1. Christmas in Washington
President Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama, attended the 28th annual Christmas in Washington concert on December 13 at the National Building Museum. Mary J. Blige, Justin Beiber, Neil Diamond, Sugarland, and Rob Thomas performed classic holiday tunes while host George Lopez kept the crowd of 500 entertained with politically charged jokes.
2. White House Easter Egg Roll
Using the same online lottery system as last year, 22,000 tickets were handed out to families across the country for the annual Easter egg roll on April 5. The White House also used the event to promote its health and wellness initiatives, with a theme of “Ready, Set, Go.”
3. A Capitol Fourth
Reba McEntire, David Archuleta, Lang Lang, and Darius Rucker took to the stage on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the 30th anniversary of the concert that is broadcast live on PBS.
4. Pageant of Peace/Lighting of the National Christmas tree
The first family kicked off the holiday season on December 3 with a concert and a lighting ceremony on the Ellipse. Some 2,800 members of the public had the chance to watch the festivities up close and see the massive tree and the 56 smaller trees that decorate the area around the Ellipse.
5. Memorial Day Concert
Brad Paisley, Lionel Richie, and a variety of military bands and choruses played for a capacity crowd on May 30 on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol to celebrate and remember the service and sacrifice of all the men and women in uniform.
