More people than live in the state of Maine are expected to shimmy and squeeze their way into Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20 to witness Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration and attendant festivities.
Tom Burton, owner of the Bar Harbor Blues Authority, expects to see some shimmying and squeezing that day, too, but it’ll be on his Bar Harbor dance floor.
Burton will hold an inaugural celebration at his club with local blues legend Eric Green performing.
“This is as much a celebration of the end of the Bush era as well as looking forward to what Obama can do for us, and what we can do to help the country,” Burton said recently. “I really think this election was a watershed moment and that it’ll be viewed that way for a long time.”
Warren is another Maine town that will be painted blue on the night of Jan. 20. Natalie Gelman and Doug Korach, owners of the Silver Lane Bistro, are holding a gathering in their upscale restaurant, where up to 50 people will mingle and nibble on appetizers.
“We’re avid Obama supporters,” Korach said. “We have been ever since he announced his candidacy. … We tend to wear our politics on our sleeve.”
Korach said that attendees will “graze and feel good.”
“Considering that we all tend to have eight years of fatigue under our belts, this is kind of an acknowledgement of fresh air, so to speak,” he said.
These two bashes and many others are posted on the Web site moveon.org.
The Web site’s list is not comprehensive, and Arden Manning, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, said he expects events to be held in the Bangor area, among other locales.
Some events that have been scheduled are small brunches held in front of the television during the inauguration itself. Others are larger, more festive functions later that night, including a “gala” with Somerset County Democrats. That will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Ken’s Celebration Center and Bowling Alley in Skowhegan.
Members of Code Pink are organizing a “line dance for peace” during the gathering.
The Maine Democratic Party will hold a shindig at The Asylum Sports Bar in Portland starting at 11 a.m. Jan. 20, at which some “elected officials and surprise guests” will be present.
Meanwhile, Waterville’s Hardy Girls Healthy Women will receive the proceeds from Maine’s Own Inaugural Ball, held at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, in Portland.
The nonprofit organization provides programming and resources for girls and women throughout the state.
The invitation specifies that ball-goers should “Dress nicely! It’s a ball, for goodness sake!”
“We just hope that we’ll get a chance to introduce our organization to new people and that people will come out and have fun. And of course we’d love to raise some money from it as well,” said Megan Williams, executive director of the group.
For more information on:
— The Bar Harbor Blues Authority, call 288-3241.
— The Silver Lane Bistro, call 273-6464.
— Maine’s Own Inaugural Ball, call 861-8131 or purchase tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com.
— Somerset County Democrats, see moveon.org.