Barack-n-Roll

Obamas Host Annual Easter Egg Roll

Justin Bieber, Glee cast perform.

Following a nearly 130-year-old tradition, the White House hosted its annual Easter Egg Roll at the While House Monday, as tens of thousands of children from across the country played football, basketball, and golf on the South Lawn. In what has become a star-studded event, the egg roll also included performances by Sara Bareilles, Justin Bieber, and the cast of the hit show Glee. In the late morning, President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama appeared on the White House steps and addressed the crowd; the first lady took the opportunity to discuss her campaign against childhood obesity, using the day’s activities as an example of how kids can get their daily dose of exercise. “Today we have transformed the South Lawn into a playground,” she said. The main event, though, was the egg rolling, as participants raced to roll eggs across a finish line. The tradition started in 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes allowed egg rollers onto the lawn after being chased from the Capitol.