Washington D.C. wasn’t the only hot spot Tuesday night. Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas played host to several inauguration balls that may not have had the celebrity backing that the Inauguration Balls in Washington DC had, but still equally rivaled them in fun!
One of the largest Inauguration Balls was the Utah Inauguration Ball at the Depot located in downtown Salt Lake City. The Ball was hosted by the Utah Democratic Party. The party got underway close to 7:00pm last night with 2008 State Senate candidate John Rendell’s Band “Mean Phoenix” playing, as well as the Saliva Sisters. Marc Buckley former KJQQ DJ was also there to get the party started.
People all through the Depot were dressed in everything from jeans to ball gowns. And the excitement in the room was anything but contagious. No barriers were up as you watched people of all colors and religions and political parties actively congratulating, cheering and talking to each other. People of all ages shared hope and optimism with each other that Barack Obama would forge new pathways with foreign leaders. They also expressed optimism in regards to the economy and the use of cleaner fuels. Others expressed strong positive opinions in regards to the support the new president will show to the art community. Robert Redford recently expressed his positive feelings towards the new presidency in several interviews given at local Sundance resort during the Sundance Film Festival. People were overheard talking about the positive impact that Robert Redford had on Utah and our local democratic party with his recent interviews. Of late, Utah has come under heavy criticism in regards to steps taken by the Mormon church and Proposition 8.
Utah Democrats couldn’t help but show their enthusiasm for this coming presidential term. While Obama didn’t win the Utah Electoral votes, the Democrat did win the highest amount of votes since the 1964 election. He also showed that Utah is quickly closing the gap between Republicans and Democrats. It caught so much attention in fact, that during the election Hillary Rodham Clinton showed up to host a fund raising breakfast here.
The Depot played host to the most celebrated Utah Democratic Party since the 1960’s. With their hard work, heavy media exposure, and tireless efforts given to sway Utah’s votes to the Democratic party it became the end of several years of heavy campaigning and hard work. However, it’s just the beginning for many Utah Democrats with the next four years bringing hope, optimism, and change not only to the nation, but to our state as well.
The Utah Inauguration Ball was held at the Depot, located at 13 North 400 West in Salt Lake City. Tickets sold for $50 per person with private Balcony Boxes with personal waiter or waitress and table overlooking the stage for $800. For more information on the Depot, go to www.depotsl.com. For more information on the Utah Inaugural Ball and the Utah Democratic Party, go to www.utdemocrats.org.
