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Barbara and Loren Ing drove their minivan here from rural Ohio, lugging a trailer filled with glass centerpieces. As a volunteer for the society representing her native state, Illinois, Mrs. Ing — who ordinarily works in the layaway department of her local Kmart — spent months creating the table décor for the society's inaugural ball, one of countless unofficial parties marking Mr. Obama's second swearing-in.

At the historic Willard Hotel — where the four-night inaugural rate for elegant "Oval Suites" is $22,800, and a $27,000 catering minimum — women in mink coats and pearls milled about the lobby on Thursday. The bartender mixed "Blue Hawaiians" in honor of Mr. Obama's native state, while in the kitchen, the pastry chef baked delicate French macarons in red, white and blue.

Across town, workers spent Friday erecting lighting and stages for Mr. Obama's two official inaugural balls. Tens of thousands of ticketholders will cram into the 2.3-million-square-foot Washington Convention Center on Monday night, where they will be entertained by the likes of Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and the cast of TV's "Glee" — all while hoping for a glimpse of Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, twirling around the dance floor.

"It's clearly not as big or as plentiful or elaborate as the last time, but in many ways for Democrats it's even sweeter," said Hilary Rosen, a prominent Obama supporter. "People are thrilled about the president; there are a record number of women in the Senate. Gay people are happy, and Latinos. You have these pillars of the election; it meant something different to everybody, but it culminated in this collectively powerful feeling."

Officials expect 600,000 to 800,000 people to turn out on the National Mall to witness Monday's ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol — a crowd typical for most inaugurations but far short of the 1.8 million who clogged the city in 2009, creating pedestrian gridlock that kept many ticketholders from getting to their seats.

This year, the Congressional committee overseeing the Capitol ceremony arranged for extra cellphone towers to be installed on the Mall, and devised a mobile phone app with a GPS system to help inaugural-goers navigate the city, said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York and the committee chairman.

Mr. Schumer, who as master of ceremonies will make opening remarks and introduce the participants, said the thought that "so many people who have been waiting with anticipation for months won't be able to get their seats" was one of two fears that had kept him awake at night. The other is that he will miss his cue to introduce the chief justice.

"I'm practicing my speech, but I'm less worried about that and more worried about when I'm supposed to get up and say, 'Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. John Roberts Jr., the chief justice of the Supreme Court," he said. "I'm worried I won't get up in time."

Mr. Obama will take his official oath of office on Sunday at 11:55 a.m. in the Blue Room of the White House; the Constitution states that presidential terms expire at noon on Jan. 20. Monday's festivities, which coincide with Martin Luther King's Birthday, are ceremonial. (Mr. Obama will use one of Dr. King's Bibles, along with one that belonged to Abraham Lincoln, when he retakes the oath on Monday.)

To honor Dr. King, Mr. Obama designated Saturday a national day of service; he and his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, were to spend the afternoon participating in a community service project.

While much of Washington is gearing up for a party, some Republicans are lying low — or getting out of town.

"My wife had a partial knee replacement, so I am staying with her in Mississippi," said Trent Lott, the former senator from that state, in an e-mail message. "Most Republicans will be otherwise busy. Some will attend events and parties, because it does only happen every four years."

But Democrats are in the mood to celebrate. Emily's List, which helps elect Democratic women who favor abortion rights, was planning a party for 1,400 to welcome female Congressional newcomers, including Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

"We have record numbers of women in the House and in the Senate," said Jen Bluestein, the group's communications director. "We're celebrating our shattering of glass ceilings everywhere."

The Futuro Fund, which mobilized Latino voters in support of Mr. Obama, is helping to stage a three-day "Latino Inaugural," including lectures and a star-studded Sunday night celebration of Hispanics' newfound political clout. Eva Longoria, the "Desperate Housewives" actress and a co-chairwoman of Mr. Obama's inaugural committee, will headline the event, along with Jose Feliciano, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno and other Hispanic entertainers.

Although the singer Bruce Springsteen — a staple of Obama campaign events — will not be returning to Washington for this year's inauguration, James Taylor will perform "America the Beautiful," Kelly Clarkson will sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee," and Beyoncé will close the inaugural ceremony with the national anthem.

In 2009, hotels were sold out months in advance; marketing representatives said last week that rooms were finally booking up, in part because celebrities and their entourages were making last-minute decisions to come.

"I feel like the amount of celebrities, the wattage, may be a little dimmer," said Barbara Martin, whose firm, BrandLinkDC, represents luxury clients, including the W Hotel on the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route. "Like, I don't think Beyoncé is party-hopping. That being said, I feel that there are just as many A-list and B-list celebrities. There are probably fewer A-plus ones."

This being Washington, all sorts of companies, organizations and federal agencies are doing what they can to get in on the inaugural act. Knob Creek, the Kentucky bourbon maker, is promoting itself as "the exclusive whiskey being served" at a candlelight celebration Mr. Obama is hosting for his donors at the National Building Museum on Sunday night.

The United States Geological Survey is hoping reporters will write about the building materials used to construct both the Capitol and the White House: Aquia Creek sandstone. The National Archives, in a rare treat for history buffs, is marking the inauguration by putting two pages of George Washington's first inaugural address — a document that ordinarily resides in a vault — on display.

"It's one of those documents that I informally call a goose bump — it gives me goose bumps," said Michael Hussey, the curator of the exhibit, which will close at the end of the month.

Though some view the inauguration as a partisan event, Steve Kerrigan, chairman of Mr. Obama's inaugural committee, said he and his staff hoped that Americans would "walk away from this with the sense that it is not just a celebration of the president, but a celebration of the entire country."

Mrs. Ing, who drove with her husband from Ohio, said she viewed the weekend that way. The couple voted for Mitt Romney, Mr. Obama's Republican opponent. But for the past five inaugurals, she has done the centerpieces for the Illinois State Society ball, no matter which party is in power.

"Every inaugural seems different," she said. "Different energy, different people. I think everybody should do it at least once."