WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Despite bad weather, more than 40,000 people were expected on the White House lawn for the annual Easter Egg Roll on Monday.

“Well, we did everything, we couldn’t control the weather,” President Joe Biden said.

The president spoke from the balcony, joined by first lady Dr. Jill Biden and the official White House Easter bunnies, before kicking off the festivities on the South Lawn.

“Easter reminds us of the power of hope and renewal, sacrifice and resurrection, but mainly love and grace toward one another,” Biden said.

The White House lawn was decorated with balloons marked with different school subjects and a fife and drum band played music in the background while children participated in the egg roll.

The first lady continued her “Egg-ucation” theme this year, transforming the South Lawn and Ellipse into a school community. The festivities included a reading nook, digging for dinosaur fossils and an area where children could learn to make circuit breakers.

“I’m a teacher so I love anytime when we can turn the White House into a classroom,” the first lady said.

Jill Biden has been an educator for more than 30 years and still teaches at a Northern Virginia community college.

Thousands of military and veteran families, their caregivers and survivors attended the event. About 10,000 more people were expected to attend than last year.

Monday’s event marked the 144^th Easter Egg Roll at the White House. The annual tradition began during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878.