for Bei Bei to choose, zookeepers said. The zoo won’t say what the banners will say or symbolize, wanting to keep it secret.

When his sister, Bao Bao, turned 1, she picked a banner with a picture of a peach on it. A peach, zoo officials said, symbolizes fertility in China.

At 70 pounds, Bei Bei is said to be one of the zoo’s larger giant panda cubs for his age, officials said. Over the past few months, trainers have worked with Bei Bei, teaching him to do tricks in exchange for treats of apple and sweet potato. He also is eating bamboo.

The sessions last about five to 10 minutes and involve him following simple commands to lie down, put his paw under the cage door, and “stand,” moving on his hind legs with long, sharp-looking claws poking through a cage.

[A look at Bei Bei’s training routine]

He also likes to play with several plastic toys, including one that lets him work to get biscuits out of it. And in the summer heat, he’s enjoyed playing in a small pool filled with water.

Bei Bei, whose name is pronounced “bay,” was born Aug. 22. His twin died several days after they were born after becoming ill. It was only the third time that giant panda twins had been born in the United States.

The name Bei Bei means “precious” or “treasure.” He was named about a month after he was born by U.S. and Chinese first ladies Michelle Obama and Peng Liyuan.

Bei Bei’s next big milestone, zookeepers said, will be weaning him at 1½ years old.

“He’s definitely growing at a healthy and steady rate,” MacCorkle said. “He’s doing great.”