As President Trump gets ready to take center stage at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner for the first time, Washington insiders and event organizers say the buzz and excitement surrounding the annual event is through the roof.
A topsy-turvy political climate -- including the war in Iran, fights over press freedom and access, affordability concerns and the midterm elections on the horizon -- isn't dimming this year's celebration, attendees say.
"There is more energy around this dinner than ever before," said Tammy Haddad, the CEO of Haddad Media and founder of the Washington AI Network.
"I think President Trump has brought that to every major political event in the last decade," added Haddad, who is co-hosting her long-running Garden Brunch on Saturday in Georgetown ahead of the dinner.
The dinner, which dates to 1921, largely supports the WHCA's journalism scholarships and typically includes punchy remarks from the president, followed by an entertainer who closes out the night with roastlike zingers.
This year's performer at the sold-out dinner, mentalist Oz Pearlman, is a break from the late-night TV hosts and comedians who have headlined the gala in recent times. The last time Trump was seen at the dinner was in 2015 -- when he told ITK there that "nothing is easy in life" -- just weeks before launching his first White House bid.
After bucking tradition throughout his first term and boycotting the dinner, Trump announced last month that he's planning to attend the annual gathering of journalists, lawmakers and celebrities Saturday at the Washington Hilton hotel.
"In honor of our Nation's 250th Birthday, and the fact that these 'Correspondents' now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!"
Trump -- who's frequently sparred with and used heated rhetoric against the press over the years -- said in a Truth Social post in March.
Hundreds of journalists signed an open letter this week urging their colleagues to "use the occasion of the White House Correspondents' Dinner to forcefully demonstrate opposition to President Trump's efforts to trample freedom of the press."
In a statement shared with ITK, WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the dinner "reinforces the importance of the First Amendment in our democracy."
"As we mark America's 250th birthday, our choice to gather as journalists, newsmakers and the president in the same room is a reminder of what a free press means to this country and why it must endure. Not for the media or the president, but for the people who depend on it,"
said Jiang, CBS News's senior White House correspondent.
"While Trump likes to perform, he also knows this is a tough crowd, filled with many critics and skeptics," said Tevi Troy, a presidential historian and senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute.
The safe bet for the president, Troy said, "would be to go for short, relatively anodyne remarks. That said, Trump is not known for safe bets, so it will definitely be worth tuning in to see how he plays it."
While it's hard to predict how Trump's presence plays out, the outlook for Washington party planners appears more certain -- more than 20 dinner-related shindigs are being held throughout the week, with several events being hosted for the first time.
Kimball Stroud, who heads up the Washington-based fundraising and strategy firm Kimball Stroud & Associates, has planned eye-popping WHCA dinner-themed events since 2009.
Over the last 15 or so years, Stroud said she's noticed "a massive shift in corporate leaders being involved."
Stroud, who's helping to coordinate this year's Time magazine bash at the Swiss ambassador's residence on Saturday, said Trump's presence is making a difference.
"With the president participating, there is an undeniable desire of executives wanting to be in these rooms. The energy isn't just about Hollywood anymore; it's the corporate world realizing that this weekend's festivities are exactly where they want to be,"
Stroud said.
This year, Haddad said, there's a "bigger scramble for tickets."
"This is where business gets done, and people see it as an opportunity to not just be in the room with the president but to talk to all the administration leaders,"
Haddad said.
Avoiding potential FOMO when corporate leaders and business executives descend on Washington appears to be a common part of the "Nerd Prom" equation.
John McCarthy, a principal at Causeway Strategy Group, is co-hosting an inaugural WHCA dinner soiree called "The Green Room." The Thursday event with Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason is described as "an Irish fáilte," or welcome, "ahead of White House Correspondents' weekend."
"It's one of those moments that really underscores the importance of Washington -- everyone is in the room. You've got CEOs, senators, leaders from the entertainment world, and most importantly, the media,"
McCarthy said.
Asked what propelled him to join the ever-expanding lineup of WHCA dinner celebrations, McCarthy said: "At a moment when Washington could use a bit more togetherness, we figured there's no better remedy than a dose of Irish hospitality. The Irish have a knack for turning a room full of strangers into a room full of friends, and we thought Washington might benefit from a little Irish nudge in that direction."
The Ireland-centric get-together isn't the only newcomer on the dinner party scene.
LGBTQ app Grindr will also throw a fête for the first time during correspondents' weekend.
"Nobody does connections like Grindr, and WHCD weekend is the most iconic place in the country to make them,"
Joe Hack, Grindr's head of global government affairs, told ITK about the buzzy Thursday event.
"We figured it was time to host," Hack said.
Other hot tickets on Friday night include Vanity Fair and Creative Artists Agency's reception at the Belgian ambassador's residence and United Talent Agency's see-and-be-seen "Celebration of America's Journalists" at Osteria Mozza, as well as events hosted by beehiiv and Shinola, the arts advocacy group the Creative Coalition, and the Motion Picture Association and America250.
Some of the buzziest events over the weekend include MS NOW's "Democracy After Hours" after-party, Substack's New Media party, receptions hosted by news outlets including Puck, CBS and Politico, and CNN's annual brunch at the British ambassador's residence.
Haddad said the Garden Brunch will feature a Mother's Day initiative in partnership with Blue Star Families to send care packages to the moms of service members actively deployed in the Middle East.
"I think there's a real sense of anticipation around how it will all unfold -- but I, for one, hope it's a moment where the collective temperature comes down a bit and people come together,"
said McCarthy, the political analyst behind "The Green Room" party.
"It's a rough atmosphere in Washington this year, with a war going on, an election on the horizon, and frequent battles between the Trump administration and the press,"
said Troy, the author of "The Power and the Money," "so obviously it's a perfect time to have a dinner celebrating the relationship between presidents and the press."
Both Trump and mentalist Pearlman "promised something magical" for this year's correspondents' dinner, Haddad said, "so buckle up."