From contra dancing in Rockport to a brass band playing in Portland, Mainers will be making revelry to celebrate Inauguration Day at venues around Maine.
From Saturday to Tuesday, at least a few organizations will host their own version of the "Inauguration Ball" to usher in the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, and his vice president, Joe Biden.
Some offer invitations to wear tie and tails, others promise educational games for children, and one has a life-size poster of Obama that guests can pose with in between dance sets.
We've included our own suggestions for those who choose to stay home on Tuesday. But for the more adventurous, here are some of the inauguration parties that are on tap:
EMPIRE DINE AND DANCE, 575 Congress St., Portland: 879-8988; www.portlandempire.ning.com
At the Empire, the inauguration will be celebrated on Saturday with an upscale fund-raiser ball that will also introduce a local collaboration in music.
Murder of Crows, a 13-piece soul-funk band featuring a seven-piece horn section, will be the main attraction. The band is composed of members from different Portland-based bands getting together.
The owners of the Empire expect a packed house.
"We'll get people who not only want to celebrate the inauguration, but also people who want to see this band and hear them play," said Todd Doyle, one of the owners. "There has been a lot of buzz, but Portlanders like to show up and come in. We expect to sell out."
Doyle said the build-up to Inauguration Day provides proof the Empire could sell out Saturday. The building holds 327 people, and it was full on Election Day as well as during the presidential debates televised there.
"We hosted the Maine Democratic Committee debate parties here. It was really successful. I think a lot of people are really excited," Doyle said.
The semi-formal event begins at 8:30 p.m. and goes until 1 a.m.
All proceeds will go to the Waterville-based nonprofit Hardy Girls Healthy Women, a group dedicated to ensuring the independence and safety of girls and women.
Tickets are $25.
ROCKPORT OPERA HOUSE, 6 Central St., Rockport: 354-2023, www.town.rockport.me.us/operahouse
The Knox County Democratic Committee is holding a contra dancing "ball" on Saturday in celebration of Inauguration Day. The event starts at 7 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m.
"It doesn't matter whether you are political or nonpolitical. It doesn't matter if you know how to dance or not, that's fine," said Kathie Johnson, an event organizer.
The party will include sales of campaign souvenirs, a traditional Maine 50-50 raffle, and a life-sized cutout of Obama that people can pose with for photographs.
Appetizers, desserts and a cash bar will be available.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
FRONTIER CINEMA, CAFE AND GALLERY, 14 Maine St., Brunswick: 725-5222; www.explorefrontier.com
The Frontier Cinema is another site where a slow build-up to Inauguration Day has already begun. Frontier hosted the presidential debates, as well as live coverage of Election Day.
Now it will cap it off with a live celebration of Obama being inaugurated on Tuesday. Admission will be free, as it was for the televised debates and election results.
Live coverage of the inauguration in Washington, D.C., will air at 11:30 a.m. The cinema will open its doors again at 7 p.m. to rebroadcast the day's events. The cafe and cash bar will be open in the evening.
"It's a community event. We wanted to encourage people to share in this celebration together," said Frontier manager Katie McCormick. "We're having an evening event in case people can't make it in the morning. It will be...
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