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Program for the 1984 Easter Egg Roll, with art by Guy and Brad Gilchrist.
The White House Easter Egg Roll has been a White House tradition since President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the grounds in 1878.
Appearances[]
- Unknown, Reagan-era: Caroll Spinney appears as Big Bird. Spinney recalled to a newspaper that Nancy Reagan stayed in the tea room, "barking orders... to this Air Force captain", making sure things were moving along. "We were supposed to do a show at 1:30, and at 10 minutes to 1 we overheard her snapping on the radio, 'I want the show to start now.' And he says, 'But I don't think we start just yet.' And she said, 'Well, tell them if they're not off the grounds by 2, they'll be thrown off.'"[1]
- 1984: The Muppets were the theme of the Easter Egg Roll, and a couple of items were produced in conjunction with the event. The official bag and program featured Guy Gilchrist illustrations of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and Robin, as well as Uncle Traveling Matt from Fraggle Rock; and a pin featured Miss Piggy.[2] The event was canceled because of rain.
- 2004: (April 21) Bear performs. Elmo is among the costumed characters.[5]
- 2005: (March 27) Sonia Manzano is one of the guest readers.[6]
- 2006: (April 16) Cookie Monster is among the costumed characters.[7]
- 2007: (April 9) Elmo, Rosita and Gordon perform. Abby Cadabby is among the costumed characters.[8]
- 2009: (April 13) Abby Cadabby, Elmo, and Sid the Science Kid walk-around are among the costumed characters.[10][11] (The cast of The Electric Company performed.)[12]
- 2010: (April 5) Elmo and Maria (Sonia Manzano) read Stretch at the event; the 2009 book is by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin. (YouTube) Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Gordon also appeared.[13] Walkarounds of Elmo, Abby, Sid the Science Kid and Buddy (from Dinosaur Train) appeared. Sesame Street seed packs were handed out at the event.
- 2011: (April 25) Theme of "Get Up and Go!", connected to First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative. Elmo, Maria (Sonia Manzano) and Gordon (Roscoe Orman) of Sesame Street reading. Separately, Art Smith is demonstrating health cooking. Abby and Rosita also known to have been in attendance.[14] Elmo also sang with Colbie Caillat. At the end of her story session, Kristi Yamaguchi made reference to Sesame Street. (YouTube)
- 2012: (April 9) Elmo, Abby and Gordon read The Monster at the End of This Book. (YouTube) Later, they perform on the Rockin' Egg Roll Stage. The stage show featured several classic Sesame songs (including "Welcome!," "Somebody Come and Play", "Sing After Me," "A Very Simple Dance," "The Arm," the "Sesame Street Theme" and "Sing", as well as the song "Easter Parade"). (YouTube) Costumed characters of Abby Cadabby and Elmo appeared, plus Henson characters Buddy and Sid.
- 2013: (April 1) Elmo (Ryan Dillon), Abby, Rosita and Gordon appeared at the event. Gordon and Abby read I Want to Be President at the Storytime Stage. (YouTube)
- 2014: (April 21) Mando, Abby, Rosita, and Cookie Monster performed on the Rockin' Egg Roll Stage, singing several Sesame songs (including "Welcome!," "Somebody Come and Play," "The Most Important Meal of the Day," "Baile," "A Very Simple Dance," "The ABCs of Moving You," and "C is for Cookie"). (YouTube)
- 2015: (April 6) Alan Muraoka read Just One You! with Cookie Monster. (YouTube) Elmo and Abby also appeared. One of the songs performed was "Believe in Yourself". (YouTube)
- 2016: (March 28) Alan Muraoka read The Bunny Hop with Abby Cadabby. Elmo and Cookie Monster also appeared. (YouTube) One of the songs performed was "What I Am". (YouTube)
- 2017: (April 17) Elmo is among the costumed characters.[15]
- 2022: (April 18) Alan Muraoka read We're Different, We're the Same with Elmo and Abby Cadabby,[16] while Rosita and Cookie Monster walk-around characters roamed the grounds. Sonia Manzano also appeared.[17]
- 2023: (April 10) Alan Muraoka read The Great Easter Race! with Elmo and Rosita. [18] Abby Cadabby and Grover appeared among the costume characters. Sonia Manzano also appeared. [19]
- 2024: (March 31) Gobo and Red Fraggle make an appearance. Alan Muraoka reads with Elmo. Sonia Manzano also makes an appearance.[20]
Gallery[]
1984 Easter Egg Roll pin
program
bag
2009: Elmo, Abby, Al Roker, Sid, and others.
2010 Easter Egg Roll
Michelle Obama with Abby, Gordon, and Maria at the 2010 Easter Egg Roll
"The most adorable bunny ever?", via @sesamestreet, 2011
Gordon with Elmo and Abby Cadabby at the 2012 Easter Egg Roll
2015
2016
2016
2017
2018
2018
2023
Gobo and Red, 2024
2024
2024
2024
Trivia[]
- In 2010, Cookie Monster posted on Sesame Street's official Twitter page, "Me not invited to Easter Egg Roll at White House. Me okay wit dat. Me rather get invited to gingerbread house anyway."[21]
Sources[]
- ↑ "Big Bird says he met Nancy the Grouch", The Milwaukee Sentinel, November 23, 1994.
- ↑ Kermitage.com - White House Easter Egg Hunt - 1984
- ↑ "White House Easter Egg Roll Information and History".
- ↑ "Fact Sheet: White House 2003 Easter Egg Roll Frequently Asked Questions". Office of the Press Secretary. April 21, 2003.
- ↑ "White House 2004 Easter Egg Roll : Frequently Asked Questions". Office of the First Lady. April 12, 2004.
- ↑ "Update: White House to Hold Annual Easter Egg Roll". Office of the First Lady. March 22, 2005.
- ↑ "White House Announces Easter Egg Roll Entertainment". Office of the First Lady. April 12, 2006.
- ↑ "2007 White House Easter Egg Roll: Frequently Asked Questions". Office of the First Lady. April 9, 2007.
- ↑ "2008 White House Easter Egg Roll: Frequently Asked Questions". Office of the First Lady. March 22, 2008.
- ↑ HensonCompany Twitter Account - April 10, 2009
- ↑ "NBC Today Show video"
- ↑ "PBS Engage status update"
- ↑ Facebook status for Sesame Street, 2 April 2010.
- ↑ @sesamestreet, "Almost time to meet the children! (And adults, too!)", Twitpic.com, April 25, 2011.
- ↑ Business Insider The Trumps hosted their first White House Easter Egg Roll — see the incredible photos Eliza Relman, April 17, 2017.
- ↑ @LarryMillerTV on Twitter, April 18, 2022
- ↑ "White House Announces Theme and Activities for the 2022 Easter Egg Roll", The White House, April 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Alan Muraoka and Sesame Street Friends at the 2023 Easter Egg Roll on whitehousehistory.org"
- ↑ White House Announces Theme and Activities for the 2023 Easter Egg Roll", The White House, April 6, 2023.
- ↑ "White House Announces Theme and Activities for the 2023 Easter Egg Roll", March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Cookie Monster storms Twitter as @sesamestreet gains a following", Los Angeles Times blogs, April 9, 2010.