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 Home > News & Policies > March 2005

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 28, 2005

2005 White House Easter Egg Roll Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How long has this event been a White House tradition?
A. President Rutherford B. 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 and other activities and entertainment. On occasion, the Easter Egg Roll has been cancelled, either due to inclement weather or in times of war (World War I and World War II).

Q. Is this event open to the public?
A. Yes. Tickets to this year's White House Easter Egg Roll were distributed to the public on Saturday, March 26th. Remaining tickets were made available to the public on the morning of the event, Monday, March 28th.

Q. Were any special groups invited to participate?
A. Yes. Mrs. Bush has extended a special invitation through USA Freedom Corps to organizations promoting youth mentoring programs.

Q. How many people will attend the event?
A. 16,000 tickets were distributed for this event.

Q. Who is hosting the 2005 Easter Egg Roll?
A. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt will be co-hosting this year's event.

Q. What kinds of activities will guests participate in?
A. Easter Egg Roll activities begin on the Ellipse with food and entertainment. On the White House South Lawn, children ages 7 or younger can take part in the egg roll. Children of all ages can enjoy the reading corners, egg coloring, art activities, face painting, music, magicians and other activities. Strolling characters will interact with the children as they roam the South Lawn. At the reading corners, visitors will be treated to storytelling by authors of popular children's books, Cabinet members and senior administration officials.

Q. Who dyes the eggs? How many are dyed?
A. The American Egg Board provided approximately 7,200 real eggs for the annual Egg Roll activity. Another 4,000 dyed eggs were provided for the Egg Hunt, and an additional 4,000 were boiled and will be provided for children to dye at an activity area on-site.

Q. Who designed the art for the commemorative egg?
A. Jennifer Carrasco, from Seattle, Washington, designed this year's commemorative wooden egg and the commemorative poster. Jennifer has taught art in the United States, Japan and Korea, in addition to spending 13 years teaching with the Department of Defense Schools in the Philippines and Taiwan.

Q. What will Children receive upon departure from the Easter Egg Roll?
A.
  • A commemorative White House wooden Easter egg
  • An activity coloring book
  • A USA Freedom Corps bookmark
  • A children's book
  • Easter Egg Roll commemorative poster
  • Easter candy
Q. Who are the guest readers?
A.
  • Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
  • Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt
  • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson
  • Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta
  • Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
  • Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez
  • Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao
  • Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Steve Johnson
  • White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card
  • Director of the Office of Management and Budget Josh Bolten
  • Chief of Staff to Mrs. Bush Anita McBride
Q. Which children's book authors are reading on the South Lawn?
A.
  • Susan Stevens Crummel; Jackalope
  • Doreen Cronin; Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type
  • Sonia Manzano; No Dogs Allowed!
  • Shutta Crum; Bravest of the Brave
  • Mo Willems; Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
  • Doreen Rappaport; Martin's Big Words
  • Pam Munoz Ryan; Mice and Beans
  • Michael Stadther; A Treasure's Trove
  • Shandi Finnessey - Miss USA 2004; The Furrtails
Q. Who are the entertainers?
A.
All for KIDZ
Arne Dixon and his team of world-class yoyo professionals, perform an interactive show featuring more than thirty outstanding yoyo tricks. The NED Show, teaches three essential characteristics for becoming a champion in school and in life: Never Give Up, Encourage Others and Do Your Best.

Barbara Bailey Hutchison
This Grammy Award winner for "Best Musical Recording For Children" is high energy, FUN with every song inviting willing participation. Barbara captivates all ages with her powerful voice, skillful guitar work, and animated stage presence. She was voted "Best Acoustic Act" and "Best Music Act" by colleges nationwide and recently returned from performing in Thailand. She's educational, fun, funny, and highly entertaining.

Bitty Bear's Matinee:
The Family Tree(tm) is a new audience participation family theater production for children ages 3 and up. Performed at American Girl Place in Chicago and New York, Bitty Bear's Matinee celebrates the virtues of family and friendship while teaching age-appropriate skills such as sharing and working together. Based on the Bitty Bear books in American Girl's popular Bitty Baby(r) doll line, the live musical performance is done in story-theater style, featuring three of the lovable Bitty Bunch characters-Bitty Bear, Bitty Puppy, and Bitty Kitty.

Disney's Bear in the Big Blue House
Bear is the seven-foot lovable host of the Emmy Award-winning children's television series. He always exudes warmth, comfort and understanding to everyone around him. He scratches and sniffs, often putting his nose right up to the camera lens. Bear is curious about everything around him, and has never lost his natural sense of wonderment. His intimate manner engages young children as he speaks directly to them, while his inquisitive style encourages them to join in, play along, verbally interact and use their imaginations. Filled with civility and concern, Bear also loves to help his friends, constantly displaying infinite patience and interest in their activities.

Buck Howdy
The king of kids' cowboy music with rootin' tootin' tunes for children of all ages. He also hosts his own nationally syndicated radio show, Cow Pie Radio, and stars in a new kids' tv series, the Buck Howdy Show, from Sony Pictures Television.

Ernie & Neal:
Aiming to inspire creativity, provoke imaginative thought, and introduce children - musically - to cultural diversity, Ernie & Neal's extraordinarily versatile style explores many sounds and rhythms, and their inspirational and motivational themes run the gamut of creative expression. They also feature a pleasant musical combination of teaching, storytelling, entertaining, educating and informing.

Flumpa(r) and Friends LIVE!
Science rocks with Flumpa(r) the tree frog and Wendy Whitten - 'The Singing Scientist.' Charged with energy and fun, this fast-paced interactive musical science show will blast off at the speed of sound delivering a unique blend of music with a twist of science for a captivating exploration of our world. This universally engaging group has performed at over 3,000 events and schools nationwide to over 2,000,000 people since 1995 and has won 17 national awards including several Dr. Toy and iParenting awards.

