Plains to Celebrate Rosalynn Carter in Annual Butterfly Daze
The festival will feature the inaugural wreath-laying ceremony for Mrs. Carter at her burial site.
There’s a poignant tenor lingering in the air in the small town of Plains, Georgia, as organizers are busy putting the finishing touches on plans for the community’s upcoming annual Butterfly Daze, a celebration that pays tribute to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter leading up to what would have been her 98th birthday.
The celebration, entering its fourth year, will mark the first time it will be held in the absence of both former President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Mr. Carter passed away less than a year ago on Dec. 29, 2024, at age 100 and Mrs. Carter died on Nov. 19, 2023. She was 96.
The town’s disposition in light of the Carters’ absences, according to Andrew Greer, a Friends of Jimmy Carter board member, is of a particular readiness. This moment and future celebratory moments are just what the Carters have been preparing Plains—with a population of nearly 600—for.
“The town is doing very well as far as … starting to exercise some of the plans that have been in place for a long time,” Greer says, noting that also includes tourism and the local economy. Just recently, the National Park Service opened the Carter Gardens where the burial sites are located.
Hosted by Friends of Jimmy Carter, the Butterfly Daze celebration commemorating Mrs. Carter’s legacy and her causes will step off on Aug. 16 at 8:30 a.m. local time with the Rosalynn Carter Memorial Food Distribution from the Plains Inn & Antique Mall parking lot and conclude on Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. local time with the inaugural wreath-laying ceremony commemorating Mrs. Carter on her birthday.
This year’s event has special significance because it will be the first time a wreath-laying ceremony will be held at Mrs. Carter’s gravesite. The ceremony, honoring Mrs. Carter at 10 a.m. local time on Aug. 18, is presented by the National First Ladies Day Commission (NFLDC) and the Society of Presidential Descendants.
“The way that President and Mrs. Carter lived and designed their lives, and therefore their legacies, was to continue celebrating life,” says Greer, who also serves as an NFLDC board member.
It has long been a standing tradition that the sitting president of the United States sends a wreath to the graves of former presidents on their birthdays, according to Nicholas Inman, founder of the NFLDC. The Commisson believed that the first ladies should be included, as well, on their birthdays and it has been in communication with the White House East Wing, in which Inman notes they are excited about this prospect.
Massee McKinley, a descendant of former President William McKinley and former First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley, came up with the idea to start the wreath-laying ceremonies.
“He felt it would be a great way to honor the first ladies—an honor that they are certainly deserving of as they have given so much in the service of our country,” Inman says. “Mrs. Carter was chosen as the first, as she was the first, first lady to officially acknowledge First Ladies Day and her birthday celebration (Butterfly Daze) is a gathering spot for many members of the National First Ladies Day Commission and the Society of Presidential Descendants.”
The ultimate goal is to honor each of the country’s former first ladies with a special ceremony at their gravesites—just like the presidents.
The festival will also feature the unveiling of the United States Postal Service stamp commemorating former President Jimmy Carter on Saturday at 11 a.m. local time at Plains High School, according to the Friends of Jimmy Carter website.
The weekend will also include the annual Butterfly Release; a panel discussion of folksy stories and historical insights into the life of Mrs. Carter and her life in Plains and beyond; Cooking with the First Ladies Man featuring Rosalynn’s family; a “Paint-by-Carter” Presidential Descendants Painting Party; “Rosalynn” Sunday at Maranatha Baptist Church; and Rosalynn Carter’s Birthday Celebration at Maranatha Baptist Church.
Butterfly Daze was born from Rosalynn Carter’s concern for the declining monarch butterfly. Her post White House work to help improve the odds of reestablishing the butterfly population as essential pollinators is just one aspect of her enduring legacy being celebrated this weekend. Her goodwill through programs like the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail helped increase habitat for monarch butterflies. The program, based in Plains, has expanded throughout the United States as well as internationally.
The full schedule of the Butterfly Daze events are as follows (all times are EDT):
Saturday
Festivities get started at 8:30 a.m. with the Rosalynn Carter Memorial Food Distribution taking place at the Plains Inn and Antique Mall parking lot. More than 30 years ago and with the support of Maranatha Baptist Church, the former first lady began serving food to neighbors in need. The service continues on in her name.
At 11 a.m. at Plains High School, the U.S. Postal Service will unveil the official postage stamp commemorating former President Jimmy Carter.
At 11:50 a.m., Hudson House will host the fourth annual Butterfly Release. People can participate in the live release.
At 12:30 p.m., “A First Ladies Tribute to Rosalynn Carter” panel discussion is scheduled to take place at Plains High School. Panelists include President and Mrs. Carter’s grandson James Carter, President and Mrs. Carter’s niece Kim Carter Fuller, presidential descendants Mary Jean Eisenhower and Richard Gatchell, Jr., and presidential historian, author, and Carter friend Larry Cook. Dr. Larry Cook will be signing his books (for purchase) about first ladies and President and Mrs. Carter.
