Things You'll Need:
- Transportation
- Tickets (optional)
- A place to stay
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Step 1
Look for Obama Inauguration Charter BusesGETTING THERE: If you are traveling from out of the D.C. area, you can arrive by place, train or automobile. BY PLANE: D.C. has a great metro system that can get you from the airport to Monument Square, making flight a convenient, if pricey option. BY CAR: With gas prices down, driving to DC may be more affordable, but don’t forget to account for the potentially pricey cost associated with storing your vehicle once you get to the city. Look for an offsite parking location in Maryland, Pennsylvania, or other DC suburbs. (See the link to the DC metro in the resources section to find a drop-off site close to the Metro. PREPURCHASE YOUR ALL DAY METRO PASS at the metro website to avoid standing in long lines on Inauguration Day). While there are a few multi-day park-and-ride spots near on the metro, spaces are limited and cannot be reserved. If you are looking for a drop-off location for your car, consider seeking a hotel with parking and shuttle service to the metro. Or, begin searching your contacts for friends and relatives in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and DC who might be willing to let you park in their driveway for awhile. BY BUS: Arriving by bus can be an affordable transit mode that eliminates the hassle of needing to dispose of your car. Many groups are pooling together to rent charter buses to DC. Try Google, your local Craigslist, or contact your local campaign office or League of Women Voters chapter to see if Inauguration Charter Busses will be departing from your city. The Obama campaign also lists a number of charter bus trips in their "events" section. See the resources section below for a link.
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Step 2
What will Obama's Swearing in Ceremony Look Like?!DETAILS ON THE CEREMONY: The Swearing-In ceremony is held outdoors on the West Front lawn of the U.S. Capitol at noon on January 20th. President-elect Obama's theme will be "A Birth of New Freedom" - derived from a line from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. John Roberts, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, will preside over the ceremony.
Traditionally, the inauguration begins with a private religious service, followed by a meeting with the outgoing president. The ceremony begins with Joe Biden being sworn in first as the Vice President. Immediately after, Barack Obama takes the oath and delivers his Inaugural Address. The candidates then break for lunch at the National Statuary Hall , then the parade and inaugural balls which last throughout the evening. -
Step 3
BUT WHAT IF IT RAINS? There is the possibility that, in the event of inclimate weather, the ceremony could be moved indoors. This happened in 1985 at Ronald Reagon's second inauguration - which was moved to the Rotunda of the US capital due to freezing rain.
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Step 4
A PLACE TO STAY: Most DC area hotels were booked even before the president-elect was determined. It’s still possible to find a hotel in the DC suburbs, but reserve immediately to ensure your spot. Better yet, if you have family or friends in the area, stay with them and save on high hotel prices. See How To Find A Place To Stay For Barack Obama's Inauguration in the resources below.
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Step 5
Tickets Will be Hard to Come ByTICKETS?: It’s anticipated that there will be approximately 30,000 “front-row” seats at the inauguration ceremony and 240,000 standing room only tickets. To snag one of these coveted spots, you will need an Inauguration Ceremony ticket. Tickets will be distributed in January 2009 by both Senators and Representatives of the 111th Congress, who will distribute them to their constituencies. They will go fast, so consider soliciting them now (look up your senator/representative information in the resources section below). Members of both parties will be provided with tickets, so don't overlook your Republican Reps when asking! If you’re well-heeled, you may be able get tickets by bidding on any of a number of charity auctions that often offer Inauguration Day packages. If you volunteered for the campaign, contact your local volunteer organizer –elected officials often pass groups of tickets onto campaign organizers to distribute to their volunteers. Do beware-many ticket agencies have cropped up offering to sell tickets-these agencies have no way of guaranteeing you a ticket. These tickets are kept under an unprecedentedly tight wrap--in fact very few inauguration event planners even know what they will look like. The word on the street, however, is that they will be blue, may contain a paper hologram and are almost certainly forge proof. They should be distributed to the lucky 240,000 shortly after the swearing in of the 111th Congress on January 6, 2009.
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Step 6
NEW TWISTS: Currently, alot of the speculation about what to expect at President Obama's swearing in ceremony is based on previous ceremonies. However, the Obama campaign has hinted that they will seek ways to grant much more public access to inaugural events than has been done in the past. (See the New York Times article in the resources below, and check back with this article for ongoing updates).
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Step 7
Inauguration Parade FloatINAUGURATION DAY PARADE: There will be an Inauguration Parade following the Inaugural Address that follows the first families route down Pennsylvania Avenue, to the White house. There will be tickets available for bleachered seats, where you're more likely to catch a glimpse of the first family, but general admission along Pennsylvania Ave is free. The Inauguration Day Committee is still taking applications to participate in the parade ceremonies.
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Step 8
These Items Could Be ConfiscatedWHAT NOT TO BRING: Many items will be banned from the ceremony due to safety considerations. These include: umbrellas; firearms and ammunition; fireworks; Knives, blades or sharp objects; Mace or pepper spray; Sticks or poles; pocket knives or hand tools; backpacks, duffel bags or suitcases; thermoses; coolers; strollers; laser pointers; signs; posters; animals other than service animals; and alcoholic beverages.
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Step 9
Be Prepared for Dense CrowdsWHAT TO BRING: Early estimates anticipate crowds of anywhere from 5,000 to 3 million on the Inaugural Tuesday. Pack light enough to be able to move through dense crowds efficiently. Consider using a money strap to conceal your cash, credit cards, and ID underneath clothing (these are widely available at AAA and other travel stores). Have plenty of cash on hand to purchase water and food as needed—as well as any Inauguration Day souvenirs that catch your eye. It will be cold (the average temperature on recent past Inauguration Days was 37° F, so you may wish to invest in 12 hour hand warmer packets that can be kept in your coat pockets. See the link below on How To Exercise Crowd Safety for more tips.
Comments
OBAMAJAN said
on 1/12/2009 JLYNN'S COMMENT ABOUT A SHORTAGE OF RESTROOMS IS A LITTLE UPSETTING. MY FRIEND AND I ARE GOING TO DRESS WARM BUT WHEN IT'S COLD MORE FREQUENT TRIPS TO THE LADIES ROOM IS NOT UNUSUAL. WE WON THE LOTTERY IN NY AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO WITNESS THIS HISTORICAL EVENT.I'M SURE WE WILL MEET LOTS OF INTERESTING PEOPLE.
JLYNN432 said
on 12/18/2008 It will be amazing and crazy/messy! Among other things, restrooms will be in very short supply. Check out www.whereinwashingtondc.com for a directory of available restrooms on inauguration day.
Naducation said
on 11/28/2008 Utopia Entertainment and Travel has hotel packages available in DC. They even have a package that includes shuttle service leaving Philly on the 17th, hotel accomodations, and trip transportation to inaugural events. www.utopiatraveldeals.com
Buckeye207 said
on 11/23/2008 LauraO and Teachforever, it's so cool to hear from other's who are going! I have a cousin that goes to college in DC, so I'll be sleeping on a dorm room floor! It's humble accomadations, but I'm sure I'll be glad to have a place to crash that I can walk to if needed!
Buckeye207 said
on 11/23/2008 LauraO and Teachforever, it's so cool to hear from other's who are going! I have a cousin that goes to college in DC, so I'll be sleeping on a dorm room floor! It's humble accomadations, but I'm sure I'll be glad to have a place to crash that I can walk to if needed!