Events around the inauguration

Some of the events leading up to Barack Obama's inauguration

On January 20 Barack Obama will be officially inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America, and Absolute Radio is providing you with a run-down of the events surrounding the occasion:

January 17

The Obama family gets on a train in Philadelphia, and on their way to Washington they’ll stop in Wilmington, Delaware, to pick up Vice-President-Elect Joe Biden and his family. The whole group arrive into Washington’s Union Station in the evening.

January 18

Afternoon: President-elect Obama hosts a free and public speech at the Lincoln Memorial, welcoming everyone who’s travelled to Washington for the Inauguration. There is also a Children’s Inaugural Ball, which takes place from 12:00 to 17:00
Evening: The first batch of Inaugural Balls take place all across Washington, DC.

January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

Day: As has become an American tradition on Martin Luther King, Jr. day, families across the US will take part in community service activities and events. The Obamas and Bidens will be no different, and will encourage other American families to join them.
Evening: A free concert will be held at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington, DC. It is open to the public.

January 20 (D-Day)

8:00 AM (13:00 UK time): The gates open up for people who have reserved tickets for the inauguration. Huge crowds are expected very early on.
10:00 (15:00 UK time): Some of the first celebrations begin, including musical contributions from The United States Marine Band, The San Francisco Boys Chorus, and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
11:30 (16:30 UK time): The official ceremony begins in earnest, with a call to order and welcoming remarks from Senator Dianne Feinstein, and an invocation from Dr. Rick Warren, of Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Legendary singer Aretha Franklin will then take to the stage. Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office. There will be more music, this time a composition from John Williams, performed by Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, and Anthony McGill.

12:00 (17:00 UK time):
Presidential terms of office begin and end at exactly this time, according to the 20th Amendment of the constitution, so this is the precise time that George Bush stops being president, and Barack Obama starts being president.
Obama will take the oath of office, which is as follows:

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

He will be sworn in on the same Bible upon which Abraham Lincoln used in his ceremony in 1861.
Barack Obama will then give his inaugural address, which will be broadcast across the US and the planet, speaking for the first time as President of the United States.

In addition:
• A poem will be read by Elizabeth Alexander
• A benediction will be given by the Reverend Dr. Joseph E Lowery
• The National Anthem will be sung by the United States Navy Band “Sea Chanters”
• There will be a departure ceremony for George W. Bush

After all of that, it’s time for the Inaugural Luncheon, after which the main parade takes place. Timing from this stage on may not be finalized until the day itself.

The Parade

President Obama and Vice President Biden will lead the Inaugural Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. Obama will ride in a brand new, very heavily armored limousine featuring run-flat tires, bulletproof glass and an entirely sealed interior to protect against chemical attack.
Along with their families, Obama and Biden will then watch the rest of the parade from a specially constructed platform.

There are a spectacularly large number of acts which will feature in the parade, and more are being added all the time. They are mostly school and army marching bands.

Evening: There are a huge number of Inaugural Balls that being held in Washington, DC on the night of the inauguration. Some of them are hosted by President Obama, and others are more informal and unofficial gatherings.

January 21:

The newly inaugurated President and Vice President of the United States will participate in a prayer service.