When is the 2021 Biden inauguration? Here's how to watch the festivities

Louisa Frahm
·3 min read
WILMINGTON, DE - AUGUST 12: Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden invites his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) to the stage to deliver remarks at the Alexis Dupont High School on August 12, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Harris is the first Black woman and first person of Indian descent to be a presumptive nominee on a presidential ticket by a major party in U.S. history. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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The tumultuous 2020 election cycle is finally coming to a close. On Wednesday, President Trump will leave office after serving a four-year term. President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States alongside Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The inauguration ceremonies are slated to begin shortly before 9 a.m. Pacific.

Los Angeles Times journalists will kick off the action with a pre-ceremony live chat starting at 7:30 a.m. Pacific.

Which cable networks are covering it?

Inauguration events will be covered by all major cable TV networks, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox News. ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Telemundo and Univision channels will also provide event coverage.

How can I stream it?

Sling, FuboTV, Hulu Live TV and CBS All Access plan to livestream inauguration events. Additionally, inauguration livestreams will be available on:

What events can I expect?

Several events will take place throughout the day:

Lady Gaga at a piano and a screen behind her says, "I am voting for Joe Biden."
Lady Gaga performed at a drive-in rally for then-Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden in November. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

Here are additional performances:

  • Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem

  • Jennifer Lopez will also perform

  • The Rev. Leo O'Donovan will read the invocation

  • Georgia firefighter Andrea Hall will lead the Pledge of Allegiance

  • First National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman will read a poem

  • The Rev. Silvester Beaman of Delaware will give the benediction

Inauguration festivities will be capped off with Tom Hanks' "Celebrating America" TV special at 5:30 p.m. Pacific, which will be broadcast on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC and PBS. Celebrities slated to appear include:

  • Demi Lovato

  • Jon Bon Jovi

  • Lin-Manuel Miranda

  • Justin Timberlake

  • Foo Fighters

  • Bruce Springsteen

  • John Legend

Is Trump going to be there?

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will not be attending any of the 2021 inauguration events. After election results were announced in November, Trump refused to concede for months. He first acknowledged his loss the day after a mob of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The horrific event led to Trump's second impeachment during his presidency.

The 2021 inauguration will be atypical. With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down large gatherings across the country, the usual boisterous inauguration parades and events aren't feasible. There will be increased security measures in Washington, D.C. to ensure minimal crowds, following the Capitol riot.

The Capitol riot exposed the fractured political nature of the United States. Biden hopes to address that divide with his inauguration theme: "America United." The Presidential Inaugural Committee has stated that this theme champions Biden's pledge to bring the country together when he takes office.

What are Biden's plans after the inauguration?

After assuming his new role, Biden plans to focus on immigration, climate change and COVID-19. Next, he'll tackle other policies on his long-term presidential agenda.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.