UDPATED: Eggs Will Roll: A White House Tradition

Holiday festivities all over the country draw big crowds, but there are few that rival the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House. Held on the Monday after Easter, the event draws a crowd of nearly 35,000 people. While the amount of fun activities has grown over the years, the highlight remains the “egg roll,” where participants roll hardboiled eggs across the lawn with long-handled spoons.

Each year there is a theme. The goal of this year’s theme, #GimmeFive, is to encourage healthy and active living. There will be fitness zones and activities to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! fitness initiative. There will also be commemorative souvenir plastic eggs available. The event is open to the public but the lawn can only accommodate a certain number. Unfortunately, the online lottery for 2015 is now closed. But why not put it on your calendar for next year as a Springtime road trip?

Early Festivities

Celebrating the Easter holiday with dyed eggs is a tradition going back to the mid 1800s. It was only natural that our forefathers would engage in the practice with their families. Although its origins vary, many credit First Lady Dolley Madison with proposing an egg roll open to the public. But historians do not have public record of the event until 1872, during the Ulysses Grant administration. Originally held on the grounds of the Capitol, the first Egg Roll made such a mess of the landscaping that Congress passed the Turf Protection Law following year. But it was not enforced for very long. When Rutherford B. Hayes took office, he had a soft spot for the children, and opened the gates to the South Lawn to them.

Still Rolling Strong

The White House Egg Roll has become a huge draw for families and celebrities alike. In addition to the activities involving eggs, the event features live entertainment (“Stars and Stripes” composer John Phillip Sousa attended one of the first Rolls), demonstrations (this year its cooking), and many opportunities for kids to interact with athletes from the NFL, MLS,  NCAA and the Olympics, as well as many costumed characters. One of the most eagerly anticipated activities is the Storytime Stage, where celebrities as well as the First Family read from popular children’s books. The guest of honor is, of course, the Easter Bunny.

What Do You Think? If given the opportunity, would you attend the Easter Egg Roll at the White House? Why or why not?

UPDATE

The White House posted a photo essay of this year’s festivities on the Web page. Check it out if you want to see how everything went in 2015.