56TH INAUGURAL

January 15, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

56TH INAUGURAL

Your at-home guide

Don’t worry if you aren’t brave — or lucky — enough to attend the historic presidential inauguration. There will be plenty of media coverage for those at home. Here’s a guide to making the most of watching the big event, and those leading up to it:

THE THEME

“Renewing America’s Promise.” Full details on the history of inaugurations and this year’s events can be found at the Inaugural committee’s Web site, www.pic2009.org.

SATURDAY

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer will follow President-elect Barack Obama’s train ride from Pennsylvania to Washington. The train will stop in Wilmington, Del., to pick up Vice-President-elect Joe Biden and his family. Obama will give a speech in Baltimore before heading south.

SUNDAY

“We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.”

The free concert features top performers such as Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Garth Brooks. Obama and his family are due to attend, with Obama expected to speak. The special will air later that night on HBO at 7 p.m. Cable and satellite subscribers who don’t have HBO will be able to watch for free.

MONDAY

The Disney Channel will air a concert honoring military families, “Kids’ Inaugural: We Are the Future,” expected to be hosted by Michelle Obama. Entertainers include the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

During the day, Obama, Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in community service activities.

THE BIG DAY

On Inauguration Day on Tuesday, if tradition holds, the Obamas will visit the White House in the morning before Bush and Obama ride to Capitol Hill together for the swearing-in ceremony.

Festivities begin at 10 a.m, and include musical selections — Aretha Franklin is slated to perform — an invocation, swearing-in of the president and vice president, the inaugural address, a benediction and the playing of the national anthem, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee Web site. Obama will be sworn in at noon. He will take the Oath of Office, using President Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled around noon.

Obama will then escort Bush to a departure ceremony and go to a luncheon in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.

THE DEPARTURE

Bush and his wife will leave the Capitol in a helicopter. Look for the wave.

THE INAUGURAL PARADE

Down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. The parade will begin after Obama’s lunch.

THE WEATHER

The current Weather Service forecast is morning clouds giving way to afternoon sun with highs in the upper 30s and a 10 percent chance of precipitation.

THE BALLS

There are 10 official inaugural balls. Expect the Obamas at all of them.

THE TELEVISION COVERAGE

Expect coverage all day Tuesday on the major networks. At night, many are planning specials, including:

kNBC’s Brian Williams will anchor a one-hour special at 10 p.m. that visits several inaugural balls. kABC will be on site at the “Neighborhood Inaugural Ball,” covering musical performances and the new president and first lady’s first dance of the night. At 10 p.m. EST, ABC will track the other inaugural balls.

kCBS’ Katie Couric will anchor a 9 p.m. EST special on Obama’s journey to the White House, then do a live Webcast reviewing the day’s events on CBSNews.com and CNET.com.

kMTV will be broadcasting from the “Youth Inaugural Ball.”

kNick Cannon hosts “Yes We Will!: BET’s Inauguration Celebration.” The one-hour special that was taped earlier premieres at 8 p.m. and includes live shots from BET’s first inaugural ball.

kOn Fox News Channel, the inauguration will be the first big political event in years not anchored by Brit Hume, who has taken on a part-time role. Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith will anchor.