President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will on Monday host the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, welcoming children and families to the South Lawn for one of Washington's most beloved traditions.
Families with children under 13 were selected through an online lottery to attend the 148th White House Easter Egg Roll, will join President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, White House staff and their families on the South Lawn, White House in its official statement said.
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This year's celebration also carries a special patriotic spirit, as America marks its 250th birthday. The event will bring families together to celebrate both the joy of Easter and the nation's history of liberty.
The event will be streamed live on the White House website and C-SPAN, allowing those who could not attend in person to watch the celebrations from home.
The tradition dates back to 1878 and the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes, but first-hand accounts suggest that informal festivities began with egg-rolling parties under President Abraham Lincoln.
Starting in the 1870s, Easter Monday celebrations on the US Capitol's west grounds grew so popular that President Ulysses S. Grant signed a bill that banned the rolling of eggs on Capitol grounds, citing landscape concerns.
In 1878, a group of bold children walked up to the White House gate, hoping to be allowed to play egg-rolling games there. President Hayes told his guards to let the children enter, and soon Easter Monday on the White House grounds became an annual tradition. President Benjamin Harrison added music to the festivities in 1889 with the United States Marine Band.
Egg roll attendance grew so popular that the number of guests had to be limited, and in 1939, the Secret Service had to go so far as shutting down a “racket” of children trying to sneak adults into the event for a fee.
Each year, souvenir wooden eggs are given to children attending the Easter Egg Roll at the White House. These commemorative eggs are available for purchase as a 5-piece set at the White House Historical Association shop, online or in-person.
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