White House Halloween: Two Events, 2,000 Kids, & A 1,000 Pound Presidential Pumpkin

[alsame]

President Boo-rack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama open the White House for Halloween...



President Obama and Mrs. Obama will host two different Halloween events today, for their very first All Hallows Eve at the Executive Mansion. The first event will be for school children, and the other will be for military families, the children of White House staff, and the children of residence staff. Yesterday, truckloads of pumpkins, hay bales, and other decorations were delivered to the White House (as well as cobwebs!) to prepare for today's events, and a special 1,000 pound Presidential Pumpkin was trucked in from Wisconsin. And given that the White House is said to be haunted* by more than just the ghosts of Republican administrations past, it should be a very busy and authentic holiday! (Below: The Presidential Pumpkin, in its native habitat)



2,000 lucky "local" kids...
For the first party, the White House and Department of Education chose schools from DC, Maryland, and Virginia to send 2,000 kids to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a special trick-or-treat event. The kids and their parents will be able to trick-or-treat at the "front door" of the White House, which is the North Portico (that's the view in the photo at top of post). "Traditional candy"--White House M&Ms, etc.-- will be handed out, but of course there will also be healthy treats, in keeping with Mrs. Obama's nutrition agenda. The President and First Lady won't be in costume, according to the White House. And there's no word on what costumes Malia and Sasha will be wearing this evening; Mrs. Obama recently told Jay Leno that that is "top secret information." Last year, Sasha was a ghosty witch, and Malia was a fairy.


(Above: White House M&Ms)

Military Families, and Staff Kids...
President and Mrs. Obama will host a reception for military families and children of White House and residence staff, which will be co-hosted by Vice President Joe Biden and Mrs. Biden. The ongoing focus on military families is part of a continuing effort to support our troops and their families at home. Since January, President and Mrs. Obama have both appeared at numerous military bases; earlier this week, Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden appeared at Game 1 of the World Series, which was dedicated to military veterans. The Fourth of July bash at the White House was in honor of military families, too. The Redmoon theatre company will perform. The Chicago-based company describes its productions as "equal parts pageantry, gadgetry, acrobatics, and ephemera," so it should be quite a show.

The Presidential Pumpkin was grown by Dan Bowles...
The gigantor gourd was grown by Dan Bowles of Eagle River, Wisconsin, who is one of that amazing sub-set of enthusiasts who grow giant pumpkins for competition. Bowles has been growing pumpkins competitively for four years, and is president of the Wisconsin Giant Pumpkin Growers club. The Presidential Pumpkin actually weighs between 900 and one thousand pounds, depending on the scale its weighed on and moisture loss, but thousand-pound-pumpkin just sounds better, doesn't it? The pumpkin will be carved during today's festivities...and yes, Bowles will be at the White House, too. In Wisconsin, he's known as 'The Pumpkin man." Bowles has actually grown pumpkins that are even bigger than the Presidential Pumpkin....

http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2009/10/white-house-halloween-two-partie-2000.html

[kestrel91316]

1. I LOVE the pic of the WH looking like a classic haunted mansion!

[alsame]

2. Me too! And I just heard a report that there's a lot of decorating going

on right now. I can't wait to see what it looks like tonight!

[Cha]

17. Yeah, that fits right in to the

scheme of things:):scared:

[hileeopnyn8d]

3. They're gonna carve that thing?!

I love pumpkin, but I hate the slimey job of gutting them. The thought of gutting that thing gives me shivers.

I wonder what the girls' costumes will be, whatever they chose will be under scrutiny. I think Malia should go as the First Lady and Sasha the President. ;)

[Sebastian Doyle]

16. With a chain saw, probably.

But think of how many pies you could get out of that thing! :wow:

[whistler162]

4. And Gallagher ISN'T invited!

[alsame]

8. DUzy! ROFL.

[pansypoo53219]

5. EAGLE RIVER!?!

this year? the summer SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKED. i guess cool helps.

[TwilightGardener]

6. LOL at the pumpkin. Looks like a giant flabby butt to me.

[HopeOverFear]

10. OMG that is exactly what I said!!!!!!!!!

:rofl:

[TwilightGardener]

11. Glad I'm not the only one--starting to wonder if something was

wrong with me...:rofl:

[HopeOverFear]

14. ROFL

[66 dmhlt]

12. Sorry, but THIS is a giant flabby butt

But here's a pumpkin imitating a giant flabby butt

[HopeOverFear]

15. *spits out drink*

WHAT.IN.THE.HELL????? :rofl: :rofl:

[Kahuna]

13. That was my first thought too. nt

[PopSixSquish]

7. Now That's a Pumpkin!

I can't wait to see pictures...

[HopeOverFear]

9. LOL @ "Boo-rack"

that's cute.

[Clintonista2]

18. 1000 POUNDS?

Holy crap!