Planners Prepare for 10 Official Inaugural Balls

posted 4:29 pm Tue January 06, 2009 - WASHINGTON
from ABC 7 News - http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0109/583051.html

The presidential inauguration is just two weeks away and after the big event it will be time to party.

This year, there are 10 official inaugural balls, which means the new president and vice president are guaranteed to show up.

Six are scheduled to be held at the Washington Convention Center -- the Obama and Biden home state balls, three regional balls and the new neighborhood ball.

The National Building Museum, D.C. Armory, and Union Station each will host an official ball as well. Who will get tickets and how, is still unknown.

The Gaylord Resort at National Harbor will have three of the dozens of other unofficial inaugural bashes.

Aimee Garrell showed off the huge ballroom where possibly the biggest bash will be held. Headliners include Aretha Franklin, Usher and Maxie Priest. Twelve-thousand people are scheduled to attend the African and International Friends Inaugural Ball.

Top tickets run about $1,000 apiece and include an open bar and a gourmet feast. "We have a sit-down dinner for them -- fillet of beef.... mashed potatoes," said Rigoberto Lemus, the executive chef.

For all three balls, the resort staff will go through 400,000 hors d'oeuvres and literally a ton of pasta and beef tenderloin. The kitchen crew is already hard at work.

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