Jimmy Carter attends Peanut Festival ahead of 99th birthday, months after entering hospice

Former President Jimmy Carter was spotted enjoying his hometown Peanut Festival ahead of his 99th birthday Saturday, in a rare public appearance since he entered hospice care earlier this year.

The 39th President joined the parade on Saturday, rolling through the Plains, Georgia, festival in the back of a black SUV with his wife and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, showed.

The Carter Center re-shared the snippet on the social platform, writing: “Beautiful day for President & Mrs. Carter to enjoy a ride through the Plains Peanut Festival! And just a week before he turns 99. We’re betting peanut butter ice cream is on the menu for lunch!”

The longest living president’s appearance got a warm welcome, with many taking to the comments to “bless” the couple and saying how “wonderful” it was to see him.

Carter, who is set to turn 99 on Oct. 1, entered hospice care in February.

He announced that he would remain in hospice care and would spending the “remaining time at home with his family.”

He decided to forego further treatment and spend the rest of his life in the home he owned when he was first elected to the state Senate in 1962.

Shortly after his health scare, as the country prepared to lose another president, his wife, 96, was diagnosed with dementia.

Carter’s grandson Josh told People last month that his grandparents “always” have “somebody at the house” to keep them company.

Their other grandson, Jason, said that the family feared they would lose Carter soon after he entered hospice care, but that he now believes his grandfather will make it to his 99th birthday.

In the interview, he also said Carter enjoys peanut butter ice cream.

Throughout his life, Carter has been a big advocate for the peanut industry, evening planting the nut in the White House Rose Garden during his time in office, according to the Peanut Institute.