Get ready, Washington, for the most glamorous, star-studded weekend to grace the Beltway in recent history: Barack Obama's inauguration weekend.
Barack and Michelle Obama will party at all 10 of the official balls, one more than George and Laura Bush attended in 2005. This year the official balls include the usual regional balls and the Commander-in-Chief Ball honoring the military, as well as the new D.C. Neighborhood Ball, with discounted tickets "set aside for District of Columbia residents. The ball will also feature a robust interactive component, including webcasting and text messaging, to link neighborhoods across the country with the new President and this premier event."
But if your invitation to an official ball got lost in the mail, you can still party like a president. This inauguration weekend promises dozens of events, ranging from raging, "green" parties for young Obama supporters to elegant state society affairs.
And if you're looking to spot some celebrities (and spend upwards of $500 per ticket), you could attend the Inaugural Purple Ball, co-hosted by the likes of Ashley Judd and Ed Harris, or the (sold out) Creative Coalition Ball, with guests like Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, and Adrian Grenier, among others. Just make sure you're dressed to the nines, because MTV will be broadcasting its Be the Change Ball on MTV and MTV.com, and the paparazzi will surely be out in full force due to the rumor that the Jonas Brothers will be in town.
Lastly, if music is more your thing, you may want to attend one of two American Music Inaugural Balls: the Legends Ball, with Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, and the Temptations, or the Urban Ball, hosted by rapper Ludacris. No word yet on whether or not Ludacris will perform his controversial song "Politics: Obama Is Here" -- or if one-time Ludacris fan Barack Obama will attend.
