A schedule of some official and unofficial activities surrounding Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20:
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SATURDAY, JAN. 17
-- President-elect Barack Obama and his family ride the train from Philadelphia to Washington, stopping in Wilmington, Del., for Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family. Train will stop in Baltimore for speech before heading south.
-- BET Honors, an awards ceremony, at the Warner Theater.
-- People's Inaugural Gala Celebration at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
-- Will.i.am "Yes We Did" concert.
-- Concert with Mary J. Blige, Common and Nelly at nightclub Ibiza.
SUNDAY, JAN. 18
-- Obama will kick off inaugural activities with a welcome event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday afternoon. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform.
-- Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Ritz-Carlton.
-- EMILY's List Inaugural Luncheon with scheduled guests including Cabinet appointees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano, Sens. Kay Hagan and Jeanne Shaheen, and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.
-- African-American Church Inaugural Ball at the Grand Hyatt Washington.
-- 2009 Latino Inaugural Gala with Marc Anthony at Union Station.
-- Aloha Inaugural Ball, organized by former Obama campaign workers, held at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel at 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY, JAN. 19
-- National Day of Community Service event: To honor Dr. King's legacy, Obama, Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, D.C. area.
-- Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, sponsored by the Texas State Society, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
-- Green Inaugural Ball at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Ball hosted by former Vice President Al Gore.
-- Huffington Post preinaugural ball at the Newseum.
-- Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts. Hosted by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, among others.
-- A children's evening concert at the Verizon Center honoring military families. Event hosted by Michelle Obama, who will attend. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers are among the entertainers.
-- Obama to attend three private dinners to honor former secretary of State Colin Powell, Biden and Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, for their public service. Dinners at the Hilton Washington, National Building Museum and Union Station.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20 (INAUGURATION DAY)
Gates to the Inaugural Ceremony open at 8 a.m. The inaugural festivities are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. They will include:
-- Musical selections of The United States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
-- Sen. Dianne Feinstein provides call to order and welcoming remarks.
-- Invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren.
-- Musical selection of Aretha Franklin.
-- Biden will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
-- Musical selection of John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet).
-- Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled around noon.
-- Obama gives the inaugural address.
-- Poem by Elizabeth Alexander.
-- Benediction by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.
-- The National Anthem by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."
After Obama gives inaugural address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.
The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
Later that day, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host 10 official inaugural balls:
-- Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Obama Home States (Illinois and Hawaii) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Biden Home States (Pennsylvania and Delaware) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Midwest Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Western Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Commander in Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.
-- Southern Inaugural Ball at the National Guard Armory.
-- Eastern Inaugural Ball at Union Station.
-- Youth Inaugural Ball at the Washington Hilton.
Unofficial balls include:
-- Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball at the Capitol Hilton.
-- Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts.
-- Recording Industry Association of America's ball for Feeding America.
-- BET's Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
-- Africa on the Potomac inaugural celebration at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.
-- American Music Inaugural Ball at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
-- Inaugural Purple Ball at the Fairmont Hotel.
-- Human Rights Campaign's Equality Ball at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.
-- Inaugural Peace Ball at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
-- Impact Film Fund ball.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
-- The president, vice president and their families will participate in a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.
Oh well... just seconds into his term, President Barack Obama made a mistake about the history of his new office. In the second paragraph of his inaugural address, Obama said, “Forty four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.” Sorry. While Obama IS the 44th president, he is actually only the 43rd American to take the oath. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms. He is counted as the 22nd president, serving from 1885 to 1889. He won back theoffice four years later, and is counted also as the 24th president, serving again from 1893-1897. Two presidents – but one American.
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