Joe Biden and Kamala Harris officially became president and vice president at Wednesday’s 59th Inaugural Ceremony, appearing alongside their families and other lawmakers at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
Biden, continuing a theme from his campaign, delivered a speech calling for unity after taking the oath of office.
“This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge and unity is the path forward,” Biden said. “And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.”
The new administration has a jam-packed first afternoon, having already participated in a Congressional gift-giving ceremony, conducted a Pass in Review inspection of the troops on Capitol Hill, and traveled to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. All of the proceedings are live streamed on the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies’ website.
And the Presidential Inaugural Committee is hosting plenty of other virtual events into the late evening, hoping to accommodate the thousands of Americans who were not able to travel to the nation’s capital this year.
Here are the inaugural events still to come:
Biden will 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 Committee says, will be socially distanced too, while “providing the American people and world with historic images of the President-elect proceeding to the White House without attracting large crowds.”
Tony Goldwyn, Jon Stewart, New Radicals, and other stars will kick off the virtual “Parade Across America” on Wednesday afternoon.
The parade event will be televised and feature “diverse, dynamic” performances in communities across the country, including: Earth Wind & Fire, Nile Rodgers, Kathy Sledge, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, the Washington Chorus, and the Triumph Baptist Church Choir.
Director and choreographer Kenny Ortega will also lead a nation-wide “Dance Across America” event, featuring 275 participants in 30 states and two territories.
This star-studded post-inauguration event that will feature performances from A-list actors and award-winning singers alike.
The event, which will be hosted by “Greyhound” actor Tom Hanks, will “showcase the American people’s resilience, heroism, and unified commitment to coming together as a nation to heal and rebuild,” according to a press release. Titled “Celebrating America,” the program will cap five days of events leading up to next Wednesday’s inauguration — the theme of which is “America United.”
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will each deliver remarks during the 90-minute prime-time program, and will be followed up by performances from stars including Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Ant Clemons, and Jon Bon Jovi.
On Wednesday, the Biden Inaugural Committee announced that joining the star-studded roster will be Eva Longoria, Kerry Washington, the Foo Fighters, John Legend, and Bruce Springsteen.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.