Animal Planet Presents Animal Encounters
Stop by the Animal Planet stage to get up close and personal with live animals, including a real bunny rabbit. Jim Boller from the hit Animal Planet show, ANIMAL COPS: HOUSTON, will be signing autographs, answering questions and offering pet advice throughout the day.

Houston SPCA Director of Field Services Jim Boller leads the team of investigators who are featured on ANIMAL COPS: HOUSTON. His team covers 2,600 square miles and processes more than 9,000 cruelty cases a year, including many exotic animals such as lions, snakes, ostriches and spiders. Boller has 29 years of animal-related experience and is recognized around the world for his knowledge and expertise in the field of animal welfare.

Animal Planet is the only television network dedicated exclusively to the connection between humans and animals. The network's original programming brings together people of all ages by tapping into a fundamental fascination with animals and providing an entertaining mix of programming, including original movies, adventure series, sports, drama and sitcoms.

Jim Cosgrove & The Hiccups featuring Bop Bop Dinosaur
As a two-time Parents' Choice Award Winner, Jim Cosgrove has been described as "The most intriguing kids entertainer out there right now." With his soothing voice, an acoustic guitar, and a box full of instruments, he has entertained tens of thousands of kids throughout the United States and Europe. The high-energy performances are interactive with an opportunity for kids to play along in an impromptu "jam" session.

Laughing Pizza
A family trio made up of Billy Schlosser, his wife Lisa Michaelis and their ten-year-old daughter Emily, Laughing Pizza makes music for families to share. Billy and Lisa have been writing songs for more than 15 years. Their experience in writing for the children's music market includes songs for Mary Kate and Ashley Olson, the Cartoon Network TV show "Big Bag", and an entire CD of 19 shape and counting songs called "Make it Count", which has become part of the curriculum in public schools in several states. Laughing Pizza has released four Parents Choice Award winning music and video products.

PBS Children's Programs
Barney, the popular fun-loving purple dinosaur, is the best friend a child could ever have. He happens to be a 6-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex. And, speed along and zoon into action as Mr. McFeely the Speedy Delivery Man meets the cast of ZOOM.

RAGGS Kids Club Band
RAGGS and his four colorful canine friends is a costumed character band that mixes original award-winning music with popular favorites in a high-energy interactive show for children. They perform throughout the US with recent performances at the Heart of Texas Fair, the Alabama National Fair, the New York State Fair, and California Kids Fest. Their 2 DVDs and 4 CDs have received the Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center, iParenting Award, the Creative Child Award and were nominated for two Emmy Awards.

Cast members of the 134th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey(r) Circus:
This quintessential American family entertainment tradition has delighted audiences across the country for nearly 135 years. These performers and clowns, as part of The Greatest Show On Earth, have brought wide smiles, laughter and joy to millions, and join us today to meet Children of All Ages. Ringmaster Kevin Venardos, Songstress Jennifer Fuentes-an "American Idol" top-30 finalist, Christine Winn and our world famous Ringling Bros. clowns bring the magic of their latest production to the White House lawn.

Silly Socks Puppet Theatre
Delivering humor, suspense, good messages and lots of silliness through the use of expressive, custom made puppets, The Silly Socks Puppet Theater has appeared across America and nearby at the National Theater and Wolftrap Center. Brian Foster, the lead puppeteer for Silly Socks, has been writing and performing original puppet theater for over a decade.

MAGICIANS
Chadakazzam: Chad Juros started his magic career in 1991 at the age of three when he was diagnosed with leukemia. While receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatments, his father taught him magic to help deal with the discomfort. Chad's magical career includes performances around the world for corporate events pediatric cancer hospitals, hospices and foundations and career highlights include his role as the young David Copperfield for a primetime TV show, as well as Volvo for Life Award finalist.

Eldon D. Wigton "Dr. Eldoonie" - For more than twenty years, Dr. Eldoonie has performed his magic for national and international audiences. He has appeared in several television productions throughout his career and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Fastest Magician.

Magic Stage will feature some of the best kid's magicians from around the country. The DC area's own Ralph the Great was voted "Best" a record nine times and makes his 6th appearance at the Easter Egg Roll! Ken Scott is Atlanta's best kid show magician who turns a child into a magician at every show! New York City is the home of Silly Billy, their most famous children's performer. Mark Daniel, the Magical Storyteller, comes from North Carolina and is the host of the best Kid Show conference in the world. From Philadelphia, John Cassidy holds the Guinness World Record for most balloon sculptures in one hour! Bruce Bray is New Jersey's busiest professional children's magician. Stretch the Silly Man is New Jersey's funniest kid's comedian. Trixie Bond visits us from Houston and is the nation's best-known female children's magician. From Boston, Mike Bent is one of the most creative and imaginative people in magic.

STROLLING CHARACTERS

Charlie Brown
Snoopy
Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Andy
Peter Cottontail
Babar
B.B. Rabbit
Arthur
The Berenstain Bears
Caillou
Cassie from DRAGON TALES
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Digit and Harry from CYBERCHASE
Grover SESAME STREET
Jay Jay the Jet Plane
Leona from BETWEEN THE LIONS
Maya & Miguel
Mechanical Noo-noo from TELETUBBIES
Piggley Winks from JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS
Mr. McFeely, the Speedy Delivery Man, from MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD
Patchy Panda
Larry & Bob - Veggie Tales
JoJo & Goliath
Peter Rabbit
Winnie the Pooh
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Louie the Baysox Mascot
The Official White House Bunnies
Woodrow the White House Mouse

For more information, please visit the White House Web Site at WWW.WHITEHOUSE.GOV.