Biden inauguration: Your guide to what happens when - from the swearing-in to Lady Gaga's national anthem
A host of stars are involved in events to mark the big day, such as Jennifer Lopez, Tom Hanks, Katy Perry and Bruce Springsteen.
Wednesday 20 January 2021 17:19, UK
Joe Biden becomes the 46th president of the United States today - with an inauguration ceremony he hopes will start a national healing process after four divisive years.
The new president and his inaugural committee plan to showcase diversity, emphasising "the beginning of a new national journey, one that restores the soul of America and brings Americans together".
Here is your guide to the events throughout the day and night.
What and when - and who?
Events started at around 11am local time (4pm GMT) with the invocation, read by the Reverend Leo O'Donovan, a Jesuit priest who is the former president of Georgetown University and a close friend of the Biden family.
The Pledge of Allegiance, read this year by Andrea Hall, the first black female firefighter to become captain of the Fire Rescue Department in South Fulton, Georgia.
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Then comes the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, sung by Lady Gaga, who campaigned with Mr Biden on domestic violence when he was vice president and campaigned for him in the 2020 election.
Amanda Gorman, America's first Youth Poet Laureate, will read a poem she has written for the occasion called The Hill We Climb.
She will be followed by performances by Jennifer Lopez, and Garth Brooks.
A long-time friend of the Biden family, the Reverend Silvester Beaman, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware, will deliver a benediction.
Mr Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as president and vice president shortly after noon US time (about 5pm GMT).
As is tradition, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, will administer the oath of office to Mr Biden.
He will take the oath with his hand on his 127-year-old family Bible, held by his wife, Jill.
Ms Harris will be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the Supreme Court.
She will use two Bibles, one that belonged to a close family friend and another that belonged to Thurgood Marshall, the country's first African American Supreme Court justice, and one of her heroes.
Then comes Mr Biden's first presidential address to the country, expected to last just over 20 minutes.
Star power
Remember 2016, when some big names turned down invitations to perform for Donald Trump, aghast at his shock victory over Hollywood's political heartthrob, Hillary Clinton?
No such issues for his successor, with organisers having bagged some of the world's biggest stars.
As if having Gaga perform the national anthem wasn't enough, Jennifer Lopez and country music star Garth Brooks, who also played Barack Obama's inauguration, will perform.
"They [Gaga and Lopez] represent one clear picture of the grand diversity of our great nation," his team said in a statement, also noting Gaga's advocacy of LGBTQ issues, and Lopez's work raising awareness about the impact of coronavirus on Latinos.
Later on, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Katy Perry and Foo Fighters are among the acts booked for the evening TV special.
Diversity
Emphasising the changing mood in Washington, a career firefighter, Andrea Hall, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
She and Amanda Gorman, the inaugural US National Youth Poet Laureate, who will give a poetry reading, are both black.
Two members of the clergy will take part, one of whom, Reverend Silvester Beaman of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, is a pastor from Mr Biden's hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
He and Father Leo O'Donovan are both close to the Biden family.
Ms Gorman will be continuing a tradition - for Democratic presidents - that includes such celebrated poets as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.
Traditions
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in on the West Front of the US Capitol as usual, but not every tradition will be followed.
Living former presidents usually attend, but there will be no Donald Trump, who has declined to go and may have already arrived in Florida by now.
He becomes the first president to skip his successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. Vice President Mike Pence will attend, however.
Other previous occupants of the White House - Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton - and their wives will be there, but Jimmy Carter, 96, and his wife Rosalynn Carter will not.
There will be an inspection of the troops at the Capitol, but the traditional parade along Pennsylvania Avenue - the road outside the White House - which usually follows has been cancelled.
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Also off this year is the customary lunch that follows the inaugural ceremony, and the inaugural balls have been cancelled.
One of the more prominent inauguration galas, The Creative Coalition's quadrennial ball, a benefit for arts education, is entirely virtual this year.
No crowds
In a big departure from past inaugurations, the National Mall, where thousands traditionally gather to see the new president sworn in - will be closed to the public on inauguration day due to threats of violence from groups who attacked the Capitol.
Organisers had already announced that they would not be issuing tickets for those who can attend closer to the ceremony, but this latest closure extends to the entire mall area.
Only authorised people will be allowed in, one official said, such as those working on the entertainment programme planned for later in the evening.
Heavy security
Up to 25,000 members of the US National Guard are expected to be in the nation's capital to help provide security, turning the city centre into an armed fortress, with roads closed and barbed wire.
"It's like a ghost town but with soldiers," said Dana O'Connor, as she and her husband walked past concrete barriers near the White House on Sunday.
"It's eerie. It feels super unnatural," she said.
The troops' task is to ensure there is no repeat of the chaos and violence of the deadly riot at the US Capitol by making sure no one is there who shouldn't be.
The deployment reflects continuing anger - and fear - stemming from the attack on Congress by pro-Trump supporters, which resulted in an historic second impeachment for the president.
Only about 8,000 National Guard members were present during Mr Trump's own inauguration in 2017.
The Department of Homeland Security is also implementing a security lockdown in downtown Washington.
In a sign of the growing anxiety in the city, Mr Biden has decided not to travel there from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, by train.
The TV special
With little in the way of public interaction because of the pandemic, the PIC has organised a prime-time Inauguration Day TV programme entitled "Celebrating America" for the evening.
It will air between 8.30pm and 10pm coast to coast (after 1am Thursday GMT), featuring remarks by Mr Biden and Kamala Harris, celebrity performances and segments highlighting "America's resiliency".
Hosted by Tom Hanks, it will include performances by Foo Fighters, John Legend, and Bruce Springsteen from iconic locations across the country.
Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Ant Clemons. Katy Perry and Jon Bon Jovi will also play the show - which aims to "celebrate the beginning of a new national journey toward an America united".
Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington will introduce segments throughout the night ranging from stories of young people making a difference in their communities, to musical performances.
The programme showcases "the American people's resilience, heroism, and unified commitment to coming together as a nation to heal and rebuild".
The show will be carried live by major broadcasters ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and MSNBC as well as being streamed live on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and Amazon Prime Video.
The committee said in a statement: "This inauguration represents the beginning of a new national journey, one that restores the soul of America and brings Americans together."
Five-day celebration
There is also a series of events over five days under the banner of "America United".
It began on Monday with "United We Serve", a National Day of Service on what is Martin Luther King Jr Day.
Tuesday saw a nationwide COVID-19 Memorial to Lives Lost.
As well as the inaugural ceremonies, Wednesday has a wreath-laying service at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
The customary parade along Pennsylvania Avenue has been replaced with a "Parade Across America".
A public art display, named "Field Of Flags", made up of 191,500 US flags and 56 pillars of light, will cover part of the National Mall to represent every US state and territory and those unable to travel to the capital.