Official Inaugural Balls
Ten official balls, planned by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, were held on the night of January 20, 2009 and are the only ones that the Obamas and Bidens attended.- Neighborhood Inaugural Ball - Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. In keeping with his commitment to make this inaugural celebration open and accessible to all Americans, President-elect Barack Obama hosted the first-ever “Neighborhood Inaugural Ball” with tickets available free or at an affordable price. It is the first official inaugural ball of its kind to be held during a presidential inauguration. It aired live on ABC 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Read more
- Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball - National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. The ball is in honor of the country's active duty and reserve military. Invited guests included wounded warriors (Purple Heart recipients), families of fallen heroes, and spouses of deployed military. Tickets were provided free of charge to all invited guests. This event was not open to the general public. It was broadcast to American troops around the world on the Pentagon Channel, which is available via cable on 368 military bases and on commercial cable and satellite services throughout the United States.
- Youth Inaugural Ball - For Ages 18-35 - Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW. This ball celebrated the inauguration and the role young Americans can play to serve their communities. Kanye West, Kid Rock and Fall Out Boy headlined and the ball was broadcast on MTV channels around the world. The show airs at
10:00 p.m. EST/ 7:00 p.m. PST.
- Obama Home States Inaugural Ball - Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. Illinois and Hawaii invited guests. Tickets: $150.
- Biden Home States Inaugural Ball - Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. Delaware and Pennsylvania invited guests. Tickets: $150.
- Eastern Inaugural Ball - Union
Station, 40 Massachusetts Ave NE. CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT, PR, and USVI invited guests. Tickets: $150.
- Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball - Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. MD, VA, DC, NY, NJ, and WV invited guests. Tickets: $150.
- Midwest Inaugural Ball - Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. KS, IN, IA, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI, and MO invited guests. Tickets: $150.
- Southern Inaugural Ball - National Guard Armory, 2001 East Capitol St. SE. AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, and TX invited
guests. Tickets: $150.
- Western Inaugural Ball - Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW. AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY, AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, OK, GUAM/AS and invited guests. Tickets: $150.
More Inaugural Balls, Galas and Events
(In order by date)Pre-Inaugural and Inaugural Ball Cruises
Jan. 16, 17 and 20, 2009. The Spirit of Washington and Odyssey III invite the public to celebrate with friends and family on special inaugural themed cruises. Only the Inauguration Ball Cruise (on Jan. 20) will be black tie, but all cruises will feature patriot-themed décor, live music and dining. Tickets: $68-101.
A Historical Affair
Jan. 16, 2009. United States Chamber of Congress, 1615 H St., NW. Sponsored by the National Congress of Black Women. Tickets: $135 Dessert Reception, $285 Dinner.
People's Inaugural Premier
Jan. 16, 2009. Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St., NW. Celebrating a new generation of grassroots activists. Tickets: $75.
Audacity of Hope Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. Fairmont Washington Hotel, 2401 M St. NW. Proceeds benefit Returning Wounded Soldiers from Iraq and their Families. Tickets: $350. Call (702) 893-0401 or email rodgaines@rodgainesevents.com
A Celebration of Change Inaugural Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. Hyatt Regency, 400 New Jersey Ave. Sponsored by The Babyboomer Professionals. Tickets: $175.
Cool Inaugural Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. Josephine Butler Parks Center, 2437 15th Street NW. Sponsored by Cool Capital Challenge and the Washington DC Chapter of the Sierra Club. Tickets: $100 at the door, $75 in advance.
Inaugural Ball – “The Dream Realized”
Jan. 17, 2009. Camelot by Martins, 13905 Central Ave. Upper Marlboro, MD. Formal dinner gala, Live entertainment, special guest soloist, video tribute and more. Hosted by volunteers from the Obama For America organization. Tickets: $75
Green Inaugural Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW. DC’s most environmentally-friendly pre-Inaugural celebration. Headline performance by Wyclef Jean. Organic food and drink, LED lighting, entertainment audio-visual production will be tailored to minimize environmental impact. Tickets: $500.
H.O.P.E. (Honoring Our President-Elect) Inaugural Youth Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. Trinity University, 125 Michigan Ave. NE. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to National Network for Youth. Tickets: $75 first 200 sold - $100 thereafter.
National Council of Women’s Organizations Inaugural Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. President James Monroe Mansion, 2017 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. Commemorating the role of women in President-Elect Obama's historic victory and honoring women leaders in politics. Performance by 2009 Grammy nominee Wayna. Tickets: $500.
People's Inaugural Ball
Jan. 17, 2009. Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St., NW. Celebrating a new generation of grassroots activists. Tickets: $125.
People's Inaugural Gala
Jan. 17, 2009. Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H Street NW. Semi-formal/After-Five event hosted by Iyanla Vanzant featuring music/dancing, exhibits, and live-auction fashion show. Tickets: $150.
See More Inaugural Events on Pages 2, 3 and 4
For details about Inauguration Day, see Presidential Inauguration 2009.
