Now that you're all set on the travel front, check out the various activities going on during Obama's Inauguration celebration!**Just in case you haven't locked down all of your travel plans, check out the Getting There post for travel tips.
PLANNING TIPS
Helpful sites:
Barack Obama's official site: http://change.gov/learn/inauguration/
Barack Obama's community site: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/InaugurationDay2009
Official Site regarding Inuagural history: http://inaugural.senate.gov/index.cfm
FAQ, Washington Insider tips: http://www.washington.org/visiting/experience-dc/presidential-inauguration/information
Private site, Inuagural events info: http://www.chiff.com/society/inauguration.htm
Private site, Inuagural events info: http://thepeoplesparty09.com/
Text alerts on activities: http://broadtexter.com/inauguration09
African-American Travel Guide: http://www.soulofamerica.com/obama-inauguration.phtml
Guide to Inauguration Events: http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/Inauguration.htm
Security tips: http://dc.about.com/od/publicsafety/a/SecurityInaug.htm
Schedule:
Saturday, January 17 - Obama, Biden and their families will travel by train to Washington, DC and will host events along the way in Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore. (Details to be Announced)
Sunday, January 18 – An official welcome event will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to kick off the inaugural celebration. The event will be open to the public. (Details to be Announced)
Monday, January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - To honor Dr. King’s legacy, Obama, Biden and their families will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, DC area. Additional events will be held throughout the week. See the schedule of events.
Inaugural Eve Concert for America's Children - A free youth concert will be held at the Verizon Center. The concert will be free, but tickets will be required. (Details to be Announced)
Do I need tickets to attend the swearing ceremony?
To be seated in the "official" ceremony section, you need to contact your local Congress member for tickets and they are distributed a week before the event. However, there will be plenty of "non-ticket" space for the public to view, with bleechers and big screen televisions for families to watch. Don't be fooled into buying tickets - see important notice from The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) below:
E-mail received from the JCCIC..."Ticketing Information for the 56th Inaugural Swearing-In Ceremony
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) has issued the following information regarding the availability of tickets for the 56th Presidential Inaugural Ceremony on January 20, 2009:
Tickets to the 56th Inaugural Ceremonies will be provided free of charge and distributed through Members of the 111th Congress. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies does not provide tickets to the public. Members of the public interested in attending the Inaugural Ceremonies should contact their Member of Congress or U.S. Senators to request tickets.
The public should also be aware that no website or other ticket outlet actually has inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim. Tickets will not be distributed to Congressional offices until the week before the inauguration and will require in-person pick-up.
'Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth,' said Howard Gantman, Staff Director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. 'Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism.'"
Those who come to witness the swearing-in ceremony will be able to watch and listen to the ceremony on large screens that will be set up along the National Mall.
Inaugural Balls
There are several balls that take place during the week. Of course, the biggest is the President Ball at Washington DC Convention Center i.e. the hardest to get tickets for, even for the savviest of divas ;) Don't fret - many States and organizations have balls that are open to the public.
**Read our posts for updated Ball and Party info: Balls and Parties and Balls and Parties, part 2
Inaugural Parade
For F*R*E*E and being in place at the crack of dawn, everyone can attend the Parade! President Obama, First Lady Michelle and a host of family, military regiments, marching bands, etc. will stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue! BE CAREFUL PURCHASING ANY TICKETS ONLINE, most of the sites are taking advantage of the hype.
Here's a link for the proposed route: http://dc.about.com/library/maps/blmapinauguration.htm
**The public will not be allowed to lineup along the parade route before 7 a.m.**
Stay tuned - much more info will be posted.
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