WASHINGTON (AP) – Thunder and lightning delayed the start of the Easter Egg Roll at the White House for 90 minutes Monday, but the event finally got underway under gray skies and interminable rain.
More than 40,000 people are expected to attend the event, an increase of 10,000 from last year, as they soothe hard-boiled eggs on the lawn as they make their way to the finish line. This year's theme is “EGG-ucation” and will be led by Jill Biden, who has been a teacher for over 30 years.
The Egg Roll is an annual tradition first held in 1878, and various stations on the South Lawn and Ellipse will help children learn about agriculture, healthy eating, exercise and more, according to the White House.
A large school building on the south lawn offers children science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, such as building a circuit breaker and simulating a fossil dig. Children will also have the opportunity to write notes to U.S. military members and first responders from the nonprofit organization Operation Gratitude.
Guests include thousands of military and veteran families, their caregivers, and survivors. Members of the public won tickets through an online lottery and had nine separate admissions until the evening.
The first lady still teaches English and writing at a community college in northern Virginia. She and President Joe Biden did not host an egg roll in the first year of their administration in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have resumed it the past two years.
This event dates back to the days of President Rutherford B. Hayes. He opened the White House lawn to his children after they were removed from the U.S. Capitol grounds.
