The inaugural balls are well underway in our nation's capitol Monday night, bringing to a close a full day of festivities.

Marin County resident Michael Kowalczyk is attending the Commander in Chief ball Monday night with his 14-year-old stepson.

Kowalczyk says they're going to pay tribute to his brother, who died in combat in Iraq.

"I'm going entirely because of things my brother did, so I think for my stepson and I we're there with a lot of gratitude and honoring the troops that will be there. I mean there'll be Medal of Honor winners there," Kowalczyk says. "In short there's a lot of people and families who've sacrificed a lot."

KQED's Stephanie Martin spoke with The California Report's Scott Shafer, who is in Washington D.C., about inauguration day and the Californians who were there.