What’s buzz? Tell ya what’s happening

It’s a buzz. A buzz that has been humming with a purpose since Election Day.

In the midst of slumping sales and looming layoffs there is still of ray of optimistic hope. And it seems everybody wants to be in on the celebration.

Millions are predicted to converge on Washington when Barack Obama takes the oath of office as the 44th president of the United States. Ninety thousand hotel rooms are booked. Ten thousand charter buses have been secured. Roads and bridges will be closed to make room for the masses.

“Everybody would love to go to D.C., but we can’t,” said Jessica Sheffield from X Lounge. “So, why not do something local?”

The X marks just one of the local spots where people can come together to listen, watch and celebrate.

The folks over at the Paramount decided to open their doors for a live broadcast … and, boy, did people respond.

“It’s a historic time,” said Katherine Vlcek, marketing director at the Paramount. “We are converging on the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. It is the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And, of course, it is historic because of Barack Obama.”

The Paramount will show the swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on its 43-foot screen. “It will be in high definition on the largest screen in Central Virginia,” Vlcek said.

There also will be three- flat screen TVs on loan from Crutchfield, placed throughout the venue, she said.

Even though the event is free, tickets were as hot as if you were hoping to get into an inaugural ball.

“We started giving out tickets to Paramount members on Jan. 5,” Vlcek said. “It was limited to two per person, so we gave out about 200 that day.”

When tickets were made available to the general public, all 1,000 seats were snapped up less than 35 minutes.

“People were lined up. They were on the phone and on the Internet,” Vlcek said. “We are really excited.”

While the community theater was responding to the community’s desires, the John Paul Jones Arena is planning a similar celebration for the University of Virginia crowd.

Carol Wood said they will be screening a live feed from C-SPAN in the Jack, for free.

“It is intended primarily for students, staff, faculty and their families,” Wood said. “We didn’t want to compete with the Paramount.”

The arena will be set up to accommodate 5,000 patrons. Those with UVa connections will have top priority, but the general public will not be turned away as long as seats are available.

“People want to see this together,” Wood said.

Expect the parties to go on well after the noon ceremony.

X Lounge is serving up dinner and a party.

A Bail Out dinner – one small plate and one big plate for $21 – will be served from 5:30 to 11 p.m.  Footage from the inauguration and pod casts from the balls will he shown on multiple plasma screens. The Party for Hope will follow at 8 p.m. a DJ, dancing and, according to Sheffield, maybe a special guest or two.

“Since not everyone is able to go to D.D. for the festivities on a Tuesday, we decided to bring the party to Charlottesville,” X Lounge owner Francois Bladt noted.

(By the way, Classic Rental Party, who is providing some the red-white-and-blue fun at the X, also provided rentals for some of the D.C. events.)

“You will need a reservation if you are coming to dinner,” Sheffield said, “but if you don’t want a table and just want to come to the party, you don’t need one.

“It should be a lot of fun. We have been hearing quite a buzz.”

So have we all.