Biden inauguration will include ‘presidential escort’ to White House, virtual parade

President-elect Joe Biden’s pared-down inauguration is slated to include a “presidential escort” to the White House and a virtual parade as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), a nonprofit tasked with planning the inauguration, announced Sunday that Biden’s swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20 will be followed by a “Pass in Review” at the Capitol and then the presidential escort and virtual parade. 

“There are many grand traditions to the inaugural and we plan to honor them by highlighting more of our nation’s people than ever before while keeping everyone safe,” PIC CEO Tony Allen said in a statement.

Biden, incoming first lady Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and incoming second gentleman Doug Emhoff will participate in the Pass in Review — a military tradition that represents the transition of power between administrations — on the East Front of the Capitol. 

During the Pass in Review, Biden reviews the readiness of the military troops, the committee said, noting that all branches will be represented while following COVID-19 safety regulations.

The president-elect will then be escorted from 15th Street to the White House in an event that will also feature every branch of the military, including the U.S. Army Band, a Joint Service Honor Guard and the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard Fife and Drum Corps from the 3rd U.S. Infantry “The Old Guard.”

The virtual parade for Inauguration Day will feature performances from across the country and will be televised. The committee said it plans to announce the participants in the parade “in the coming weeks.”

“The 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 PIC wrote in a release. 

PIC Executive Director Maju Varghese said that the fact that the parade is virtual “will keep people safe and use new ways to bring in Americans across the country — from rural towns and urban cities to younger and older Americans to everybody and everywhere in between.”