Joe Biden's inauguration: Which celebrities are performing, where and how to watch
Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Garth Brooks, Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Jones, Eva Longoria and Tom Hanks are among the stars tapped to appear during Joe Biden's inauguration festivities this week, the Presidential Inaugural Committee has announced.
Biden will be inaugurated at noon ET on Wednesday, becoming the 46th president of the United States. Most of the events surrounding the swearing-in will be virtually focused, in part due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as well as fresh security concerns following a pro-Trump mob breaching the Capitol last week.
"This inauguration presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the resilience and spirit of an America united," PIC CEO Tony Allen said in a statement. "We have witnessed countless heroes this past year step up to the frontlines and serve their fellow Americans, so we are telling their stories, spreading their collective light and celebrating the best of our country and its people with this prime-time program."
All events are scheduled to be live-streamed on the Biden inauguration website. Some, where noted, will also be picked up on television broadcasts and social media platforms.
Continue scrolling for a rundown of Wednesday's star-studded events leading up to and following Biden's inauguration.
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Inaugural Ceremonies performances
The committee has also announced the Inauguration Day ceremony lineup, which features Garth Brooks, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.
"The message they're pushing is unity, and that's right down my alley, man," Brooks said Monday in a news conference. "if we're gonna get anywhere, we're gonna get there together."
Gaga, who is pegged to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner," has previous experience with the national anthem, singing (and nailing) it for Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
At the swearing-in ceremony, the Rev. Leo O’Donovan, a former Georgetown University president, will give the invocation, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Andrea Hall, a firefighter from Georgia. There will be a poetry reading from Amanda Gorman, the first national youth poet laureate, and the benediction will be given by the Rev. Silvester Beaman of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware.
When: Wednesday, time TBD
Where to watch: In addition to the Biden Inaugural website and PIC social media channels, the event will be available all major networks and social media platforms, plus Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW from Fox, and AT&T U-verse (Channel 212/1212 in SD/HD) and DIRECTV (Channel 201).
Virtual Parade Across America
A virtual “Parade Across America” will take place following Biden's swearing-in and visit to Arlington National Cemetery, and includes performers and other representatives from all 50 states and several U.S. territories.
When: Wednesday, 3:15 p.m. EST
Celebrities participating:
Hosted by "Scandal" actor Tony Goldwyn
Comedian Jon Stewart
Earth, Wind and Fire
New Radicals
"Rise Up" singer and actress Andra Day
University of Delaware and Howard University Drumlines
TikTok star Nathan Apodaca
Olympic athletes
Virtual 2021 Inaugural Gospel Celebration
This musical celebration will feature honored guests Biden and Harris.
When: Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST
Celebrities participating:
Hosted by Anthony Anderson
Fred Hammond
Marvin Sapp
Tasha Cobb
Koryn Hawthorne
Bryan Popin
Celebrating America
"Celebrating America," a 90-minute live special, will air the evening of President-elect Biden's inauguration, and will feature remarks from Biden and Harris, as well as tributes to COVID-19 first responders.
When: Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EST/PST
Celebrities participating:
Hosted by Tom Hanks
Rock icon Jon Bon Jovi
Musician/actor Justin Timberlake
Pop singer Demi Lovato
"Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda
Singer-songwriter Ant Clemons
Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen
Singer-songwriter John Legend
Singer Katy Perry
Actress Kerry Washington
Actress Eva Longoria
Rock band Foo Fighters
Country singer-songwriters Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard
Soul duo Black Pumas
DJ Cassidy's "Pass the Mic," featuring Ozuna and Luis Fonsi
Celebrity chef José Andrés
Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Labor leader Dolores Huerta
MLB's first female general manager Kim Ng
Where to watch: The event will air live on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC and PBS. Additionally, it will be streamed live on the PIC's social media channels: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch; and will be available on Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW from Fox, and AT&T DirecTV and U-verse.
"Our first priority is safety –so while many of us will be watching safely from our homes, we are creating real moments of connection that highlight a new inclusive American era of leadership that works for and represents all Americans," Allen said.
Many of the announced performers for the special have all previously delved into the world of politics. Timberlake crashed a Zoom meeting of Pennsylvanian phone bankers for Biden on Nov. 2 to thank them for their behind-the-scenes work. He also teamed up with Clemons for the song "Better Days," which he said they will perform at inauguration after it was initially created for December's Rock the Runoff virtual concert fundraiser organized by Stacey Abrams and Fair Fight.
"We have a long way to go to fix, undo, and rebuild this country... but I hope now, despite the past four years, we’re on our way," Timberlake tweeted Wednesday.
Lovato has been an outspoken supporter of the Biden-Harris campaign and recently took a political stance in her music with her anti-Trump song "Commander-in-Chief." Bon Jovi, who previously served on Barack Obama's White House Council for Community Solutions, performed at several Biden campaign events this election season.
Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball
The Creative Coalition is also holding a virtual "Inaugural Ball" hosted by Judy Gold, which will be an "experiential and interactive party with VIP guests," including celebrities and politicians.
When: Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST.
Celebrities participating:
KT Tunstall
Jason Alexander
David Arquette
Karamo Brown
Yvette Nicole Brown
Lea DeLaria
Keegan-Michael Key
Alyssa Milano
Randy Rainbow
Michael Ian Black
Wendi McLendon-Covey
Ted Danson
Ellen Burstyn
Contributing: Matthew Leimkuehler, The (Nashville) Tennessean; Savannah Behrmann and Michael Collins, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden inauguration performances: How to watch, which stars will attend