The Presidential inauguration date is Wednesday, January 20, as ordered by the 20th Amendment of the US Constitution. And just like the 2020 election, this year’s event will be unlike any other in history — and not just because our new Vice President is a woman of color.
What is the Presidential inauguration?
Presidential inauguration 2021: COVID-19 and safety concerns mean high-alert
In 2021, concerns over COVID-19 – and security — will make this inauguration different. “My husband and I talked about going to DC for this inauguration,” Linda Schwartz, a Sacramento area mother of three, told Mom.com. “Instead, he’ll sit with me and we will be opening a bottle of champagne. And I plan on celebrating. And Zooming with my family.”
There is a bipartisan Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for planning the logistics and Presidential inauguration timeline. In typical years, the Committee distributes around 200,000 tickets to members of Congress to pass on to their constituents. Thanks to COVID-19, they have only issued a little over 1,000 tickets this year — enough to cover each of the 535 members of Congress plus one guest. Everyone participating will be complying with COVID-19 safety measures: masks, social distancing, and the like.
In addition to changes necessitated by the pandemic, the 2021 inauguration is taking place just two weeks after a historic insurrection at the Capitol. The Secret Service has ordered heightened security to ensure the safety of this year’s participants.
In many other ways, the event will be consistent with past inaugurations: The oaths of office will be followed by the new President’s inaugural address. There will be a military Pass in Review, which shows off the readiness of the troops. And as in past years, the Bidens will be escorted on foot back to the White House by representatives of each branch of the military. But this year, the street will not be lined with throngs of cheering onlookers, and there will be extra security every step of the way.
The Biden-Harris Inaugural Committee has also announced a virtual parade that will include participants from all over the country. This is being produced by the same team that organized July’s Democratic National Convention.
Other differences this year are related to the very weird political moment we are in. The outgoing President is traditionally among the inaugural attendees, and it is usual for him and the First Lady to host the President-elect and his wife and walk or ride together to the Capitol. But as of this writing, President Trump has indicated that he will not attend Biden’s inauguration at all.
