WASHINGTON (AP) – President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration will include a “virtual parade across America,” in line with crowd limits during the coronavirus era, organizers announced Sunday.
Following the inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 on the west side of the Capitol, Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, along with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, will participate in a socially detached Pass in Review on the opposite front of the Capitol. Those are military traditions where Biden will judge the readiness of military forces.
Biden will also receive a traditional presidential escort with representatives from every branch of the military from 15th Street in Washington to the White House. That, the Presidential Inaugural Commission says, will also be socially distanced, as it “provides the American people and the world with historic images of the President-elect going to the White House without attracting large crowds.”
Workers have begun to dismantle an inaugural parade review booth for the White House in recent days, as Biden’s transition team continues to prepare for festivities that will mostly be virtual. Accordingly, the organizers also said they will hold a virtual parade across the country to “ celebrate America’s heroes, showcase Americans from all walks of life in different states and regions, and reflect on the diversity, ” the country’s heritage and resilience as we start a new American. era. “
The parade event will be televised and feature “diverse, dynamic” performances in communities across the country, the inaugural committee promised. Participants will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are excited about the opportunities and opportunities that this moment offers to enable all Americans to participate in our country’s sacred inaugural traditions,” said Maju Varghese, president of the Presidential Inaugural Committee in a statement.