President Barack Obama will bestow the title of National Thanksgiving Turkey on only one bird at the White House on Wednesday, but both birds in the running — Caramel and Popcorn — were given the chance to strut their stuff in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
The honored birds appeared at the Willard InterContinental Hotel downtown — and they certainly had a gobbling good time!
The public will determine which bird takes home the honor by voting on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Voting closes at 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday. After the ceremony, both birds will be on display at Mount Vernon through Jan. 6, before retiring to Morven Park in Leesburg, Va.
During the appearance, Caramel and Popcorn pranced around on black mats.
The fluffy fowl were beloved by the media and closely guarded by 10-year-old Jack Burkel, one of the sons of Minnesota turkey farmer John Burkel and his wife Joni.
Some members of the media even tried to get up close and personal with the birds, who often showed their sassy sides by turning their tail feathers to the cameras.
The two birds were trained for their public appearances by being exposed to crowd noise, flashbulbs and loud music. Popcorn prefers “Halo” by Beyonce while Caramel is a fan of “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. They both seemed to eat up the media attention.
Jack and his 5-year-old sister Emily made noises with their mouths to convince the turkeys to gobble — which they did gladly.
Caramel and Popcorn traveled in crates from their home in Minnesota to Washington, D.C., a trip that took them more than 20 hours.
The two birds, which are about 20 weeks old and weigh about 38 lbs. each, gobbled and pranced about like professionals. The duo were chosen for their temperament, health and charisma.
Aside from their bright red wattles and feathery tails and bodies, the duo also displayed their sharp talons.
May the best turkey win!
