Barack Obama will host the first ever "Neighborhood Inaugural Ball" in Washington D.C.

The free event will take place at the Washington Convention Center as part of this year's inauguration during the evening of January 20th.

"This is an Inauguration for all Americans," Obama says. "I wanted to make sure that we had an event that would be open to our new neighborhood here in Washington, D.C., and also neighborhoods across the country. Michelle and I look forward to joining our fellow Americans across the country during this very special event."

The ball will feature interactive components, such as webcasts and text messaging, that will serve to link neighborhoods across the U.S. in real time with the event.