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Giant blocks of cheese, prom, and party crashers: What it was like at 7 of the most iconic White House parties in US history
Giant blocks of cheese, prom, and party crashers: What it was like at 7 of the most iconic White House parties in US history
Ellen Cranley,Ellen CranleyMar 2, 2019, 19:07 IST
The Princess Of Wales Dancing With John Travolta At The White House, USA In A Midnight Blue Velvet Dress By Fashion Designer Victor Edelstein Watched By President Ronald And Mrs Nancy Reagan.Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images
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Hosting world leaders and the public alike in the White House is a large part of presidential tradition.
From a hungry mob grabbing at a block of cheese to kids' parties (even a high school prom), the Executive Mansion has nearly seen it all.
The White House contains one of the most important offices in the world, but that doesn't mean it's all business inside.
Social functions put on by presidents, first ladies, and their families, have been considered an important part of overall policy as A-list celebrities and private citizens are entertained inside America's most famous house.
See what it was like at some of the most iconic White House bashes in US history:
President Andrew Jackson opened the East Room of the White House to the public so the people could enjoy a 1,400 lb block of cheese he was gifted by a dairy farmer two years earlier. Mobs were said to have hung around for days and caused extensive damage.
President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy hosted a birthday party for daughter Caroline Kennedy and son John Jr. Kennedy on November 27, 1962. The part was full of colorful balloons.
Held in the President’s Dining Room in the White House residence, the president and first lady were among the party's approximately 30 attendees.
The White House's Rose Garden was nearly unrecognizable after it got the bridal treatment for President Nixon's eldest daughter Patricia's June 12, 1971 wedding.
President Gerald Ford's daughter Susan held her senior prom at the White House in 1975 for about 75 students from Maryland's all-girls Holton Arms School.
The senior class made the centerpieces and footed the $1300 total bill for the event, which was complete with Swedish meatballs, a rock band, and a yacht ride.
First lady Nancy Reagan threw Ronald Reagan's surprise 70th birthday party at the White House on February 6, 1981, though reports doubted if the president was really caught off guard or not.
The White House hosted 100 guests for the party, including Frank Sinatra, who enjoyed lobster, birthday cake, and dancing.
The Reagans held several high-profile events during their time in the White House, including hosting Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales in November 1985.
The star-studded attendee list included Clint Eastwood, among others.
Former President Barack Obama's first State Dinner to host Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur made headlines in November 2009.
The couple, who was formerly featured on the short-lived Bravo series Real Housewives of Washington, DC, faced a grand jury investigation for crashing.
