BARACK OBAMA’S presidential team must prepare for a looming social drama that could bring Washington to a halt on his first day in office.

Unprecedented excitement over the historic inauguration of America’s first black president is threatening to swamp the nation’s capital with a chaotic, week-long street party that may end up resembling a Martin Luther King rally held at the Woodstock festival.

Part solemn political ritual and part popular celebration, the formal swearing-in ceremonies on January 20 are expected to attract up to 4m visitors competing for 240,000 tickets to official functions, and only 95,000 hotel rooms.

Some of the biggest names in entertainment will lead the charge, including Hollywood liberals who kept low profiles during the election campaign for fear of hurting Obama’s chances. Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon, Oprah Winfrey and Anne Hathaway are expected at inaugural balls. Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé Knowles and Elvis Costello are among musicians vying to perform. The MTV channel is hosting its own “Be the Change” ball, to be televised live from the Ronald Reagan conference centre nearby.

Washington officials are bracing themselves for a near meltdown of municipal services. Most hotel rooms were booked weeks ago, and tens of thousands of people will sleep in cars, buses or public parks.

City regulators have already suspended rules governing the renting of private homes, and hundreds of local homeowners are cashing in on the accommodation shortage. Houses have reportedly been rented for more than $50,000 (£33,000) for inauguration week.

The city has warned that its suburban metro service will not cope with demand, and that anyone hoping to attend the noon swearing-in ceremony should start queuing for trains at 4am. Yet the prospect of mass misery has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of countless Obama supporters determined to share in a moment that African-Americans were convinced would never come.

Many visitors have been encouraged by the president-elect’s repeated pledges to make the White House more accessible to ordinary Americans. Desirée Rogers, an Obama family friend named last week as the next White House social secretary, said the new president would be “inviting all of America and all of the world” to share in the new administration.

Obama has appointed a high-powered team of executives and fundraisers to organ-ise the inaugural festivities, and has barred contributions from businesses, unions and other special-interest groups. He has also limited individual contributions to $50,000 (£32,600), compared with the $250,000 (£163,000) cap Bush introduced four years ago.

Yet even in an economic crisis, money seems not to be a problem when it comes to celebrating Obama - at least not for Hollywood celebrities. The Creative Coalition, the Hollywood lobbying group, is charging up to $100,000 (£65,000) for VIP tickets to its inaugural ball. Its organising committee includes a host of film stars and executives, among them Barry Levinson, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Alan Cumming.

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