For Utahns who don't mind standing in cold weather and traveling at their own expense to Washington, D.C., tickets are available for the swearing-in ceremony of president-elect George Bush on Jan. 20.
Art Kingdom, press secretary to Rep. Wayne Owens, D-Utah, announced that his office is urging any resident of the 2nd District interested in attending to call Owens' office in Salt Lake City at 524-4394.Because Congress itself is in charge of the actual swearing-in ceremony, each member of Congress is allotted about 21 reserved-seating tickets and 99 standing-room-only tickets for the ceremony. The 99 standing-room-only tickets available to Owens are being given away on a first-come, first-served basis.
Spokesmen from the various Utah congressional offices said all their reserved-seating tickets are already spoken for, but all also had a least a few standing-room tickets still available.
None except Owens had issued a general call for people to take tickets, saying they were having no trouble giving them away so far. The office of Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, said it has not yet worked out a formal plan for distributing the tickets.
All offices say constituents interested in obtaining inauguration tickets should call the local office of their senator or congressman.
Tickets for other inaugural events - such as the balls, the gala and parade - may be purchased as available by calling the State Republican Party Headquarters, 533-9777, according to Bonnie Stephens, the Utah chairman for the inauguration.
The parade will feature two groups from Utah. "Cloggers USA," a group of 40 young dancers from Spanish Fork, became the second group from the state invited to participate in the Inaugural Day event.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir had previously announced its acceptance of an invitation to participate. Utah is one of 14 states and the District of Columbia to have more than one group in the parade.
The choir will be the only choral group in the parade, and Cloggers USA will be one of only two dancing groups, inaugural planners said.
Each state has at least one representative and a total of 95 groups will participate in the parade.
The inaugural committee said it had received more than 300 applications from groups wanting to participate. Participants are selected on the basis of past honors, current repertoires, size and appearance.
Cloggers USA participated last year in Washington in festivities honoring the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. They have performed for heads of state and LDS Church President Ezra Taft Benson.