Friday, January 18, 2013
Due to unprecedented security levels, a wide range of items are prohibited at the inauguration, balls and some related events.
One Patch local editor attended the 2009 presidential inauguration downtown, and brought a lawn chair with her. She had to leave it outside the security gates. Don't let something like that happen to you! There will be a strong police presence—even police from Alexandria, Fairfax County and other jurisdictions will be in D.C. this weekend. Here's the official list of what is prohibited from the inauguration ceremony, inauguration parade and elsewhere. This information comes from inauguration.dc.gov: The US Secret Service, Metropolitan Police Department, US Capitol Police, and other local and federal agencies are providing an unprecedented level of security for the Inauguration. As a security precaution, the following items will be …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Committee releases more tickets on sale to public Wednesday.
Additional tickets to the 2013 Presidential Inauguration Parade went on sale Wednesday, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced. The tickets are for bleacher seats along the parade route close to the White House, according to a news release from the committee. A limit of six tickets per person are available online HERE at a cost of $44 each. Tickets are limited, and will be distributed on a first come, first-serve basis. If you go, expect to see thousands of spectators lining the parade route as President Obama and Vice President Biden are escorted from the Capitol to the White House. Music, cultural and community groups will join representatives from the Armed Forces in the parade, which concludes at the presidential reviewing …
Hargrove Inc. has been building the inaugural floats since 1949.
It will take about 3,000 man hours to construct the eight floats in this year's inaugural parade. The second inauguration of President Barack Obama will be Jan. 21. "We started with Truman 1949," Earl Hargrove Jr., founder of Hargrove Inc., said. "That was the first one and we've been involved in every one since." Hargrove is a trade show, special event and custom exhibit company based in Md. "Each president gives us a theme," said Fred Strickland, executive director of production at Hargrove. The 2013 parade will include eight custom-designed floats commissioned by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. "Four floats will represent the First Family and Second Family’s home states, and four floats will honor the extraordinary progress we’…
How to get around Washington on Inauguration Day, including Metro rail, bus, driving, biking and walking.
Click on each transportation mode above to reveal more information and links to resources about each. For additional District and Maryland transportation information, click here.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The 16-time Grammy winner will be accompanied by The President's Own U.S. Marine Band. Other performers include Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor.
Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor will perform at the inauguration, on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 21, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced. Beyoncé will sing the National Anthem, Kelly Clarkson will perform “My Country Tis of Thee,” and James Taylor will sing “America the Beautiful.” "When we work with guest artists we coordinate with them and their music directors to get a sense of what they are hoping for in their presentation, and what's their best key," Col. Michael J. Colburn, director of The President's Own, said. U.S. Marine Band Staff Sergeant Ryan Nowlin is arranging the selections to be sung by Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson, with Marine Band accompaniment, Colburn said. President Obama was …
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Hotels in the DC area still have rooms and are offering last-minute Inauguration deals.
President Barack Obama's second inauguration is not expected to bring the record crowds seen during his first inauguration in 2009, and fewer people coming to town means there are deals to be had at area hotels. "Hotel rooms still exist," said Kate Gibbs, a spokesperson for Destination DC, a a private, non-profit corporation that markets Washington's tourism industries. Gibbs said many hotels were requiring three-and-four night reservations initially, but as demand has proven to be less now than four years ago, prices are dropping and minimum stay requirements are disappearing. "2009 was a record-breaking year, and as a result the inauguration drew 1. 8 million to the Mall," said Gibbs. She explained if DC saw half or even a third as many …
Friday, January 11, 2013
Bicycles are not allowed at the inauguration itself, but you can still bike into the district, avoid the crowds and get into and out of downtown quickly. Here’s some advice from the pros.
There's a way to get to the inauguration without worrying about Metro, traffic or parking—take your bike. "Bikes are, by far, the easiest and quickest way into and out of the Mall for the inauguration," said Mark Blacknell, of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee and author of Clarendon Cycles on Patch. Alan Young, of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (and a Burke Patch Local Voices contributor), agreed. Biking to the presidential inauguration downtown is “one of the easiest ways to get in and out there is,” Young said. He biked into the inauguration in 2009 with his sister and nephew. Routes Into the District from Virginia “Only the heartiest will ride from Fairfax City and beyond,” Young said, but he also suggested people …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Ahead of President Barack Obama's 2013 inauguration Jan. 21, we rounded up historic photos showing presidential oaths of office past.
President Barack Obama's second inauguration ceremony and celebration Jan. 21 is a far cry from the inauguration of our first president, George Washington. That ceremony was held April 30, 1789 at Federal Hall in New York City, where the federal government was headquartered at the time. Later inaugurations were held in Philadelphia when the federal government moved there. It was there at Washington's second inauguration that he made the shortest inauguration speech on record—133 words and less than two minutes long. One thing all presidential inauguration swearing-in ceremonies have in common, though, are these words: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States and will, to the best…
Monday, January 7, 2013
Constituents are waiting to hear whether they received tickets to President Obama's inauguration Jan. 21.
UPDATE Sunday, Jan. 6: Interested in attending the presidential inauguration and being close to the action? You had until mid-December to contact your congressman or one of Virginia's senators. Now what? Patch recently checked in with Congressman Gerry Connolly's (D-11th) office to get an update on how constituents can get tickets to the presidential inauguration. Patch spoke to Connolly's Communications Director George Burke via e-mail: Patch: Are all of the inaugural tickets gone? Burke: "Not yet. We haven't received them yet, but they will be dispensed by lottery among those who requested." Patch: How many tickets have you given out? How many people asked for tickets? Burke: "We are in the process of conducting a blind lottery to …
If you haven't been invited to an official ball, there are plenty of other inaugural balls you can attend.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are expected to attend just two official inaugural balls—the Commander-In-Chief’s Ball for members of the U.S. military and the Inaugural Ball. Both official balls are at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The ticketing period for both events has closed. But, if you still want to get dressed up and dance the night away, there are a number of “unofficial” Inaugural Balls—ones that are sponsored by state parties or societies, non-profit organizations or other groups. While there won’t be a presidential visit, they can be a lot of fun. The Virginia Inaugural Ball is sponsored by the Democratic Party of Virginia and the Arlington County Democratic Committee. It …
