The hottest ticket in the country right now, is a ticket to Barack Obama's inauguration in January. Millions are expected to try and watch the swearing in. Officials predict 1.5 million visitors will descend for the swearing-in, parade and celebrity-filled parties.

The inauguration of the first African-American president has people from across the country and around the world planning to be in Washington on January 20th.

Organizers can only guess at the size of the crowds, but the estimates range from 1 million to an unprecedented 5 million, which are certain to include many African-Americans who for the first time feel connected to the White House.

The turnout will far exceed the Million Man March, which was estimated at 870,000 people. The biggest crowd thus far to attend inaugural festivities came in 1965, when Lyndon Johnson took his oath in front of 1.2 million onlookers.

Here is a guide to inauguration events in Washington D.C.:

January 18

California State Society’s Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show
11:30 AM
The Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC
1150 22nd St. NW
Information: www.cssdc.org/events.html  

Aloha Inaugural Ball
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Rd. NW
Tickets: $250
alohainauguralball@gmail.com  

January 19

Arkansas State Society Inaugural Party for Razorbacks
The Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue NW
202-329-6711
www.arkansas-state-society.org  

Sunshine and Stars (Florida State Society)
Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th Street NW
202-298-7710
www.2009floridainauguralball.com  

Land of Lincoln Inaugural Gala (Illinois State Society)
Reception and dinner at 5:30 p.m., gala follows from 8:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Renaissance Washington D.C. hotel
999 9th St. NW
Tickets: SOLD OUT
703-451-1747
http://www.illinoisstatesociety.com/Gala2009.htm  

Indiana Inaugural Ball  
6 p.m.
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street NW
Tickets: $295 before Dec. 19, $350 after Dec. 19; reserved tables $7,500 before Dec. 19, $9,000 after Dec. 19
www.indianasociety.org/events/  

Bluegrass Ball (Kentucky State Society)
6:30 p.m.
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Rd. NW
Members: $175
202-399-2032
www.kentuckysociety.org  

Land of Enchantment Inaugural Ball (New Mexico State Society)
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
4th St. & Independence Ave. SW
505-463-3908
www.nmstatesociety.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=35181&orgId=nmsswd  

North Carolina Society Inaugural Ball
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Rd. NW
www.northcarolinasociety.org/index.cfm  

Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball (Texas State Society)
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
201 Waterfront St.
National Harbor, MD 20745
301-809-8989
http://www.texasstatesociety.org/  

History in the Making: “A Dream & A Change” Inaugural Ball
Hosted by the Babyboomer Professionals
Hyatt Regency Washington
400 New Jersey Ave. NW
Tickets: $175 before Dec. 5, $199 after Dec. 5
boomerprofessionals@yahoo.com  

HBCU Inaugural Gala Ball
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
8 p.m.-1 a.m.
Sequoia at Washington Harbor
3000 K St. NW
http://www.hbcugala.com/  

Heroes Red, White, and Blue Inaugural Ball
Information: www.heroball.org  

International Conservation Caucus Foundation Inauguration Gala ICC Foundation
6:30 p.m. for VIP and general receptions, 7:30 p.m. dinner
Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium
Tickets: $2,500
202-471-4222
www.iccfoundation.us/2008Gala/  

Pearl Gala
Asian Americans for Obama
7 PM-midnight
Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC Hotel
1330 Maryland Ave. SW
Tickets: SOLD OUT
www.pearlgala.com 


January 20

“Welcome to 1600” Hosted by Spike Lee
Josephine’s, Time: 10pm-4am
1008 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington DC Tickets: $75
Contact: Mike Muse
Click here Welcome To 1600 to purchase tickets

Inaugural Parade Brunch (New York State Society)
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Willard Intercontinental Hotel
1401 Pennsylvania Ave.
Tickets: Member $155, Non-members: $180
301-330-6197
http://nyss-washdc.org/events.html  

State Society of Arizona Inaugural Ball
8 p.m.-midnight
The Historical Society of Washington, DC
801 K St. NW
Tickets: Single:$175, Couple: $300, Family of 4: $650
202-777-2612
www.azstatesociety.org  

Garden State Inaugural Gala
7:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Ave. NW
Tickets: $100 single, $175 per couple; Non-members: $125 single, $200 per couple
202-333-5750
www.njss.org/events/detail.php?id=5  

Be the Change Inaugural Ball hosted by MTV
Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1600241/20081125/story.jhtml  

A Night of Stars (Pennsylvania State Society)
Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC
22nd and M Sts. NW
Tickets: SOLD OUT
703-415-0344
http://pastatesociety.com/events-pennsylvania-state-society.htm  

The George Washington University Inaugural Ball
8 p.m.-midnight
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert St. NW
202-994-1600
http://gwired.gwu.edu/inauguralball  

Human Rights Campaign Equality Ball
Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
1143 New Hampshire Ave.
http://www.hrc.org  

Bytes & Books Inaugural Ball
National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training
Folger Shakespeare Library
201 East Capitol St. SE
http://www.nctet.org/  

11th American Indian Inaugural Ball
American Indian Society (AIS) of Washington, D.C.
Hyatt Regency Crystal City
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA
www.aiibdc.org/index.htm  

Unity in Service Inaugural Ball Unity in Service
Trinity University
125 Michigan Ave. NE
Tickets: $90 standard, $120 preferred before Dec. 20, $110 and $150 after Dec. 20
www.unityinservice.com/index_files/Page352.htm  

Inaugural Purple Ball
Eracism Foundation
8 p.m.
The Fairmont Washington, DC Hotel
2401 M St. NW
tickets@inauguralpurpleball.com  

Change Has Come Inaugural Gala
The Babyboomer Professionals
Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel
1001 14th St. NW
Tickets: $125 before Dec. 5, $150 after Dec. 5
boomerprofessionals@yahoo.com  

Demand in DC: Applauding the Empowerment of People Thru Art, Film, and Music
Black Cat
1811 14th St. NW
Tickets: $10
202-667-7960
http://www.blackcatdc.com/  

The Creative Coalition Gala Inaugural Ball
9 p.m.
Harman Center for the Arts
610 F St. NW
Tickets: Bronze package (2 tickets): $10,000
http://www.thecreativecoalition.org/  

The President's Ball
The Washington Times Building
3600 New York Ave. NE
Tickets: $200 before 12/31/08; $250 after 12/31/08
http://www.presidentsball.com  

Young and Powerful Black Tie Gala and Awards Ceremony
L'Enfant Plaza Hotel
400 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Tickets: $125, includes open bar from 8pm - 9pm, heavy Hors D'oeuvres and live music
www.yp4obama.com