WASHINGTON — It was not, in the final analysis, the most clement weather for an outdoor party, with a cold rain falling on Washington, D.C., but Easter comes when it comes. This year, it happened to come but that did little to dampen enthusiasm for the White House Easter Egg Roll, a cherished tradition that had been put on hold by the coronavirus pandemic.
This year’s event was attended by the comedian Jimmy Fallon and actress Kristin Chenoweth.
Fallon watched his daughter roll eggs down the lush lawn–with the president presiding over the first race-then read from “Nana Loves You More,” a children’s book he authored. “This is so cool,” Fallon said, describing himself as a “bestselling author,” though he is more famous for hosting a late-night talk show.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden read the classic “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”
Members of the extended Biden family were also on hand, including the president’s son, , whose personal troubles and professional conduct of public attention once again. Few people present, however, appeared to be occupied with allegations of stolen laptops or secret Chinese deals — not with Snoopy and Charlie Brown around.
The singer Ciara, who visited the White House several months earlier, was also scheduled to make an appearance. John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate candidate, was a stoic pose.
Easter is a holiday of spring awakening and renewal. Two years ago, President Trump envisioned the pandemic would be over by the time Christians around the world mark the holiday, in late April.
“I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” , only to see the coronavirus linger for the rest of the presidency.
The vaccines became widely available right around the time Biden became president. He has stressed caution and reliance on scientific expertise. Last year, the White House canceled the egg roll, but the president and first lady appeared on the South Portico of the White House in masks. The costumed Easter bunny even on top of the costume.
Since then, masks have remained an unrelentingly contentious issue, while vaccination — followed by booster shots — have emerged as the most consistent way to prevent the spread of the disease. Neither the president nor the first lady wore a face mask when they appeared on the South Portico on Monday. They were flanked by two Easter bunnies this time around. And neither bunny was masked, either.
This year’s festivities were billed by the White House as an — “Eggucation Roll,” a reference to Dr. Biden’s work as a professor of education — and a subtle nod, it seems, to the challenges of pandemic schooling, which could turn out to be a problem for Democrats in the looming November midterm election.
“We weren’t able to host this Easter egg roll year because of the pandemic,” he said. “This year, we’re finally getting together again. And it’s so special. It means so much to see and hear the children and all the families show up to be here today.”
Throughout the day, 30,000 guests would attend the egg roll, one of the first events at a White House that is finally reopening to the public. The White House .
“Welcome to your house — the people’s house,” first lady Biden said in her own remarks.
In another sign of returning government normalcy, President Biden is also planning his first state dinner, .
Read More: Biden hosts Easter egg roll with Jimmy Fallon, in another sign of an emerging post-pandemic normal