White House Easter Egg Roll

The White House Easter Egg Roll is an annual family event to hunt for and race Easter Eggs on the White House Lawn while enjoying storytelling and a visit with the Easter Bunny. The holiday tradition has a long history dating back to 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes officially opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling on Easter Monday. Successive Presidents have continued the tradition of inviting children to the White House Lawn for egg rolling and other activities and entertainment.

This year’s White House Easter Egg Roll theme, ‘Let’s go play’, encourages America’s youth to lead healthy and active lives.

The White House will open the South Lawn to children age ten and under, along with their families, to enjoy sports, cooking classes, live musical performances, storytelling and the traditional Easter egg roll.

Date: April 13, 2009, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC (202) 456-7041.

All guests will enter the event from the Ellipse and will go through a security screening process.

For the first time, tickets were distributed online. The tickets are timed for entrance and exit to the South Lawn and will be emailed to each confirmed guest. Tickets are required for every attendee, including small children and infants.

Note to Ticket Holders: Each ticket is valid for a specific two hour time period only. You should arrive one hour before your scheduled time. All attendees will be required to go through a security screening process. No food or beverages are allowed on the grounds. Duffel Bags, suitcases and backpacks are not allowed. Strollers, diaper bags, baby formula, and baby bottles are permitted.

By Rachel Cooper, About.com