The White House said Thursday it will hold its traditional Easter Egg Roll on April 18, resuming the longtime tradition for families for the first time since the pandemic struck.
Families can seek tickets for the South Lawn event from Friday at 10 a.m. to Thursday, March 31, at 10 a.m. Winners of the online lottery will be notified on April 7.
The Easter Egg Roll is held every Easter Monday and hosted by the president and first lady. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said they are bringing it back after pandemic-related cancellations in 2020 and 2021, so children will once again roll their Easter eggs through the grass with a long spoon.
Mr. Biden is attempting to pivot the country back to normal life and manage COVID-19 as a disease in the background, citing the availability of vaccines and treatments.
The Easter Egg Roll tradition dates back to the 1870s, when President Rutherford B. Hayes invited families to the White House because Congress forbade the practice on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers said it took too much of a toll on the grounds, according to the National Park Service.
The White House said it will also revive spring tours of the White House gardens on April 9 and April 10.
The National Park Service will distribute free, timed tickets at a tent near the Ellipse Visitors Pavilion each day starting at 8:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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