Melania Trump Sits Cage-side at White House UFC Event Celebrating her Husband’s 80th Birthday
Plus, the Obamas arrive in Chicago ahead of Presidential Center grand opening on Friday.
On the evening of President Trump’s 80th birthday, First Lady Melania Trump joined her husband on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate under an immense Ultimate Fighting Championship arena dwarfing the Executive Residence in the distance.
Rain and lightning delayed the event more than an hour and then opened with a military flyover.
President Trump was spotted cage-side between Dana White, U.F.C. chief executive, and Mrs. Trump before the first bout between Diego Lopes of Brazil and Steve Garcia of the U.S. Roaring applause could be heard from the watch party where thousands of people gathered on the Ellipse.
The crowd erupted as Lupes pursued Garcia, punching at him wildly as the American was on back. The Brazilian won the fight in the second round, with a technical knockout. He then climbed the octagon in victory. As the action replayed on screens, the president spoke to the first lady while seeming to watch the knockout. And that was how the evening unfolded at the start of this unprecedented White House event.
Others in attendance included Mark Zuckerberg, Meta chief executive, David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance chief executive, and many members of Congress also sat cage-side including Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator John Thune, a republican from South Dakota, and Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio.
The Obamas Arrive in Chicago Ahead of Presidential Center Grand Opening on Friday
President and Mrs. Obama arrived in Chicago Saturday ahead of this week’s grand opening celebration for the Obama Presidential Center. The former president and former first lady toured the campus, viewed the final art installations and saw the completed museum exhibits for the first time.
President Barack Obama also spent time with children and families enjoying the playground and christened Home Court, where he played basketball for the first time on the center’s NBA-regulation sized court.
“As we prepare to welcome visitors to the Obama Presidential Center, the president and Mrs. Obama can’t wait to see community members make the campus their own,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation in a press release. “The Center was built to be a place where people can gather, have fun, find inspiration, make connections, and bring change home.”
Rooted on the South Side of Chicago on 19 acres, the Obama Presidential Center was designed as a “global hub” for inspiring, empowering, and connecting people to make change and to explore the ideas and values that help shape democracy.
The grand opening will take place on June 19. Tickets to the museum are sold out for the opening, but no admission is required to attend the festival. Organizers are asking people to register for some events open to the public because of limited capacity. Visitors to the grand opening can expect:
Live entertainment, including DJs, musical groups, and dance performances on the Plaza;
Family-friendly activities throughout the campus, such as face painting, art making, and photo booths;
Performances and programs featuring Obama Presidential Center commissioned artists;
A variety of food available for purchase in its restaurant, cafe, and pop-up stations across campus;
Storytime and hands-on activities at the Center’s Chicago Public Library branch;
Sports and play stations at the Home Court athletic center led by Chicago’s professional sports teams and their mascots, including the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Fire FC, Chicago Sky, Chicago Stars FC, Chicago White Sox;
Double Dutch performances and hands-on crochet jump rope making in Home Court;
Drop-in interactive experiences in the Fruit and Vegetable Garden, in partnership with Urban Growers Collective, centered on growing food, holistic well-being, and multi-sensory explorations, for visitors of all ages;
Talks in the Center’s auditorium, where attendees can engage with changemakers, thought leaders, and special guests about a variety topics including arts, culture, and democracy; and
Guided and self-guided audio tours of campus.
A majority of the campus is free and open to the public. The Museum Building requires a ticket purchase with timed entry, but is free to Illinois residents on Tuesdays. The Museum also participates in Blue Star Museums, a nationwide program that offers free museum admissions to military personnel and their immediate families from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day. And, the Museum participates in Museums for All for free admission for those receiving food assistance.
Calendar
June 18, 2026
Third Thursday: First Ladies and Their Orchids
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents from 6 to 8 p.m. local time on June 18, 2026, an in-person Third Thursday program exploring Cattleya orchids named for America’s First Ladies. Arthur E. Chadwick highlights 19 consecutive first ladies, from Edith Bolling Wilson through today, celebrated with orchid hybrids, offering a unique perspective on history, horticulture, and legacy. The evening includes a presentation on a century of first ladies’ namesake orchids and a live show-and-tell of the plants. Read more
June 19, 2026
The Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening
There will be music, dancing, food, art and sports among the festivities planned for the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago taking place June 19 through 21.
