Celebrate the Inauguration Downtown with Events Morning and Night
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
A flag waves outside the Piper Technical Center in this file photo from June, 2008.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The community got together at the historic Farmers and Merchants Bank to watch the returns in November, now multiple venues Downtown offer the chance to celebrate a historic inauguration this Tuesday. Viewing events take place at L.A. Live and Little Tokyo, while later in the day the Mayan is the scene for the "Art of Change Inaugural Ball – Los Angeles."
Living in the Pacific time zone means an early start to inauguration day festivities. Two viewing parties kick off at 7am, with President-Elect Obama's swearing-in taking place at 9am.
Down at L.A. Live, Councilwoman Jan Perry is hosting what's being billed as "L.A.'s Biggest Inaugural Viewing Party." The event will be shown on Nokia Plaza's giant screen. Festivities run from 7am through the Inaugural Parade at 11:30am. Just a few feet away, the Los Angeles County Young Democrats are hosting their own viewing party inside ESPN Zone, starting at 8:30am.
Up in Little Tokyo, the Japanese American National Museum hosts a viewing at the National Center For the Preservation of Democracy. Their showing runs from 7am to 10am.
In between, a third big screen viewing will take place at the Downtown Independent on Main street. Doors open at 8am, and for the early drinkers they're offering "mimosas, champagne and beer available for purchase at the concession stand."
Later that day, the "Art of Change Inaugural Ball -- Los Angeles" comes to the Mayan Theatre. Doors for the $10 show open at 7pm, and the inauguration speech will be rebroadcast at 8pm. Musical guests include SF's DJ Motion Potion, The Mutaytor, and The Crystal Method. Guests must be 21 or older, and tickets are available on the website.
Urban Trojan on January 17, 2009, at 10:17AM – #1
Three more days!
Urban Trojan on January 18, 2009, at 04:45PM – #2
Forty more hours to go folks. Savor the moment!
Susana Benavidez on January 18, 2009, at 08:16PM – #3
You know.. Bush has been president for a third of my life. I am sooo happy that I will stop being embarrassed of having him as the head of our country. Woo Hoo!!
ann silva on January 19, 2009, at 12:32PM – #4
Champagne-mimosas-Obama on the big screen? I am heading to the Downtown Independent for this historic event! So refreshing to see the start of a whole new era. I agree with Susana - Woo Hoo!!!!! AS
Purple Haze on January 19, 2009, at 06:52PM – #5
Fourteen more hours, only.
I wonder if, when we wake up in the morning, we'll learn that W has pardoned his whole administration, for erasure of revelatory backup and e-mail messages.
But he can't pardon himself. Only Obama could do that.