Barack Obama 2009 Presidential Inaugural Day schedule

The 56th Presidential Inaguration is one of the most high-profile presidential Inaugurations in history. Reports say that around an uprecedented 2 – 4 million are expected to attend the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Day.
Barack Obama’s 2009 Presidential Inaugural has been the most expensive Presidential Inaugural so far in history. There are conflicting reports over the actual cost of the ceremonies but it is expected to be in the range of $50-$150 million.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama’s 2009 Presidential Inaugural Day schedule is very much in line with tradition. The 2009 Presidential Inaugural Day schedule will include Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony, the Inaugural Parade, ten Inaugural Balls, Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, and musical performances by top artists.

Here is Barack Obama’s 2009 Presidential Inaugural Day schedule of events that will be held at the West end of the US Capitol, on January 20, 2009. Timings are Eastern Standard Time.

8:35 AM – 9.45 AM: A prayer service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Frankin D Roosevelt started the tradition of  morning service at St. John’s Episcopal Church.

10.05 AM – 11 AM: Barack Obama and family have coffee with President Bush and the First Lady Laura Bush at the White House

11.00 AM: The Obamas leave for the West end of the Capitol

11.30 AM: The program will start with a performance by the US Marine Band, The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

This will be followed by the welcome address and call to order by California Senator Dianne Feinstein, an invocation from Dr. Rick Warren, of Saddleback Church, followed by a performance by Aretha Franklin.

11:50 AM: Swearing-in ceremony of Vice President-elect Joe Biden by Supreme Court Justice John Stevens.

12 PM: Chief of Justice of USA, Justice John G Roberts will administer the Presidential Oath of Office to President-Elect Barack Obama. The public will be able to watch the swearing-in ceremony at the National Mall west of 4th Street, without tickets.

This will be followed by a musical peformance by Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill on a piece of music by John Williams, composer-arranger.

12:05 PM: President Barack Obama will give his much-awaited Inaugural address, where he will shed light on his vision for America and his political values.

The inaugural address tradition was first put into practice during the swearing-in of the first US President George Washington in 1789.

The Inaugural address will be followed by the recitation of a poem by Elizabeth Alexander, by the poetess herself, and a benediction by Dr. Joseph Lowery.

This will be followed by the national anthem by the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters.

12:30 PM: After the departure of former President George Bush and former Vice President Cheney, Barack Obama will sign inauguration papers in the President’s Room.

1:00 PM: Barack Obama attends luncheon held at the Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol

2:30 PM: Barack Obama’s 2009 Presidential Inaugural Parade will commence with President Obama leading the procession to the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue, which will continue until 6 PM. The parade will be open to the public.

7.00 PM: The official 2009 Presidential inaugural balls will be kicked off.

Barack and Michelle Obama

1) Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, National Building Museum, 7.00 PM – 12.00 AM. This ball is not open to the public.

2) Neighborhood Ball at the Washington Convention Center, Hall D, 7.00 PM – 10.30 PM. The ball will include President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s first dance, to Beyonce’s At Last. Other performers will include Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, and Stevie Wonder. Tickets needed. Some tickets reserved for Washington DC residents.

3) Youth Inaugural Ball, Washington Hilton, 9:00 PM – 2:30 AM, for Youth between 18 – 35 years.

4) Obama Home States (Illinois and Hawaii ) Inaugural Ball, Washington Convention Center, Hall E, 7:00 PM – 11:30 PM for Illinois and Hawaii guests

5) Biden Home States (Delaware and Pennsylvania) Inaugural Ball, Washington Convention Center, Ballroom, 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM for Delaware and Pennsylvania guests

6) Eastern Inaugural Ball, Union Station, 10:00 PM – 2:30 AM, for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands invited guests

7) Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball, Washington Convention Center, Hall A, 8:00 PM – 12:30 AM, for Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, and West Virginia invited guests

Midwest Inaugural Ball, Washington Convention Center, Hall C, 8:00 PM – 1:30 AM, for Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Missouri invited guests

9) Southern Inaugural Ball, DC Armory, 10:00 PM – 2:00 AM, for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas invited guests

10) Western Inaugural Ball, Location: Washington Convention Center, Hall B, 8:00 PM – 1:00 AM for Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, Guam/AS invited guests

Events on January 21, 2009

8.30 AM: National Prayer Service, Washington National Cathedral; not open to public, tickets are required.

Barack Obama 2009 Inaugural Day telecast:

Major TV channels like NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX will broadcast the event EST. Viewers will also be able to view the events live online.

Reports say that TV channels are paying over $5 million for exclusive rights to balls and such. The Barack Obama Inaugural Committee has said that Walt Disney Co. is paying $2 million to show the Neighborhood Ball on ABC.

MTV will pay $650,000 for exclusive rights to broadcast Obama’s 2009 Inaugural Day Youth Ball worldwide.