The programming will offer diverse experiences connected to arts and culture, civics and democracy, gardening and food, and sports and well-being, according to the Obama Foundation.
Tickets to the museum are sold out for the opening, but no admission is required to attend the festival. Organizers are asking people to register for some events open to the public because of limited capacity. Read more
June 27, 2026
The Story of Arthurdale: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Vision of Community
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill presents the fundraising panel discussion “The Story of Arthurdale: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Vision of Community” on June 27, 2026, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. local time. Following an informal lunch, join the Eleanor Roosevelt Center and Arthurdale Heritage for a special fundraiser and panel discussion exploring the extraordinary history of Arthurdale and Eleanor Roosevelt’s enduring connection to the community she called her “pet project.”
The afternoon will feature a panel discussion with Franceska Urbin, Supervisory Park Ranger at National Park Service, and Elizabeth Satterfield, Curator and Director of Education at Arthurdale Heritage, and moderated by Anna Fierst, Board Chair of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center (ERVK). They will examine the origins of Arthurdale, Eleanor Roosevelt’s advocacy for struggling families during the Great Depression, and the continued relevance of her vision today. Read more
June 27, 2026
The Grants’ World Tour
The bicentennial celebration of Julia Dent Grant at the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site at White Haven continues with a Ranger Talk on The Grants’ World Tour from 10 to 11 a.m. local time. For more information about the events call 314-842-1867.
June 27, 2026
First Ladies for Kids – Celebrate Ida McKinley
The National First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, invites parents to bring their young historian to First Ladies for Kids in the First Ladies Park at the historic site from 11 to 11:30 a.m. local time
The free monthly event is designed for children ages 7–10. This month, Ida McKinley, a Canton native who became one of the most beloved first ladies of her era will be introduced with hands-on activities that bring history to life through creativity and play, a complimentary take-home workbook with interactive exercises in art, reading, spelling, and math and exploration of the historic Saxton-McKinley House with a National Park Service Ranger. Registration is requested. Read more
July 1, 2026
People’s House Party: White House History Ball
The People’s House: A White House Experience in Washington, D.C., presents a Civic Season after-hours ball on July 1, 2026, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. local time inspired by the dramatic burning of the White House by British troops in 1814. This evening transports attendees back in time to Federal America.
Tickets includes two drink tickets, tea cakes and desserts, history pop-ups about the US-UK relationship, and period-inspired activations like live traditional silhouettes from Silhouettes by Hand and Regency fan decorating. Regency/Federal Era-inspired fits are highly encouraged! Read more
July 4, 2026
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Grand Opening
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) will celebrate its grand opening on July 4, 2026, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Following an official dedication ceremony in the morning, the Library will formally open its doors to the public for the very first time.
Grand opening ticket holders will be among the first to experience what the Library has to offer. Going beyond traditional displays, visitors will step directly into Roosevelt’s life through galleries using AI, holograms, and immersive storytelling. Tickets are required and in high demand. It is strongly encouraged to become a Founding Member if visitors want to attend the grand opening.
The July 4th celebrations will conclude with “Eyes on the Stars,” an immersive drone show serving as a celebratory close to the day’s events. Choreographed to celebrate the American West and the night sky that Roosevelt cherished, the aerial exhibition uses light and storytelling to narrate his legacy directly above the Badlands.
Throughout the celebration week, programming will feature live music, author talks, and guest speakers, including Secretary Doug Burgum, Edward F. O’Keefe, Douglas Brinkley, and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
July 10, 2026
Legacy Lecture: A Tea with Ohio’s First Ladies
Experience history in a new way as Women in History Ohio brings Helen Taft, Ida McKinley, and Florence Harding together for a virtual tea. The First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, presents a virtual program from noon to 1 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2026, featuring the three former first lady portrayals as women connected to Ohio and the White House whose lives spanned very different eras of American history. Read more
Send calendar items, press releases and announcements to jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.