WASHINGTON -- Never mind George W. Bush's swearing-in ceremony on what's likely to be a chilly and rainy Saturday morning.
If you're coming to the Washington this weekend, you're really interested in the parties.
The hottest event in town is the Texas State Society's sold-out Black Tie and Boots bash Friday evening -- and tickets are as hard to find as a Senate Judiciary committee Democrat backing John Ashcroft.
Since President-elect Bush and his entourage will be mixing it up at the ball, to be held at the Marriott Wardman Park, the going rate for a pair of tickets on eBay has soared above $2,000.
In addition to the 2-1/2 tons of beef and the 2-1/2 tons of smoked ham, the 9,000 guests will be able to enjoy entertainment provided by Lyle Lovett, Clint Black and Lisa Hartman. Organizers say that "every public space in the hotel" has been reserved for the event, which will include a genuine imported-from-Texas chuck wagon, a Lone Star Sports Bar, a Hondo Honky Tonk, a Cotulla Cantina, and the Muleshoe Cigar and Martini Bar.
For the determined partygoer without the necessary connections or cachet, there's still hope.
Other state societies are holding their own shindigs in other downtown venues, with some tickets still available, typically in the $100 to $200 range. New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, for instance, will take over Union Station ($125). California will join Arizona and Tennessee at the Ronald Reagan building at an event emceed by Meat Loaf ($125).
Websites -- for the first time -- are joining the ranks of inaugural ball hosts.
Freerepublic.com is throwing a "Count the White House Silverware Party" ($100 at the door), with entertainment provided by Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and his "Capitol Offense" band.
There's also the enaugural ball, which bills itself as an event "to honor and celebrate the overwhelming, positive impact of the new digital age" ($150 for drinks only, $300 for drinks and food).
"About 8 to 10 months ago we realized there was going to be a major event happening, and there were constituencies represented.... But there's no event scheduled to honor and bring these (technology) people together on this historic day," says Mike Harrigan, a co-producer with Hi-Ball Events, the firm that is organizing the ball. "We saw there was a void there and created the event for this purpose."
Harrigan says the event will sprawl over the entire National Press Club, which takes up the top floor of the National Press Building and can handle up to 1,200 people. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin will be the designated celebrity in attendance.
A webcast will stream video to anyone who stays at home, and an undetermined amount of the profits from the enaugural ball will go to a "digital divide" related charity.
But it seems as though this dot-com ball is about as attractive to partygoers as dot-com stocks are to investors. Harrigan 'fessed up that at least 25 percent of tickets remain unsold, just two full days before the event.
And what about the celebs? "(Virginia Rep.) Tom Davis has said he might be stopping by.... (House Speaker) Dennis Hastert has expressed an interest in the event," Harrigan said.
Such vague commitments aren't exactly a draw when President-elect Bush is doing the Texas two-step just three metro stops away.
The true technology insiders will instead be stopping by private events, such as one hosted Thursday by the "New Economy Republicans" on Capitol Hill. According to the invitation, the idea is to "sing away the blues" and listen to Dr. Blues and the Out of Town Blues Band, while noshing on "down home BBQ and ice cold beer."
GOP sponsors include senior House Republicans: Chris Cox of California, John Doolittle of California, Jerry Weller of Illinois and Mark Foley of Florida. Corporate sponsors are Intuit and Bell South.
