The birthday boy "danced all night" and "he never stopped smiling" as he celebrated the occasion with 200 of his friends and family.
Former President Barack Obama is now a sexagenarian!
Obama bid farewell to his 50s in an intimate gathering of about 200 family members and close friends on August 7, 2021, under a massive tent on the grounds of his 29-acre Martha's Vineyard estate, reports PEOPLE.
The initial plan was to celebrate the milestone on a larger scale, but the Obamas were forced to downsize it, due to the uncontrollable spread of the new COVID-19 Delta variant, and also because they faced a lot of flack from people criticizing the Obamas for choosing to conduct a lavish event amid a pandemic, despite the assurance that there will be required testing and other strict protocols for all guests.
"This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with COVID safeguards in place," Hannah Hankins, a spokeswoman for the Obamas, said. "Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends."
Of all of your accomplishments, I know that being a present, loving father to our girls tops them all. Thank you for never letting the weight of the world get in the way of being a wonderful husband and father. Happy 60th birthday, @BarackObama! 💕 pic.twitter.com/hbbMhnUqQ6
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) August 4, 2021
"He's appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon," Hankins added in her statement.
Despite a small dent in their original plan, the birthday boy had a jolly good time while surrounded by the people who mean the world to him. "He never stopped smiling," a source close to the event said. "Literally, every time I saw him, he had the biggest smile."
The insider then revealed that Obama "danced all night". Some of the attendees at the event were Gayle King, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Steven Spielberg; performances by John Legend, H.E.R., and Erykah Badu made the special night even more beautiful.
Obama was dressed in a floral button-down shirt with the sleeves cuffed, and he completed his summer-vibes look with white pants and a festive, black beaded necklace. Michelle Obama looked stunning in a resort-ready, green halterneck dress, which she matched with gold jewelry.
Everyone in attendance was given a custom black mask, but many opted to ditch the face covering for the night. However, it was mandatory for all the staff working at the event to wear one at all times. The masks, cocktail napkins, and staff badges all featured a special 44x60 monogram. The menu featured Hawaiian food like spam, as well as egg rolls, the eyewitness told E! News.
Before the party, Obama requested people to not give him gifts and to donate to charity instead.
"In lieu of gifts, guests are being asked to consider giving to programs that work to support boys and young men of color and their families here at home in the United States, empower adolescent girls around the world and equip the next generation of emerging community leaders including the My Brother's Keeper Alliance, the Girls Opportunity Alliance, or the Obama Foundation's Global Leadership programs," the insider says, per PEOPLE.
References:
https://people.com/politics/barack-obama-60-birthday-party-covid-19-marthas-vineyard/
https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1297452/inside-barack-obamas-epic-star-studded-60th-birthday-party
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Ethan Miller
