Belle of all the balls

Mark your calendars, ladies and gents: January 20, 2009. It will be a historic day, of course: swearing in the nation's first African American president. But once the sun goes down, a total of ten inaugural balls will be getting underway. BYO lampshade, people.

During the grueling presidential race, Obama broke new ground with his campaign, using a combination of traditional grassroots efforts and new media savvy to raise eye-popping amounts of money and support. From the looks of it, Obama's Excellent Inauguration Adventure promises even more new tricks.

Before the balls even begin, there's going to be an Obama/Biden Whistle Stop Tour, starting January 17 in Philadelphia. The president-elect will be taking the train from Philly to D.C. with a group of hand-picked "everyday Americans." An inaugural committee spokesman told AP:

"Each one of these families has their own remarkable story to add to our American story, and we're thrilled they've agreed to join us as we travel to Washington."

Didn't make the "everyday American" guest list? No worries -- couch potatoes might have an even better view: HBO has snagged exclusive rights to air the "star-studded" opening inaugural ceremony on January 18. In addition, all three broadcast networks, as well as cable news outlets CNN, MSNBC, are planning wall-to-wall coverage of the entire shebang.

Wondering who's getting the bill for all this? Don't worry, taxpayers -- Obama's Midas touch continues to rake in the cash. According to AP, the inaugural committee has raised at least $27 million from donors to help pay for the festivities. And if you didn't invest with Bernard Madoff and have some spare change, you, too, can join the party:

"The $50,000 donors get access to inaugural events including candlelight dinners with appearances by members of Congress and the Obamas and tickets to an official ball, the swearing-in ceremony and parade seating."

No cash? No problem. A "Youth Ball" has been added to the schedule for the money-challenged:

"The youth ball is intended for young Americans aged 18-35 and will celebrate the inauguration of the new president and the role young Americans can play to serve their communities."

Tickets for the kiddie ball will be a paltry $75 instead of the customary $150.

But an Obama inauguration wouldn't be complete without the Web. For the Obamas, the first stop of the night will be at a ball that will be webcast into living rooms all across America.

For those who manage to snag a golden ticket, figuring out what to wear to the party of the year will be a daunting task. Not to fear, ladies, there's a new website that aims to help ball-goers avoid fashion faux pas: Ball guests are asked to post the designer they plan on wearing to avoid showing up in the same (gasp!) dress as someone else. (See sketches of what the Obamas might wear).

"We can make no guarantee that you won't have twin at your event, but at least we can try to eliminate such sad occurrences," the website warns."

Some folks, however, plan on skipping town entirely. Politico reports that many Republicans will be taking well-timed "vacations" or gathering for their own "inaugural" events: One Republican lawyer is inviting friends to Las Vegas for an "Inaugural in Exile."

Yes, the economy is tanking, the world is in turmoil and we're all facing an uncertain future, but hopefully, just for a few nights at least, we'll be able to celebrate a new start and a new hope for the nation.