WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2009 Latino Inaugural Gala committee announced today a slate of celebrated artists and entertainers confirmed to participate in the festivities taking place on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at Union Station (www.LatinoInauguralGala2009.org). Among the artists slated to appear are: Marc Anthony, Paulina Rubio, Rosario Dawson, Tony Plana, War, Cucu Diamantes & Yerba Buena, Elida Reyna, and Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Additional big name artists and celebrities are expected to be named early next week. To receive the latest up-to-the minute updates on new entertainment/celebrity announcements and other breaking Latino Inaugural Gala news, please text "gala" to 35328.

"It is inspiring to have so many talented and admired Latino entertainers willing to come together in celebration of our nation's 44th President, the Honorable Barack Obama, and of the historic role Latinos played in this election," stated Esther Aguilera, President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), one of the co-hosts of the Latino Inaugural Gala. "This will truly be an impressive display of the musical and cultural contributions that our community has to offer."

"Bringing together such an incredible variety of entertainers will ensure that the Latino Inaugural Gala will be, without a doubt, one of the greatest and most memorable inaugural celebrations to date," stated Ramona Martinez, Chair of the DNC Hispanic Caucus, one of the organizations co-hosting the event.

With additional celebrities, entertainers and high-profile political figures expected to announce their participation in the coming days, tickets are expected to sell out (for more information on ticket sales, visit www.LatinoInauguralGala2009.org. Additional information on celebrity entertainment can also be found on this website).

"Voto Latino is thrilled that so many celebrities participated in the 2008 election by marching voters to the polls, phone banking, throwing concerts, and walking precincts registering new voters," said Maria Teresa Peterson, Executive Director of Voto Latino, another organization co-hosting the Gala event. "The Latino Inaugural Gala is a celebration of our community's collective effort that by working together across all disciplines we can achieve a voice for a new generation of Americans. We must continue our momentum to ensure that this political awakening translates into political power that includes quality education, healthcare and more."

Additional Co-Hosts of the event include the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI), the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

All proceeds raised from the 2009 Latino Inaugural Gala will go to support the vision of creating a National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, D.C. This gala's beneficiary nonprofit, Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino, is dedicated to helping take the idea of such a museum from dream to reality.

While sponsorship opportunities are still available, many corporations have already partnered with the Latino Inaugural Gala's co-hosts to help ensure the most successful event possible. Some of these corporate partners include AT&T, Western Union, Comcast, DirecTV, Prudential, Time-Warner, Anheuser-Busch, Microsoft, IBC Bank, and Kraft.

Tickets are on sale now at $200 each and can be purchased on-line at www.LatinoInauguralGala2009.org. Tickets are sold on a first-come first-serve basis. Information on sponsorship opportunities is also available on the gala website. For any additional questions regarding sponsorship opportunities for the Latino Inaugural Gala, please contact Maria Cardona at mcardona@deweysquare.com. To receive the latest up-to-the minute updates on new entertainment/celebrity announcements and other breaking Latino Inaugural Gala news, please text "gala" to 35328 .