#GimmeFive Prevails At Easter Egg Roll

By: Hope Wilkos, Writer

Although Easter was celebrated on Sunday, April 5, 2015, a long-standing tradition of the White House took place the very next day on Monday, April 6th. Children across the nation are all familiar with the Easter Egg Roll.

Children dash to find eggs. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Each year during every President’s term, the White House Easter Egg Roll has continued and now is marking the 137th year in 2015. It is the largest annual public event that is always held on the expansive White House South Lawn. Tiny toddlers and eager schoolchildren flock to the White House to take part in the games, races and to find as many eggs as possible to champion the day. Celebrities and athletes all visit with the kids, making it a most memorable experience. The lineup is non-stop from sunrise to sundown.

Not everyone has the ability to join in the fun so the White House Press make sure that every year, we are all kept abreast of each activity taking place via a lifestream feed on WhiteHouse.gov/live. Honoring the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, this year’s theme was “#GimmeFive,” challenging Americans across the country to #GimmeFive things they are doing to eat better, be more active, and lead a healthier life. Keeping with the theme, the day featured sports and fitness zones, cooking demonstrations, and the Easter Egg Roll and egg hunt, in addition to live music and storytelling.

The First Lady joins the “So You Think You Can Dance” All-Stars for a performance of the #GimmeFive dance. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

The Official Emcee of the 2015 White House Easter Egg Roll was Tommy McFly. The United States Marine Corps Band performed American classics. ID4GiRLS sang the ‘National Anthem.’

The Rock’n’Egg Roll Stage was filled with entertainers who livened up the day with hot songs, cool dance moves and some classic music that the kids loved. DJ Fussyman, Diggy Simmons, Fifth Harmony, MKTO, Newsies, Sesame Street, and “So You Think You Can Dance” All-Stars, all performed.

Connie Britton, Misty Copeland, Genevieve Goings, Marsai Martin and Miles Brown, Omar Miller and Sesame Street had a very intuitive way of bringing stories to life for captivated children at the Storytime Stage.

The Eggcited to Cook Stage featured chefs Sunny Anderson, Chris Cosentino, Bobby Flay, Aarón Sánchez, Gail Simmons, and Michael Symon along with DJ Cavem and Alkemia Earth. They prepared delicious and very healthy recipes that are easy to prepare and good for you.

The First Lady reads Dr. Seuss’s “Oh the Things You Can Do That are Good for You!” to children. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

In the Eggtivity Zone, Dr. Jayne Greenberg, Caitlin Cahow, Misty Copeland, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mark Hertling, Cornell McClellan, and Donna Richardson represented the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. All-star players and famous coaches enjoyed showing kids fun ways to stay active while at the President’s Court kids received hands-on training from basketball and tennis pros. Even President Obama participated. Athletes such as Chris Baker, Robert Griffin III (Washington Redskins), Dominique Wilkins (NBA, Retired and Basketball Hall of Famer), Caroline Wozniacki (Women’s Tennis), US Olympic Fencing Team and a whole host of others made for a very special afternoon.

The Yoga Garden was for those who chose to explore the connection between movement, breath, and mindfulness and it featured long-time professional Yoga instructor, Leah Cullis. There was also an area of the stage where Zumba was offered as a more active exercise with cardio at the heart of the matter.

The Hop To It Stage was an active area with a variety of interactive dance and other physical activities from Hip Hop Public Health, KidTribe, Robotic Dancing, Soul Cycle, Troops for Fitness, and The Happiness Club.

Children rush through the open gate in search of eggs. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Many other activities were part of this traditional day to celebrate Easter. They included:

EGGSPRESS YOURSELF

Activities that hatched each of the participant’s inner artist by offering arts and crafts fun.

Egg Dying.Transform a plain white egg into your very own multi-colored art creation.
Blossom Books.Celebrate the coming of spring using the Japanese art technique of block printing.
Eggbot on My Mind!Learn how breakthrough robot technology helps with today’s healthy living.
Healthy Food on My Mind Chef Hats.Show all the healthy thoughts you’re thinking! Create and decorate chef hats with drawing of colorful fruits and vegetables that make up a healthy diet.

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD

An entertaining activity center filled with opportunities to learn about healthy eating, including where eggs come from and how they get from the farm to your table.

Family Farm Stand. Learn, play, and explore the benefits of produce and vegetables.
Quick like a Bunny. Use the White House garden as inspiration while you make a garden cup necklace filled with seeds that grow quick like a bunny.
Buzzing About Bees. Who knew the White House has an apiary? And just what is an apiary anyway? Learn that and many more fantastic bee facts.
People’s Garden. Learn about the importance of pollinators and see honey, bees, and bats up close!
#GimmeFive Ingredients! Learn about building a healthy plate with five ingredients.

EGGSPERIMENT ZONE

Interactive, educational activities designed to spark scientific curiosity and creativity.

Sink or Float. Determine whether various objects sink or float in tubs of water.
Paper Bag Kites.Learn how to make your own high-flying kites from a common paper bag.
Sound Sandwiches.Listen and learn about science through innovation and invention.

There were a number of photo opportunities as children had the opportunity to get their picture taken with life-size cartoon characters and cardboard Bo and Sunny props. (the First Family pets)

A young boy is photographed with Bo and Sunny cutouts. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

This year’s costume characters and magicians included:

AbraKidabra! — Angry Birds — Arthur – Barbie – Bob, Stuart, and Kevin from ‘The Minions’ — Buddy from Dinosaur Train — Captain Barnacles and Kwazii from The Octonauts –- Captain Planet -– Charlie Brown — Charlie and Checkers -– Cheer Bear from the Care Bears –- Clifford the Big Red Dog -– Cookie Monster -– Curious George — Daniel Tiger — Doki from Discovery Familia — Dora the Explorer -– Duck from WordWorld — Dynamike

Eddie and Sofie from The Little People — Emmet and WyldStyle from the LEGO Movie — Hatching Chick — Little Nutbrown Hare — Magical Nick — Maisy — Mama, Papa, and Junior Bunnies — Maya & Miguel — Miffy — Mop Top the Hip Hop Scientist and Lollipop — Ninjago Kai -– NumNums and Pipsqueak from ZhuZhu Pets — Oh and Captain Smek from the movie ‘Home’ — Olive the Ostrich -– Peppa Pig and George — Peg + Cat — Power Panther

Princess Presto – Saban’s Power Rangers Dino Charge — Screech -– Sid the Science Kid — Slapshot — Smokey Bear — Snoopy — SpongeBob SquarePants — Super WHY! — The Cat in the Hat -– The Odd Squad — The Racing Presidents George, Tom, Abe, Teddy, and Bill -– The Wiggles Friends Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus–- Thing 1 and Thing 2 — Topspin and Slice — Woodsy Owl -– YooHoo and Pammee from YooHoo & Friends -– Bula from the Zula Patrol

The President and First Lady, with the Easter Bunny, wave from the Blue Room Balcony. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

President Obama began the morning reading the popular children’s book, ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ to many wide-eyed tots.

President Obama reads “Where the Wild Things Are” to children. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

After a full day of fun, there were many smiling but very tired children and adults. For the seventh year in a row, the American public had the opportunity to enter an online lottery for a chance to win tickets to the event. When it was all over, more than 35,000 people from all 50 states and the District of Columbia had received tickets to the event.

What a very lighthearted way to spend a day and make Easter 2015 a day to remember.Everyone walked away with a ton of memories.

Visitors enjoy the activities of the Easter Egg Roll on the South Grounds. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The Easter Bunny joins guests in the Red Room prior to the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, April 6, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Official White House Photo