WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is hoping to stir up some “egg-citement” when the Easter Egg Roll returns on Monday after a two-year, coronavirus-induced hiatus.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden expect to welcome some 30,000 kids and their adult chaperones for the egg roll, an egg hunt and other activities.
The first lady, who is a teacher, is calling it the “Egg-ucation Roll,” aides said, and is turning the South Lawn into a school community with a variety of educational stations.
It’s the first Easter Egg Roll to be hosted by the Bidens, who are expected to address the crowd and join in some of the activities, although rain was in Monday’s weather forecast.
The COVID-19 pandemic led the White House to cancel the event in 2020 and 2021.
FILE – President Joe Biden appears with first lady Jill Biden and the Easter Bunny on the Blue Room balcony at the White House April 5, 2021, in Washington. The White House Easter Egg Roll is returning on April 18, 2022, after a 2-year, COVID-induced hiatus. The Biden’s will welcome some 30,000 kids and their adult chaperones for the egg roll, an egg hunt and other activities. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Besides the egg roll and hunt, the all-day event will include a schoolhouse activity area, a reading nook, a talent show, a place to teach children how farmers supply food, a photo-taking station, a physical “egg-ucation” zone with an obstacle course and other exercise stations, and a “cafetorium” where children and their families will learn to make and eat treats.
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The “egg-stravaganza” will get a celebrity splash through the participation of “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon, singer Ciara and actor-singer Kristin Chenoweth.
More than two dozen costumed characters will roam the grounds, including Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, the Racing Presidents mascots for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball, Rosita and Cookie Monster from “Sesame Street” and Snoopy and Charlie Brown, among others.
Military families will be among the 30,000 participants, including crew members of the USS Delaware and their families. The first lady serves as sponsor of the nuclear attack submarine, which the president commissioned during a ceremony this month in Wilmington, Delaware.
Members of the general public received their tickets through an online lottery.
The egg roll will be the largest event to date at the Biden White House and will unfold in five waves beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m.
Resumption of this Easter tradition is a sign that the White House is opening up again, despite a recent spurt of COVID-19 cases among members of the Cabinet, the White House staff, Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband and members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Some of those cases stemmed from the return this month of the Gridiron Club’s spring dinner.
Self-guided, public tours of the executive mansion are set to resume on Friday in a limited fashion, after they also were halted in 2020 because of the pandemic.
The White House Easter Egg Roll dates to 1878.
Photos: A look back at past White House Easter egg rolls
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt surrounded by Secret Service agents and White House police at the Annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House, March 25, 1940. (AP Photo)
All dressed up for the Easter egg roll on the lawn of the White House in Washington, Hazel Johnson, 2, left, and her sister Bunny, 4, wear Dutch costumes complete with wooden clogs, April 7, 1953. Their gaily decorated big basket wheelbarrow was made by their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Johansen of Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges)
Children participate at the White House annual Easter egg roll in Washington, April 19, 1954. Children were admitted freely, and adults only if accompanied by children. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges)
This is egg rolling day on the White House grounds, but these youngsters, at the urging of photographers, find throwing the eggs is more fun, April 2, 1956. There really isn’t a good hill to roll eggs and most of the visitors this Easter Monday just stand around or sit on the grass in the sunshine. (AP Photo/William J. Smith)
Patricia Webber, left, and her twin, Paula, of Sumter, S.C., National Easter Seal twins, have a gay time visiting President John Kennedy at the White House on March 2, 1961 in Washington. They gave the President a sheet of seals and Easter baskets for his children. From left are Seal Chairman Art Linkletter; Kennedy; Joseph J. Foss, President of the Society for crippled Children and Adults. (AP Photo/HWG)
Tricia Nixon walks the White House grounds March 27, 1970 with a couple of Springtime friends – circus clown Bobby Kay and the Easter Bunny, a White House staffer who prefers to remain anonymous. (AP Photo/Henry Burroughs)
President Jimmy Carter greets the Easter Bunny prior to his departure for a weekend at Camp David in Washington March 22, 1978. Inside the rabbit suit is Louise Dolan, who wore the suit to the departure as a gag. Mrs Rosalynn Carter is speaking to Suzy Kerr who works with Dolan in the White House. (AP Photo/Jeff Taylor)
President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn mingle with a crowd during the Annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on April 6, 1980. The president came out to shake hands after a meeting with National Security Council in which he is reported, by a high Administration official, to have decided to ask all Iranian diplomats to leave the U.S. Across the street from the White House Iranian students demonstrated against the president and the U.S. policies toward Iran. (AP Photo)
U.S. Vice President George H. Bush greeted by cartoon characters at the start of the annual Easter egg roll on the White House, April 8, 1985 in Washington. (AP Photo)
Vice-President George Bush, attends the annual White House Easter Egg roll, Monday, April 20, 1987 in Washington on the South Lawn of the White House. Some 37,000 people attended the 109th Easter Egg roll. Others unidentified. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Vice-President George Bush, his wife Barbara with six-year-old twin granddaughter Jenna, left, and Barbara and grandson Pierce, 2, behind, stand on the White House grounds, Monday, April 4, 1988 in Washington with the Easter Bunny during the annual Easter Egg Roll. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi)
U.S. President George H. Bush and his granddaughter, Marshall, are greeted by a couple of oversized bunnies and several hundred children during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House South lawn, Monday, April 16, 1990 in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi)
President Bill Clinton greets some of the hundreds of youngsters that crowded the White House lawn for the annual Easter egg roll in Washington on April 12, 1993. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma)
