Biden Inauguration Will Feature National ‘Virtual Parade’
Organizers for Joe Biden’s inauguration announced Sunday (January 3) new details about the proposed plans for January 20 that will be less pomp and circumstance and more geared towards the current way many in the country currently connect with one another. The inauguration committee promises to showcase a “virtual parade across America” in lieu of the in person, crowded walk along Pennsylvania Avenue that has become traditional for new presidents as they take office. The plan is also consistent with crowd limits in accordance with COVID-19 protocols.
The President-elect along with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in on the west front of the U.S. Capitol. According to the Associated Press, they are both scheduled to participate in a socially distanced Pass in Review, which addresses the readiness of military troops, on the Capitol’s opposite front side.
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.
Most of Biden’s Inauguration Day festivities will reportedly be virtual. According to the AP, organizers have explained that the virtual parade will “celebrate America’s heroes, highlight Americans from all walks of life in different states and regions, and reflect on the diversity, heritage, and resilience of the country as we begin a new American era.”
The virtual parade will be televised and feature “diverse” and “dynamic” performances in communities across the country. Participants are slated to be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are excited about the possibilities and opportunities this moment presents to allow all Americans to participate in our country’s sacred inaugural traditions,” Presidential Inaugural Committee Executive Director Maju Varghese said in a statement, according to the AP.