South Carolina Presidential Inaugural Ball
Important Information
Friday, January 21, 2005
Eight o’clock in the evening until midnight

Smithsonian National Museum of American History
On the National Mall
14th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO OUR NATION’S CAPITAL FOR THE INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA INAUGURAL BALL. 

Ticket Information

(Download Reply Card - Adobe PDF)
Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis and may sell out.  You must purchase tickets in advance; no tickets will be sold at the door.  Invitations will be mailed the first week in December.  You must return the reply card mailed with your invitation in order to purchase tickets (or print the reply card attached below).  Tickets are $125 each if your reply card is postmarked by December 21, 2004, and $150 each thereafter.  Checks should be made payable to the South Carolina Presidential Inaugural Ball.  Tickets will be mailed in January and are nonrefundable.

For security reasons, you must list each guest who will be attending.  Guests whose names are not on the guest list will not be admitted.

Reply cards and checks should be mailed to:

South Carolina State Society
PO Box 27570
Washington, DC 20038-7570

We cannot accept Federal Express.

If you have any questions, please call 703/521-3248 or e-mail scball2005@yahoo.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2005 South Carolina Presidential Inaugural Ball!

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOUR EVENING IS ENCHANTING. 
No one will be admitted without a ticket. Tickets are not transferable. No one will be admitted unless their name is on the guest list prior to the date of the Ball. 

WHAT ABOUT DINNER? We will serve mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres at the ball. If you wish to eat before or afterward, there are several restaurants located near the National Mall. However, we do recommend that you make reservations. 

WEATHER Washington, D.C. can be quite cold in January, with an average temperature of 32 degrees. 

REMEMBER, you must present identification showing that you are at least 21 years of age to consume alcohol. 

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, please e-mail scball2005@yahoo.com or call our hotline at 703-521-3248.  You can also check our website for updates at www.scinauguralball.com.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU! 

TRANSPORTATION  The American History Museum is located on the National Mall at the corner of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW (www.americanhistory.si.edu).

PARKING — Due to increased security, parking around the Museum will be limited, and regulations will be strictly enforced. Some parking garages may be closed for security purposes. Please check the Inaugural Ball website or phone line for updates closer to the event date. We recommend taking a taxi or using Washington’s Metrorail system. Both are fairly inexpensive and convenient. 

DISTRICT CABS charge on a “zone system,” which should be clearly posted in your cab. If you have questions about the cost of your trip, ask the driver to state a cost before you enter the cab. Your hotel can assist you in calling a cab, or you may call for pickup yourself. Two of the largest D.C. cab companies are Diamond Cab (202- 387-6200) and Yellow Cab (202-544-1212). 

VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND CABS charge by a meter/mileage system. Two large Virginia cab companies are Red Top (703-522-3333) and Yellow Cab (703-549-2500); in Maryland, call Barwood Cab (301-984-1900). By the way, it is generally proper to tip cab drivers 15 to 20 percent. 

METRO: The Federal Triangle and Smithsonian Metro stations, on Metrorail's Blue and Orange lines, are located near the National Mall.  For more information, call Metro at 202-637-7000, or visit www.wmata.com.

SHORT OR LONG? TUX OR SUIT?
WHAT TO WEAR?

The ball is black tie, meaning that either a tuxedo, or the military equivalent, is appropriate. Ladies will be wearing everything from short cocktail dresses to long ball gowns. Wear whatever you like — Southerners are known for their style! A complimentary coat check will be provided at the museum’s entrance. 

WHILE AT THE BALL
Dance to the tunes of New York Swing, taste tempting hors d’oeuvres, enjoy the open bar, and wander through the museum’s many galleries.  Highlights of the American History Museum include the First Ladies’ Inaugural Ball gowns, Julia Child’s kitchen, and the American flag that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangled Banner.  In addition, the Museum is hosting a special exhibit on military history and Americans at War – The Price of Freedom -  http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory.