Inauguration experience?

[Iluvfrenchquarter]

Does anyone have any experience attending a presidential inauguration?

Dh & I are planning to go to DC if Obama wins. Please no political debate here about who should/will win.

In looking for a hotel, I happened upon several websites offering tickets to the inauguration and parade (along with other events, like balls, which we have no plans to attend).

We just want to go as ordinary citizens. Are these tickets being sold for "special" seats, like on bleachers with better views? While the peons who can't/won't pay get views from further away? Or are these events now strictly by ticket only?

If so, we won't be going.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well....

My dd is going thru her high school. It is an initiative or something thru our state Senator, Kit Bond. They get tickets for either the parade, the oath, or something else. Not clear of the details.
She applied and got in. We figure once in a lifetime.
I think you have to apply early so you can get security clearance, not sure.

Perhaps you can contact your state senate office and see what they say. Good Luck!!!

Anyone else plan on going?

 

[froglady]

It's been a while, but I don't think you can get bleacher seats unless you are an invited guest.

You might be able to find a p0lace to stand along the parade route if you arrive early enough.

 

[Iluvfrenchquarter]

Well....

My dd is going thru her high school. It is an initiative or something thru our state Senator, Kit Bond. They get tickets for either the parade, the oath, or something else. Not clear of the details.
She applied and got in. We figure once in a lifetime.
I think you have to apply early so you can get security clearance, not sure.

Perhaps you can contact your state senate office and see what they say. Good Luck!!!

Anyone else plan on going?

That sounds like a wonderful opportunity! Good for her.

 

[Iluvfrenchquarter]

It's been a while, but I don't think you can get bleacher seats unless you are an invited guest.

You might be able to find a p0lace to stand along the parade route if you arrive early enough.

So what would the tickets be for?

 

[froglady]

So what would the tickets be for?

Probably for a "reserved" place along the parade route, but you might want to ask. It's possible that they have purchased bleacher seats.

 

[gaelic grace]

I went as a child way back in 89. It was alot of fun but also very tiring and so crowded. When we left that morning we had to wear what we were wearing to the one of the balls that night because there was no way to get back to the hotel after swearing in. I don't know if it's gotten any better. Just be prepared with comfortable shoes!

 

[perla75]

I would say go if you have the opportunity!

My mom had an invitation to JFK's inauguration ball. She didn't go because at the time she was young and didn't think it was a big deal. She regrets going now.

 

[DancingBear]

I grew up here in the DC area, and I attended the 1977 inaugural of Jimmy Carter when I was 14. Our neighbors were from Georgia and got two tickets from their Congressman to the Capitol grounds to see the actual swearing in ceremony, which my buddy and I used. My parents drove us in and staked out a spot along the parade route (down Pennsylvania Avenue) while we went to the Capitol. We were well away from the stage, which at that time was on the East Front of the Capitol, but it was cool to actually see the swearing in.

After the ceremony, we ran over to Pennsylvania Avenue. We didn't have time to make it down to where my parents were, but we found a spot where we were "only" 3 rows back or so and I could see over the crowd. My friend, who was shorter than I was, got up on my shoulders.

It's cold in January in DC, and I was wearing a knit cap. Carter chose to walk the route rather than ride the limo and so we had a good opportunity to see him go by. As Carter passed right in front of us, my buddy started waving one arm, pushing down on my head with the other arm to lift himself higher, and screaming "Mr. President, I'm from Georgia, too!" And he pushed my cap down over my eyes!

It was a great memory, and I've got requests in to my Congressman and Senators for seats to January's inauguration ceremony. Since Reagan, they've done the speech on the West Front of the Capitol building, so you could actually get some distant view of the ceremony from the Mall.

I'm an Obama supporter and hope to see his historic inauguration in January, but in any event I hope to take advantage of the opportunities we have herein the DC area to witness these sorts of things. We took my son to see Reagan's funeral cortege.

 

[akhenaten]

Does anyone have any experience attending a presidential inauguration?

Dh & I are planning to go to DC if Obama wins. Please no political debate here about who should/will win.

In looking for a hotel, I happened upon several websites offering tickets to the inauguration and parade (along with other events, like balls, which we have no plans to attend).

We just want to go as ordinary citizens. Are these tickets being sold for "special" seats, like on bleachers with better views? While the peons who can't/won't pay get views from further away? Or are these events now strictly by ticket only?

If so, we won't be going.

IDK but I hope to see you in DC !!!!

 

[LukenDC]

I attended the 1996 Clinton inauguration. I had no tickets or special connections, so I simply stood on the Mall in front of the Capitol and watched the ceremony on large screens set up on the Mall. I did not watch the parade.

I strongly suggest that you get to the Mall early. The inauguration is one of the few opportunities terrorists have to take out our elected government in a single attack and security will be incredibly tight. As the date of the inauguration approaches, visit the appropriate government websites so that you will know what to expect.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

What a fantastic idea! I think I'm going to look into going as well...

 

[Iluvfrenchquarter]

What a fantastic idea! I think I'm going to look into going as well...

IDK but I hope to see you in DC !!!!

Maybe we could start planning a DISboard meetup for either the evening before (the 19th) or the evening of the inauguration (for those not attending a ball, which we certainly won't be)?

Pending of course, upon an Obama win in Nov.!

 

[Iluvfrenchquarter]

I attended the 1996 Clinton inauguration. I had no tickets or special connections, so I simply stood on the Mall in front of the Capitol and watched the ceremony on large screens set up on the Mall. I did not watch the parade.

I strongly suggest that you get to the Mall early. The inauguration is one of the few opportunities terrorists have to take out our elected government in a single attack and security will be incredibly tight. As the date of the inauguration approaches, visit the appropriate government websites so that you will know what to expect.

Excellent suggestions. We already talked about getting there before dawn breaks, but I never thought about the security issues, which are of course extremely valid.

I also like the idea of contacting our state Congress critters for tickets.