The White House was full of celebrities Sunday evening when U.S. President Barack Obama played host to this year’s five Kennedy Center honorees. The festivities in Washington began with a White House reception, where Obama made his remarks flanked by the honorees. The actual Kennedy Center Honors ceremony takes place afterwards. Pictures can be found in the image library.

According to the president’s speech, “The sheer brilliance and breadth of Meryl Streep’s performances count as one of the most exhilarating cultural spectacles of our time.” Others attending Sunday’s events included actors Stanley Tucci, Robert DeNiro, Sarah Jessica Parker and Emily Blunt, and musician Smokey Robinson. A two-hour recap of the gala will air the night of December 27 on CBS.