In the United States, the Easter Egg Roll is an annual event and is held on the White House South Lawn each Easter Monday for children (age 13 and younger) and their parents. It is hosted by the President of the United States and the First Lady of the United States. The Egg Roll is a race where children push an egg through the grass with a long-handled spoon. Surrounding events include appearances by White House personalities in Easter Bunny costumes, speeches and book-reading by cabinet secretaries, and exhibits of artistically decorated eggs.
According to tradition, Dolley Madison, the wife of President James Madison, began the event in 1814. Hundreds of children brought their decorated eggs to join in games. Rolling Easter eggs was a popular annual custom in Washington DC and Alexandria, Virginia, as early as the 1850s. Children rolled eggs on Easter Monday (and sometimes Good Friday) at the Capitol, the White House, and other parks and open spaces. Easter eggs were rolled at the capitol as early as 1855 and at the White House as early as 1860.By the 1870s, the Capitol had become the most popular place to roll eggs, although they were also rolled at the White House and other places.
