President-elect Joe Biden
Photographer: Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post / Getty Images
Photographer: Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post / Getty Images
President-elect Joe Biden will receive a reduced military escort at the White House instead of the traditional inaugural parade that stretches from the U.S. Capitol after his swearing-in on Jan. 20, his inaugural committee said Sunday. .
The inaugural festivities will also include a formal troop review and a “Virtual Parade Across America” for television with musical acts, music bands, poetry, dance troupes and essential workers.
The reduced inaugural plans represent another concession to the coronavirus pandemic, as Biden’s inaugural planners balance health and safety concerns with the representation of the constitutional ceremony.
“There are many great traditions at the inauguration, and we plan to honor them by highlighting more of the people of our nation than ever before, while keeping everyone safe,” said Presidential Inaugural Committee CEO Tony Allen , in a statement.
Inaugural planners have urged Biden supporters not to travel to Washington for the ceremony. Tickets for the oath are only available to members of Congress and their guests, and workers are descending the temporary grandstands of dignitaries to watch the traditional parade that stretches down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. .
Instead, the new commander-in-chief will conduct a socially distant “review step” away from troops from all branches of the army on the eastern front of the Capitol. The ceremonial units will then hear Biden from No. 15 NW Street to the White House, which intersects 16th Street.
The virtual parade will be produced by the same team that brought together the fully virtual national democratic convention in August, which used short videos from across the country instead of the traditional nominal call by states to nominate Biden as a Democratic candidate in the presidency. .
The announcement of the upcoming celebration in three weeks was released as Republicans prepared to launch a quixotic but controversial effort to challenge election results when Congress meets Wednesday to certify Biden as the winner of the election.