The official swearing in of the President, Mr Barack Obama was carried out as a grand function with approximately a million people directly witnessing the ceremony. Many pre-inaugural and post-inaugural events were organised there which added charm to the function.
The planning of the events such as concerts, balls, parade, prayer service etc. was done by the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee whose prime members were the former presidents George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The committee also included Ambassador Matthew Barzun, Jane Stetson, Frank White and Eva Longoria. Stephanie Cutter, Jim Messina, Julianna Smoot, Rufus Gifford, Jennifer Dillon, and Patrick Gaspard are the other members.
Events Before The Inauguration
A kids’ inaugural ceremony was conducted before the official inauguration ceremony. The tagline of the event was Our children, Our future. The event was carried out at Washington Convention Centre. There was an inaugural concert honouring military families. Usher, Katy Perry, Mindless behaviour, Nick Cannon, etc. were the celebrity participants. The president inspired the kids to undertake volunteer services while speaking about the theme of the day which was ‘service’.
Traditions And Events After The Inauguration
After the official swearing in, the following activities were conducted.
A Luxurious Luncheon
A perfect Parade
Inaugural balls
National Prayer Service
The Grand Inaugural Balls
Among the above-listed events, the inaugural balls were the one which caught the most attention. There were two balls on January 21. One was the ball held for the members of the U.S military. The second one was a public celebration with invited guests. Obama and the first lady, Michelle danced gracefully to the tune of their favourite song.
A private ball was conducted on January 22 for the White House helpers and administration staff, Inaugural Committee staff and the election campaign staff. This practice of conducting private balls as a note of gratitude to the staff was started by Obama and Michelle in the first inauguration ceremony at 2009.
The other performers who entertained the crowd at the inaugural balls include Brad Paisley, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, etc. An event involving such a large number of celebrities was a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the management committee. Talented and reputed event planners from many parts of the world have made their contributions to the successful execution of this historic event.
Every detail was planned carefully and executed. Certain shows involved artists from other countries including India. Those set of events were completely taken care of by renowned planners from India such as Kiyoh and Vibes Entertainment. These events were even reported by the media, and can be read in detail at www.washingtonpost.com. Every performance was flawlessly executed with complete perfection. Be it the president, first lady, the staff or the guests, everyone had a wonderful time.
Owing to the excellent execution, the second inauguration ceremony was a grand success thereby adding another feather to the cap of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. The event in overall was a blend of perfect planning and execution. Let us look forward to witnessing more such historic events.
The events condcuted before and after the inauguration ceremony created a jubilant mood among the people. Too many events conducted made people bored and tired.