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First Lady Melania Trump is gearing up for her “Halloween at the White House” event on Thursday.
She posted a picture of decorations going up in anticipation of the celebration, stating, “The White House is getting ready for Halloween.”
This continues a 67-year-old tradition of Halloween celebrations at the White House, begun by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. According to White House History, she started a trend that invited children to the White House to have fun and enjoy the spooky season with decorations, treats, costumes, and more.
It was the Kennedys who hosted the first official trick-or-treat event at the White House for private friends and family, but it was First Lady Patricia Nixon who welcomed children from all walks of life to celebrate with America’s leaders. In addition, she threw a Halloween party for 150 kids in need at the C. Melvin Sharp Health School and Hospital for Sick Children. A year later, in 1972, First Daughter Tricia Nixon Cox held a Halloween party for hundreds of foster children.
In 2017, the Trump family carried on the tradition by carving Jack-O-Lanterns representing previous presidents and inviting schoolchildren and military families to celebrate the wonders of Halloween at the White House.
Now, Mrs. Trump is preparing for her 2025 Halloween at the White House party, which offers thousands of families the opportunity to trick-or-treat on the South Lawn from 4:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are expected to hand out commemorative candies on the South Drive for a portion of the event. And to add that extra thrill, the United States (U.S.) Air Force Strolling Strings musicians are offering their talents to play Halloween music.
Multiple trick-or-treat booths will be set up offering goodies like mini pumpkins from the Department of Agriculture, toy mail trucks from the U.S. Postal Service, apples out of New York and Washington State from the International Fresh Produce Association, as well as other goodies from NASA, the National Parks Service, America 250, and more. Halloween is truly coming to the White House to start the holiday season by putting American children first.
