White House Weddings
Since the wedding in 1812 of First Lady Dolley Madison's sister, close friends and family members of presidents married at the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/66">White House</a>. A total of 17 couples tied the knot in the White House, including President Grover Cleveland. Many of these ceremonies captured interest from the national press. In 1913, descriptions of Woodrow Wilson’s daughter Jessie’s wedding cake, pictured here, noted approvingly that it was not very extravagant. In contrast, Richard Nixon’s daughter Tricia wed in 1971 on live television while the event included a 7-foot tall wedding cake.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. <a href="http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ggb2005014886/">View original photograph.</a>
Capitol Christmas Tree
Congress occasionally planted Christmas trees on the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/59">Capitol</a> grounds, but it was not until 1964 when an annual ritual began. Senator Carl Hayden of Arizona, President Pro Tempore of the US Senate, presided over the first lighting ceremony on December 18. From 1964 to 1967, a live tree on the west side of the Capitol served as the official tree until it died in 1968. The Architect of the Capitol created a formal procedure for hosting "The People's Tree" in a specific location between the House and Senate sides. Since 1970, the US Forest Service has provided a tree selected from different national forests and delivers it with decorations made by school children from the tree's home state.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. <a href="http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2011632157/">View original</a>.
12/18/1964
First National Menorah Lighting
On the first night of Hanukkah in 1979, President Jimmy Carter walked from the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/66">White House</a> to <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/20">Lafayette Park</a> to light the first public Menorah near the Mall. Sponsored by the American Friends of Chabad-Lubavitch, Abraham Shemtov and Levi Shemtov built the Menorah for several years. It was first called the National Menorah by President Ronald Reagan in 1982. The Menorah remained in Lafayette Square until 1987 when it moved to its current location on the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/315">Ellipse</a>. The National Menorah is always lit by the President or a member of the President’s administration.
Jimmy Carter Library.<a href="http://research.archives.gov/description/6783241"> View original</a>.
12/17/1979
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1950-1979">1950-1979</a>
First National Christmas Tree and Lighting Ceremony
On December 24, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge lit the first National Christmas Tree on the grounds of the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/315">Ellipse</a>. Community volunteers and civic leaders, worked together with local schools and the Society of Electrical Development to organize the celebration. The tree came from President Coolidge's home state of Vermont and was covered with 2,500 electric lights. After the tree lighting, thousands of Washingtonians and visitors sang Christmas carols accompanied by a <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/144">US Marine Band quartet</a> at the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/66">White House</a>. African American residents held their own ceremony at the tree starting just after midnight on Christmas morning.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division<a href="http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/98518085/"> View original</a>.
12/24/1923
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920-1949">1920-1949</a>
Early Cherry Blossom Festival
As soon as the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/24">Japanese cherry trees</a> were planted, Washingtonians and tourists enjoyed the blossoms every spring. Although there were cherry blossom fetes in the 1920s, they were mostly held in Hains Point. The first Cherry Blossom Festival, which was intended to be the start of an annual tradition, took place in the spring of 1934. <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/330">First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt</a> and a delegation from the Japanese embassy led the sunrise ceremony that opened the event. The Festival included a parade, a ball, fireworks, and a performance of the Mikado, an English operetta set in Japan, at the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/3">Sylvan Theatre</a>.
"Full Program is Announced," <em>The Washington Post</em>, April 4, 1934.
4/19/1934
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920-1949">1920-1949</a>
National Powwows
The National Powwows began in September 2002. They were organized by the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/49">Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian</a> in anticipation of the opening of the museum. The events were attended by thousands from the US and Canada to celebrate American Indian culture through dancing, music, food, clothing, and events. Hundreds of tribes participated in a dance competition at the powwow, where members of the tribe wore traditional clothing. Subsequent powwows were held in 2005 and 2007.
Cowtools via Flickr. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/65189390@N00/1107156681/in/photolist-2FQt7i-3173sa-33LXRz-3yPjCK-3KXgPa-4fBTQc-4fBTQP" target="_blank">View original</a>
09/15/2002
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2000-present">2000-present</a>
First Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival
The First Annual Smithsonian Kite Carnival (later referred to as the Kite Festival) took place on the National Mall on March 25, 1967. Individuals could compete in contests with homemade kites as well as ready-made ones. The festival also included kite-making workshops led by <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/269">National Air and Space Museum</a> curator Paul E. Garber, a lecture series, and a special display of kites made by Garber and his wife. The event was sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution for the first 44 years and became a part of the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/480">National Cherry Blossom Festival </a>in 2010.
National Archives at College Park. <a href="http://research.archives.gov/description/2051050">View original</a>.
3/25/1967
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1950-1979">1950-1979</a>
America's Millennium Gala
America’s Millennium Gala was the culminating event of a larger three-day project celebrating the millennium. The event was produced by Quincy Jones and George Stevens Jr., hosted by Will Smith, and premiered a film by Steven Spielberg. Festivities began at 9pm on December 31st, 1999 and continued until 1am. Leading up to midnight, the western half of the Mall, between the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/36">Washington Monument</a> and the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/33">Lincoln Memorial</a>, featured a number of appearances and performances by popular musicians, as well as literary and scientific figures. The evening concluded with an extensive fireworks and lights display over the Washington Monument.
William J. Clinton Presidential Library. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTx2HQKIFw">View original</a>.
12/31/1999
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1980-1999">1980-1999</a>
Latino Festival
The DC Latino Festival first began in 1970 as a neighborhood celebration of the diverse Latino community within Washington. Growing each year, the Festival moved to the Mall in 1989 and has also been held on Pennsylvania Avenue. Today the festival, also called "Fiesta DC," is a large event featuring a parade and pavilions for arts and crafts, education, food, and embassy representatives.
Victoria Pickering.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vpickering/9886103474/in/set-72157635781262734"> View original</a>.
1989
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1980-1999">1980-1999</a>
The National Black Family Reunion
The National Black Family Reunion is a cultural event held annually on the Mall. Sponsored by the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), the event celebrates black community, church, and family values. It was first established by Dr. Dorothy I. Height, former chair of the NCNW and longtime activist, to combat negative stereotypes about the African American family. The event features food, entertainment, education, and cultural activities.
National Council of Negro Women, National Black Family Reunion Flyer. <a href="http://www.ncnw.org/images/sponsorship_opps.pdf">View original</a>.
1986
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1980-1999">1980-1999</a>