The first White House Easter Egg Roll took place in 1878.
The event is held on the South Lawn of the White House, where children traditionally roll decorated hard-boiled eggs using long-handled spoons. President Rutherford B. Hayes and First Lady Lucy Hayes are credited with officially inviting children to the grounds after Congress banned egg-rolling on the Capitol lawn.
Earlier egg-rolling gatherings had taken place on Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Hill and other nearby lawns. The 1878 event turned the tradition into a recurring presidential celebration, although it has occasionally been interrupted by war, weather, renovations, or public-health restrictions.
The White House Easter Egg Roll is not the same as an Easter egg hunt: its signature contest involves rolling eggs across the grass. The event later added storytelling, sports, music, and educational activities, but the egg roll remains its defining custom.