U.S. Air Force Strolling Strings Perform for Halloween 2018
In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead on October 28, 2018, musicians from the United States Air Force Strolling Strings perform on South Portico for a Halloween celebration at the White House hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for military families. For the festivities, the military band performed a variety of popular and seasonal tunes including Michael Jackson's "Thriller," and songs from "Harry Potter," "The Phantom of the Opera," and "The Addams Family." The event also featured a variety of activities on the South Grounds including a hay bale maze, a moon carpet by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a robotics display by the Department of Education, and the opportunity to see a variety of vehicles including the presidential limousine, popularly known as "The Beast."
James Hoban, the original architect of the President's House, intended that the space now called the "Green Room" be used as a "Common Dining Room." An 1801 inventory revealed that first residents President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Adams actually used it as a guest bedchamber. However, the next chief executive, Thomas Jefferson, did serve meals in this room. Jefferson
The White House celebrates many holiday traditions, some of which are historic and others more recent. New arrivals to the Executive Mansion bring unique familial rituals that are often blended with time-tested White House and presidential customs. During the holiday season, the president and first lady participate in public traditions such as receiving a tree for the Blue Room, lighting
The collection of fine art at the White House has evolved and grown over time. The collection began with mostly presidential portraits, commissioned or purchased by Congress, or donated by presidential descendants. In the era before photography, some presidents invited painters to set up studios in the White House to record significant events and paint their likeness. In the late