As specified by the U.S. Constitution (20th Amendment), presidential terms of office begin and end at 12:00 noon on January 20.

Time Event

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 event, 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 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, 36-word, statement:

I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.

Barack Obama will give his inaugural address, speaking to the nation and world, for the first time, as President of the United States.

Afternoon Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. The start time has not yet been announced.
Evening There are many inaugural balls held around Washington, DC. They generally take place in the evening; times vary — check each ball’s web site for details.

Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, hosted by President Obama (New 1/1)
For men and women in uniform only.

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