Washington DC: Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon roamed the soggy White House grounds on Monday for the first Easter egg roll since before the coronavirus pandemic.
Undaunted by rain, President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, kicked off the equivalent of a daylong garden party for some 30,000 kids and adults, including celebrities and costumed characters. A pair of Easter bunnies escorted the Bidens onto the Blue Room balcony to welcome the crowd to their backyard. The first lady chose “egg-ucation” as the theme.
The South Lawn was turned into a school community because “education never stops,” said Jill Biden, a community college professor. “The determined spirit of education is what we wanted to honor in this Easter Egg Roll,” she said.
President Biden said it was “so special” to be able to gather this year after the pandemic forced the White House to cancel the 2020 and 2021 Easter egg rolls.
“It means so much to see and hear the children and all the families show up to be here today,” he said, citing their joy, laughter, and occasional outbursts of “there’s the Easter bunny.”
Biden’s infant grandson, Beau, was among several family members present, including the boy’s parents, Hunter Biden, and his wife, Melissa. Also on hand were the Bidens’ daughter Ashley Biden, and Natalie Biden, one of their granddaughters.
The Easter egg roll featured several other stations, including a talent show, a place to teach kids about farming, a photo-taking station, a physical “egg-ucation” zone with an obstacle course, and a “cafetorium” where children learned to make treats.
Actor-singer Kristin Chenoweth also appeared on the reading nook.
The White House gates opened at around 7 a.m., with the first of five waves of people streaming through. Many came prepared for the cold, damp weather with umbrellas, rain ponchos, and plastic covers over baby strollers.
