Easter egg roll draws crowd after its storm-delayed start
Thunder and lightning delayed the start of the annual Easter egg roll at the White House on Monday, but the event eventually rolled ahead under gray skies and with a large crowd.
More than 40,000 people — 10,000 more than last year — were expected to attend, with children attempting to coax colorfully dyed hard-boiled eggs across the lawn to a finish line, among other “egg-tivities.” This year's theme was “EGG-ucation,” and led by Jill Biden, a teacher for more than 30 years.
“Easter reminds us of the power of hope and renewal, and sacrifice and resurrection,” President Joe Biden told attendees, speaking from the White House balcony, where he was flanked by two large Easter bunnies, one wearing sunglasses fashioned like his trademark RayBans. “But mainly love and grace towards one another.”
Biden said it's a time to “cherish the blessings, the possibilities that we have as Americans.”
“That's what I see in our country. We're a great nation because we're a good people,” he said. “Our values are solid.”
The president, accompanied by the first lady, then went down to the lawn, bending down to help a few youngsters with their eggs. He blew a whistle to officially start the roll — one of the oldest White House traditions first held in 1878.
Participants included military and veteran families, their caregivers and survivors. Members of the public claimed tickets through a lottery. All were being admitted in nine waves until the evening.
A schoolhouse erected on the South Lawn offered kids activities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM — including making circuit-breakers, simulating a fossil dig and learning about next week's solar eclipse. Youngsters also wrote notes to U.S. troops and first responders with Operation Gratitude.
The American Egg Board donated 64,000 eggs to the White House for the event — 40,000 for egg rolling and 24,00 for decorating and other uses.
“I'm a teacher so I love any time when we can turn the White House into a classroom,” the first lady said, noting that the South Lawn had been turned into a “learning playground and school community.”
After blowing a whistle to help with a few egg roll games, Jill Biden went to the garden outside the East Wing and read “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” to a group.
The first couple also gave a brief interview Monday to NBC's “Today” and said Easter Sunday for them featured putting dollar bills in plastic easter eggs and holding a hunt with their grandchildren. “We're still missing one,” joked the first lady.