From noon to 2 p.m., visitors can tour Apartment 9a, the apartment at 200 Pascal Street where the Carters lived with their three sons upon first returning from the Navy to Plains in 1953.
At 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., sessions of “Cooking with the First Ladies Man featuring Rosalynn’s Family,” will take place. The ticketed event at Mama Allie’s House (Rosalynn Carter’s Childhood Home) has already sold out.
From 6 to 9 p.m., “Paint-By-Carter” Presidential Descendants Painting Party” will be held at the Plains Community Center. Tickets are required.
Sunday
From 10 a.m. to noon, “Rosalynn” Sunday will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church. Sunday School will be taught by the former first lady’s niece, Kim Carter Fuller, and the worship service will feature special musical guests followed by birthday cake and coffee fellowship.
Monday
At 10 a.m., the National First Ladies Day Commission and The Society of Presidential Descendants will honor and remember former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s birthday on Aug. 18 with an inaugural wreath-laying ceremony at the Carter Gardens and Burial Site in Plains, Georgia.
Several presidential descendants will be present for the event. A short ceremony will commence that morning to remember the former first lady. The Carter Gardens and Burial Site, where the Carters’ graves are located, was designed by Rosalynn Carter and is operated by the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Melania Trump Opens Volunteer Applications to Help Decorate the White House for the Holidays
First Lady Melania Trump on Monday announced she will continue the tradition of decorating the White House for the 2025 Christmas season by inviting Americans to apply to help with the decor.
The White House also is giving volunteers the opportunity to showcase their talents as performers at the holiday open houses, according to a press release.
Applications are now open and the deadline to submit a volunteer application is Friday, Sept. 5, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET. Selected applicants will be notified by Monday, Oct. 13, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET. All selected volunteers are responsible for their individual travel, accommodations, and personal expenses.
Volunteer Christmas Decorator Application:
Those interested in volunteering to decorate the White House ahead of the Christmas Season may apply HERE. Please note that any individual applying to volunteer at the White House must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Each person must apply individually; group applications cannot be accepted. Decorating will take place during the week of Monday, November 24 through Sunday, November 30, 2025. Additional details may be found on the application page.
Volunteer Holiday Performer Application:
Performers and musical groups including school bands, choirs, and holiday-themed entertainers are encouraged to apply HERE for the opportunity to perform during the holiday open houses during the month of December. Additional details may be found on the application page.
Please direct any questions to Volunteers@who.eop.gov
Calendar
Aug. 8, 2025
Legacy Lecture: In Her Steps: Betty Ford's Life in Motion
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents the virtual Legacy Lecture “In Her Steps: Betty Ford’s Life in Motion,” on Friday, Aug. 8, at noon ET by Sharon Snowden, a former state president for Colonial Dames 17th Century and Daughters of the American Colonists. Snowden Among is also a docent at the National First Ladies Historical Site. She presents portrayals all over Ohio of many first ladies and historic women, as well as other programs for children and adults.
Betty Ford is a first lady who reshaped the role through her candid activism and powerful advocacy on women’s rights, addiction, and health. Explore Betty Ford’s journey from dancer to first lady and discover how she broke barriers during and after her time in the White House. Read more
Aug. 25, 2025
First Ladies on the Page Book Club: The President’s Wife: A Novel
Join the First Ladies on the Page Book Club for an exciting discussion of The President’s Wife: A Novel by Tracey Wood on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
Discover the incredible story of Edith Bolling Wilson, a fiercely independent woman who became the first lady of the United States and shaped the course of history during one of the most tumultuous times in America. Tracey Enerson Wood brings Edith Wilson’s complex and courageous journey to life in this sweeping historical novel. From her whirlwind romance with President Woodrow Wilson to assuming the role of the first lady to acting in her husband’s place as President of the United States following his stroke, Edith’s story is both intimate and powerful. Read more
FLARE Announces Call for Submissions for New E-journal
The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) invites submissions to a new e-journal, FLARE’s Journal of First Ladies Studies, which is scheduled for launch early in 2026. The journal welcomes scholarly submissions based on original research on any aspect of the study of first ladies, including work that examines them within a historical context, adopts a comparative perspective, presents a theoretical approach, or offers an interdisciplinary framework for analysis in fields such as history, women’s studies, communication, sociology, political science, material culture, and historic preservation.
Inquiries about potential articles in the journal should be directed to the journal’s editor, Christopher J. Leahy, Professor of History at Keuka College, at cleahy@keuka.edu.
Select Saturdays through Oct. 18, 2025
Tales from the First Lady
Mount Vernon invites you to step back in time and join Martha Washington for a special in-person storytelling adventure at 10 a.m. on select Saturdays from July 19 through Oct. 18, 2025. Designed for children ages 4-7, this engaging 30-40 minute program offers a unique opportunity to hear a captivating children's story read aloud by Mrs. Washington herself. Young learners will have the chance to ask Mrs. Washington questions and hear fascinating snippets about her own childhood or stories about her children. Read more
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.