White House Easter Egg Roll
Sunday, March 29, 2026
The White House Easter Egg Roll is an annual event held on the South Lawn and surrounding grounds of the White House in Washington, D.C., traditionally on the Monday after Easter Sunday. Dating back to 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes first opened the White House grounds to children for Easter egg rolling, the event has become one of the most beloved and enduring American holiday traditions. The Easter Egg Roll features a wide array of activities for children and families, including the signature egg rolling contest where children use long-handled spoons to push decorated hard-boiled eggs across the lawn. The event also includes live musical performances, storytelling, sports activities, cooking demonstrations, and appearances by the Easter Bunny. The White House Easter Egg Roll is a highly anticipated annual gathering that reflects the White House's role as the People's House and serves as a celebration of spring, family, and community. The event is ticketed and typically draws over 30,000 participants, with tickets distributed through an online lottery system.
History
The tradition of rolling eggs on the White House grounds predates the official event by several decades. According to historical accounts, children had been gathering for informal egg rolling on the grounds of the United States Capitol, but in the 1870s, the practice was banned by Congress due to damage to the Capitol lawn. In 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes and First Lady Lucy Hayes, responding to requests from children who had lost their rolling grounds, opened the White House South Lawn for the activity on Easter Monday. This marked the beginning of the official White House Easter Egg Roll. The event was suspended during World War I and World War II, resumed under Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, and was nearly canceled during the Eisenhower administration due to cost concerns but saved by public donations. The event was not held during the Truman renovation of the White House from 1948 to 1952. Each presidential administration has added its own touches: President Eisenhower introduced the tradition of the Easter Bunny, and President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon introduced the first commemorative wooden eggs. The event has been hosted by every president since Hayes, with only interruptions during wartime and construction.
How It's Celebrated
The White House Easter Egg Roll transforms the South Lawn into a festive spring playground. Children participate in the signature egg roll race, pushing colored hard-boiled eggs across the grass with wooden spoons. The event features multiple activity zones including a reading nook with storybook readings, a music tent with live performances, sports courts for basketball and soccer, cooking demonstrations by White House chefs, and arts and crafts stations where children decorate eggs and make spring-themed crafts. The Easter Bunny makes appearances throughout the day for photo opportunities. Each child receives a commemorative wooden egg signed by the President and First Lady. Military families, veterans, and local school groups are special guests. The event reflects the theme chosen by that year's administration and aims to promote active, healthy lifestyles and educational enrichment for American children and families.