WASHINGTON — Inauguration Day will be unlike any other this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and the violent siege on the Capitol on January 6.
The Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) has announced plans for a primetime special to usher in the Joe Biden presidency safely.
Dubbed "Celebrating America," the special will be hosted by Tom Hanks and include musical performances by Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and Ant Clemons. The committee said in a release that more guests were to be announced before the ceremony on January 20.
The special will air at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, ABC, CNN, NBC and MSNBC. It will also be streamed on social media platforms.
Through different segments and performances, the program will highlight the strength of our democracy, the perseverance of our people, and our ability to come together during trying times and emerge stronger than ever before. The program will celebrate American heroes who are helping their fellow Americans through this crisis, including frontline workers, health care workers, teachers, citizens giving back, and those who are breaking barriers, PIC said in a release.
“This inauguration presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the resilience and spirit of an America United. We have witnessed countless heroes this past year step up to the frontlines and serve their fellow Americans, so we are telling their stories, spreading their collective light, and celebrating the best of our country and its people with this prime-time program. Our first priority is safety — so while many of us will be watching safely from our homes, we are creating real moments of connection that highlight a new inclusive American era of leadership that works for and represents all Americans,” said PIC CEO Tony Allen.
Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem at Joe Biden's inauguration and Jennifer Lopez will give a musical performance on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol when Biden is sworn in.
For those who want to party from home, PIC is selling inauguration party boxes with cardboard cutouts of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, confetti, balloons and plastic champagne flutes.
On Wednesday the roads surrounding D.C.’s business district were blocked off and a seven-foot non-scalable fence could be seen around many of the country’s federal landmarks. It's part of the heavy security surrounding the city following the January 6 attack on the Capitol last week.