Celebrities and music stars to host inaugural ball

Washington: Roll out the red carpet! Paparazzi, ready your cameras! Hollywood and rock stars are bringing their own razzle-dazzle to President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

Anne Hathaway, Susan Sarandon, Marcia Cross, Tim Robbins, Seal, Adrian Grenier, Ashley Judd, Jane Krakowski, Rachael Leigh Cook, Blair Underwood and directors Spike Lee and Ron Howard are confirmed. And that's just a partial list of the hosts for an unofficial inaugural ball.

Elvis Costello is the headliner and rock stars Sting and Sam Moore will also appear, according to The Creative Coalition. The ball is a fundraising event for the nonprofit arts and entertainment advocacy group.

The event will kick off in Washington's Harman Centre for the Arts the night of January 20, when Obama is sworn in as the nation's 44th president. Musical guests are scheduled to perform until midnight.

Besides the star-studded lineup, confirmed hosts also include members of Congress as well as policy, media and business leaders.

This won't be the only celebrity ball for the inauguration, which typically attracts plenty of glitzy affairs. Events across Washington are expected to be attended by plenty of A-listers and political power players.

For example, former Vice President Al Gore will be the honorary chair of the 2009 Green Inaugural Ball on January 19 at the National Portrait Gallery.

About two dozen environmental organisations are on the event's host committee.