WASHINGTON, D.C. — If you’ve ever dreamed of wandering behind the scenes of the White House — hearing untold stories, meeting the people who lived it, cooked it, wrote it, preserved it, and even wore it — tomorrow is your chance.
The White House Historical Association’s Annual Holiday Book Festival is back on Friday, December 5, and it is shaping up to be one of the most remarkable history-meets-holiday events of the year. Nearly 30 best-selling authors, artists, historians, chefs, and even a Founding Father will gather under one roof for this completely free, open-to-the-public celebration of American history.
If you need a sign to hop in the car or grab an Uber or a bus tomorrow morning, this is it.
Gary Walters
Gary Walters
⭐ A Major Book Launch: The Longest-Serving Chief Usher Tells All
The festival marks the first day of sale for what may be the most anticipated White House memoir in decades.
Gary J. Walters, the longest-serving White House Chief Usher (1970–2007), will be on-site signing copies of his brand-new memoir:
White House Memories, 1970–2007
Think of it as the ultimate backstage pass. Walters served seven presidents — from Nixon to George W. Bush — and is sharing stories the public has never heard:
State Dinners and Peace Treaties
9/11 and a helicopter crash
Ping-pong competitions in the Executive Mansion
Surprising birthday parties, movie nights, and the birth of presidential puppies
Moments of crisis, joy, and heartbreak behind the world’s most powerful doors
It’s the first memoir from a chief usher since 1973. History lovers: this is your moment.
⭐ Meet “Thomas Jefferson” at the Door
Greeting guests will be none other than President Thomas Jefferson — portrayed by acclaimed interpreter Bill Barker, who will sign his book Becoming Jefferson.
Yes, a Founding Father will welcome you in. Only at WHHA.
⭐ Art, Maps, and a White House Five Times Bigger?
Artist Peter Waddell will discuss his monumental painting The Indispensable Plan, which imagines Pierre L’Enfant’s original 1791 layout of Washington — including his mind-bending vision of a White House five times its actual size.
This is the stuff C-SPAN dreams about.
⭐ Hands-On Fun: Draw Presidents & First Ladies
Renowned illustrator Dr. John Hutton will offer drawing lessons from his book How to Draw the Presidents and First Ladies — great for kids, artists, and anyone whose stick figures need an upgrade.
⭐ Cook With the Chefs Who Fed the Presidents
Two-time James Beard Award winner Adrian Miller will sign books about presidential cuisine, from soul food to Asian heritage dishes served in the White House kitchen.
And White House Pastry Chef Mark Ramsdell will sign two dessert books, including The White House in Gingerbread. If you love holiday baking… bring a tote bag.
⭐ History from Every Angle: Curators, Writers, Photographers, Tailors & More
Meet the people who:
Furnished the White House
Photographed its neighborhoods
Tailored clothes for presidents
Documented First Ladies
Chronicled White House musicians
Preserved China collections
Captured five presidential administrations through a camera lens
Recorded oral histories from staff who quietly shaped American history
And yes — special tables will honor the work of late legends Betty Monkman and William Seale, two of the greatest historians ever to document the Executive Mansion.
⭐ Don’t Miss These Additional Authors:
John Wrory Ficklin – An Unusual Path: Three Generations from Slavery to the White House
Anita & Gigi McBride – First Ladies Make History
Diana Carlin, Anita McBride, Nancy Kegan Smith – Remember the First Ladies
Mary Jo Binker – Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice and writings
Stewart McLaurin – The People’s House Miscellany
Christi Harlan – Mr. President, The Class Is Yours
Melinda Dart – Memoir of Irineo Esperancilla
Bruce M. White – At Home in the President’s Neighborhood
Christina Ewald – WWII tailoring history
Jonathan Pliska – A Garden for the President and children’s books
Rocco Smirne – White House music history
Christy Bowe – Photojournalistic moments from five presidencies
If you’re a reader, a history lover, or just need a very cool holiday gift: this is a dream.
📅 Event Details — Plan Your Trip
WHEN: Friday, December 5, 2025 TIME: 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM WHERE: The White House Historical Association, Carriage House 1610 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Closest Metro: Farragut West / Farragut North Parking garages nearby.
Books are also available online: shop.whitehousehistory.org
🎄 Why You Should Go
Because nothing else this season will put you closer to White House history — the people who lived it, wrote it, cooked it, created it, preserved it, and still carry its stories forward today.
It’s free. It’s festive. It’s fascinating. It’s the perfect December adventure.
Hop in the car and go. You’ll talk about it for years.
Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, the award-winning Alexandria news publication she founded in 2010 with a mission of celebrating community, culture, and all the good news happening across the city.
A longtime community advocate and storyteller, Mary was selected for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce inaugural 40 Under 40 class and has served as President of Living Legends of Alexandria since 2022. Known for her deep local roots, sharp editorial instincts, and passion for connecting people through journalism, she has spent decades chronicling the personalities, businesses, events, and civic life that make Alexandria unique.
Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, and has been part of Alexandria’s publishing and media community since 1987.