President Bill Clinton handles the starting whistling and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton handles cheer leading chores during the annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn in Washington, April 12, 1993. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, along with an Easter bunny, watch over the opening of the annual White House Easter egg roll at the White House in Washington, April 17, 1995. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Children in rain ponchos brave the pouring rain to take part in the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday March 28, 2005, at the White House. Officials canceled event later due to inclement weather. President Hayes officially opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling on Easter Monday in 1878. Successive Presidents have continued the tradition of inviting children to the South Lawn for egg rolling. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Families brave the rain to take part in the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday March 28, 2005, at the White House. Officials later closed the event due to inclement weather.President Hayes officially opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling on Easter Monday in 1878. Successive Presidents have continued the tradition of inviting children to the South Lawn for egg rolling. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Families and animal charactors brave the rain to take part in the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, March 28, 2005, at the White House. Later in the morning the White House canceled the event due to inclement weather. President Hayes officially opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling on Easter Monday in 1878. Successive Presidents have continued the tradition of inviting children to the South Lawn for egg rolling. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Sue Lucarelli, right, and her partner Gini Casasco, left, walk with their daughter Alexandria Casasco-Lucarelli, center, to attend the Annual White House Easter Egg Roll, near the White House, Monday, April 17, 2006, in Washington. More than 10,000 people were expected throughout the day, including hundreds of gay and lesbian parents who lined up for first-come-first-served entrance tickets over the weekend. The rainbow colored leis symbolize families with same sex partners. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Bush holds Benjamin Favela during the annual Easter Egg Roll in Washington, Monday, April 17, 2006.The egg roll has been held at the White House since 1878, after a stint on the Capitol grounds. Thousands waited in long lines for the free tickets. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
First lady Laura Bush, flanked by Easter bunnies makes remarks during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 9, 2007, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
First lady Laura Bush, left, daughter Jenna Bush, right, accompanied by PBS’ Arthur, read to the children at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, March 24, 2008, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Bush listens at left, as The Jonas Brothers sing the National Anthem, Monday, March 24, 2008, at the start of the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Bush hugs a person dressed as the Easter bunny at the start of the annual Easter Egg Roll, Monday, March 24, 2008, overlooking the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Washington Nationals baseball team mascots at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, March 24, 2008, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Barack Obama talks with three-year-old Patrick Jackson before the start of the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by his wife Jill, introduces the Easter Bunny, Monday, April 13, 2009, during the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, with daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, and their grandmother Marian Robinson, stand as Fergie sings the National Anthem to open the annual Easter Egg Roll festivities at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 13, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
President Barack Obama jokingly acts like he is speaking in the ear of the Easter Bunny after his microphone failed to work as he attended the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 13, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Author J.K. Rowling reads Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll hosted by President Barack Obama on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
First lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia enjoy a performance by Glee at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 5, 2010, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia Obama, reads “Green Eggs and Ham”, as they hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 5, 2010, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
First lady Michelle Obama joins chef Jacques Pepin, right, NBC Today show host Al Roker, far left, and TV talk show host Kelly Ripa, at a healthful cooking exhibit during the Easter Egg Roll festivities at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 25, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
President Barack Obama does pushups during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 9, 2012, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Guests participate in activities during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Donald Trump and the Easter Bunny stand together on the Truman Balcony at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 2, 2018, during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump blow whistles to start a race at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
First lady Melania Trump reads from the book “You!” By Sandra Magsamen at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 2, 2018, during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Guests pick up free eggs at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 22, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Children hunt for Easter eggs at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 22, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Children play during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 22, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Wooden Easter eggs sit in a box at the White House waiting to be delivered to organizations in the area Wednesday, April 8, 2020, in Washington. With the annual White House Easter Egg Roll canceled due to concerns about large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, first lady Melania Trump is giving 25,000 commemorative Easter eggs to area children’s hospitals, federal agencies, aid groups and grocery store chains. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Joe Biden appears with first lady Jill Biden and the Easter Bunny on the Blue Room balcony at the White House, Monday, April 5, 2021, in Washington. The annual Easter egg Roll at the White House was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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