2017 Inaugural Celebration
On Friday, January 20, 2017, the 45th President of our nation will take the oath of office during the inaugural celebration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Many Americans will travel to Washington to witness the historic event, view the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, and attend inaugural balls held in celebration of the new presidential term.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the U.S. Capitol, and tickets are required for select locations on Capitol Grounds. Tickets are not necessary to view the swearing-in from the National Mall. As your Senator, I will be provided with a limited number of tickets for the event for visiting Idahoans. The Idaho congressional delegation is joining together for ticket distribution in order to maximize accessibility to the presidential swearing-in for Idahoans.
The Idaho congressional delegation will be taking requests for tickets to the inaugural swearing-in ceremony between November 9 and November 23. Please click here to fill out the online request form. If you submit a request after November 23, you will be placed on a waiting list..
*** Please note that tickets to attend the presidential inaugural ceremony and parade are free and distributed through Congressional offices. Please be aware and do not purchase tickets to these events from other, possibly unreliable sources. ***
While you may want to wait to make travel plans until you are confident that you have tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, please know that there will be many official and non-official inauguration events, and that tickets are not necessary to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Tickets only provide you access to select areas near the U.S. Capitol, but the full National Mall is usually set up for viewing. In preparation for the 2017 Inauguration, some highlights of the day’s events are listed below.
The Inauguration Ceremony
Again, tickets are not necessary to view the inauguration ceremony; they simply allow access to specific sections of the Capitol Grounds. Jumbo-sized screens and speakers will be set up along the National Mall for view by the general public.
The Parade
Visitors may view the parade from the sidewalk along Pennsylvania Avenue on a first-come, first-served basis, though a limited number of bleacher seats can be reserved through the Presidential Inauguration Committee.
Inaugural Balls
There are a variety of official and unofficial balls. Members of the public may apply for tickets to the official Inaugural Ball—attended by the newly named president and vice president—through the Presidential Inauguration Committee.
Alternatively, you may buy tickets for one of the many unofficial balls directly from host venues or organizations.
Unofficial Celebrations
Many organizations, venues, and clubs will host their own events throughout Washington leading up to and on the day of the Inauguration. Please see the Visitor Information portion of my website for many other free things to do in and around D.C.
The Newseum has planned a all-inclusive celebration at their location along Pennsylvania Avenue. They will provide food throughout the day, as well as a panoramic view of Washington and the Parade from their roof. Tickets go on sale to Newseum members November 14, and to the public on November 30.
Media Credentials
The Senate Press Gallery handles credentials and tickets for daily newspapers, online publications and wire services for the Presidential Inaugural Swearing-In Ceremony. My office does not have media credentials to distribute.
If you represent a media organization and are interested in applying to attend the inaugural swearing in ceremony, please visit the website for the Senate Press Gallery.
U.S Flags
You can order a U.S. flag to be flown over the U.S. Capitol on the day of the inauguration, January 20, 2017. Please click here for information on ordering a flag.
