January 20 Inauguration Day Schedule!

Time & Events
8:00 AM

Gates open for ticketed attendees -- if you have tickets, it will be wise to arrive very early as crowds will be huge and security heavy.

10:00 AM
Preliminary festivities begin, including music by The United States Marine Band, The San Francisco Boys Chorus, and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

11:30 AM
If you have tickets to the Inauguration ceremony, you must have passed through security by this time.

Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren

Aretha Franklin will sing

Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office

Music composed by John Williams and performed by Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, and Anthony McGill.

12:00 Noon (THE MAIN EVENT... WHAT YOU'RE REALLY WAITING FOR!)
As specified by the U.S. Constitution (20th Amendment), presidential terms of office begin and end at 12:00 noon on January 20. Barack Obama will take the oath of office, which is this simple, 35-word, statement:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

12:05 PM (approx)
President Barack Obama will give his inaugural address, speaking to the nation and world, for the first time, as President of the United States, followed by:

Poem: Elizabeth Alexander

Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery

The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"

1:00 PM (approx)
Inaugural Luncheon. For invited guests.

2:30 PM (approx)
Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. If you have tickets, you need to be in your seats by 1:00 PM. There is open seating along Pennsylvania Avenue.

Evening
There are many inaugural balls held around Washington, DC. Some will be hosted by President Obama, others are just parties.