Joe Biden inauguration ceremony: Guest list, performers and where you can watch

WASHINGTON: President-elect Joe Biden will arrive in the nation’s capital on Tuesday evening for an inauguration eve ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool honoring the nearly 400,000 people who have died during the Covid-19 pandemic that will be his first priority after he is sworn in the next day.
The somber remembrance will kick off two days of in-person and virtual events as Biden takes the oath of office on Jan 20, becoming the 46th president of the United States at a time of economic struggle and cultural upheaval in the wake of President Donald Trump’s four years in the White House.
American singer-songwriter Garth Brooks will join celebrities scheduled to perform at Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan 20, alongside previously announced acts Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.

Celebrated actor Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute special that will lead into the ceremony. The special, titled 'Celebrating America' will be broadcast on social media as well as NewsNow from Fox, ABC, CBS and Amazon Prime Video.

Fox News reported that in addition to Hanks, stars like Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Ant Clemons and Jon Bon Jovi are expected to appear for performances during the special.

Instead of an in-person parade along Pennsylvania Avenue, Biden’s inaugural committee on Monday provided details about a virtual “Parade Across America” that will start at 3:15 Wednesday afternoon after Biden’s swearing-in.

The parade will be kicked off with Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris walking to the White House escorted by drum lines from the University of Delaware and Howard University, their alma maters. The virtual “parade” will include performances by the U.S. Coast Guard Band and the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon as well as marching bands, drill teams, scout troops, dancers and drummers from around the country.

The events will be livestreamed on multiple platforms, officials said, including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, and PBS, as well as on BidenInaugural.org/watch.

Biden spent about 45 minutes on Monday morning volunteering at a Philadelphia food bank to mark the national day of service and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Biden’s decision to volunteer at the food bank on Monday was consistent with many of his predecessors in both parties who frequently engaged in a public service event on the holiday.

Trump’s public schedule for Monday indicated, as it has on most days for the last several weeks, that he planned to “work from early in the morning until late in the evening” and “make many calls and have many meetings.”


*Inputs from NYT and ANI