President-elect Joe Biden
Photographer: Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post / Getty Images
Photographer: Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post / Getty Images
Elected President Joe Biden will receive a shortened military escort to the White House instead of the traditional inaugural parade that stretches from the U.S. capital to his inauguration on Jan. 20, his inaugural committee said Sunday.
The inaugural festival will also include a formal revision of troops and a “Virtual Parade Across America” made for television featuring musical performances, marching bands, poetry, dance groups and essential workers.
The scaled-down entry plans represent another concession to the coronavirus pandemic, as Biden’s inauguration planners balance health and safety issues with the competition of the constitutional ceremony.
“There are many great traditions for initiation, and we plan to honor them by highlighting more of our people than ever before, while all are safe,” said Tony Allen, president of the presidential committee, in a statement.
The initial planners encouraged Biden supporters not to travel to Washington for the ceremony. Tickets for the swearing-in are only available to members of Congress and their guests, and workers take down the temporary stands for dignitaries to view the traditional parade that stretches through Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
Instead, the new commander-in-chief will do a socially distant “fit in review” of troops from every branch of the army on the eastern front of the Capitol. Ceremonial units will then accompany Biden from 15th Street NW to White House, which crosses 16th Street.
The virtual parade is being produced by the same team that put together the virtual Democratic National Convention in August, using short videos from across the country in place of the traditional Roll Call of the States to nominate Biden as the Democratic candidate for president . .
The announcement of the three-week celebration was announced as Republicans prepared to quixotic yet controversial attempt to challenge the election results when Congress convenes Wednesday to ratify Biden as the winner of the election.