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This years inauguration will be unlike any other in history. The Presidential Inaugural Committee and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser have asked people to stay home and watch the festivities virtually, anddue to the pandemic and the potential of violence from pro-Trump extremiststhat doesnt sound like a bad idea. So, whats there to do? Heres a schedule of events around town, both official and unofficial, to celebrate one of the strangest inaugurations in history.

Kick off: The first official event from the Presidential Inaugural Committee is the show America United: An Inauguration Welcome Event Celebrating Americas Changemakers. Catch performances from Black Pumas and Resistance Revival Chorus. Other big names in attendance include Whoopi Goldberg, actor/comedian Cristela Alonzo, actor/musician Darren Criss, Nik Dodani (from Netflixs Atypical), Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and New York Congresswoman Grace Meng.Details: Saturday 1/16 at 7 PM; Free, stream the show online here.

Sing along: There will be a special We the People Concert, which is a fundraiser for the inaugural committee. Hosted by Keegan-Michael Key and Debra Messing, the virtual show will feature Carole King, James Taylor, will.i.am, AJR, Michael Bivins, Fall Out Boy, and Ben Harper. Other guests include Kal Penn,Connie Britton, Sophia Bush and Jamie Camil.Details: Sunday 1/17 at 8 PM; $5-$50, buy tickets here.

Pup champagne: While Joe Biden might be the star of every other show, its Major Biden who will be getting all the attention at this virtual Indoguration party from the Delaware Humane Association and Pumpkin Pet Insurance. Major, the first doggo to go from shelter to the White House, was adopted by the Bidens in 2018 from the Wilmington-based shelter. So, theyre celebrating the German shepherd with a fundraising event thats billed as the worlds largest virtual party for dogs. Todaycontributor Jill Martin will host the party, which will also include a fun competition: Submit your own pup to be the Secretary of Rescue Dogs, obviously a high-profile Cabinet position. Featured guest Sir Darius Brown, a teenage animal advocate who crafts doggie bow ties, will choose a winner (and top contenders will receive a bow tie as a prize). Details: Sunday, January 17 at 3 PM; $10 minimum donation (proceeds go to the Delaware Humane Association), buy tickets here.

For the youth: Have you explained this chaotic time of presidential transition to kids? If youre struggling, Adventure Theatre is here to help. The youth-focused organization is virtually hosting a talk called Teachable Moment on the Peaceful Transition of Power. Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass and Adventure Theatre artistic director Chil Kong will discuss the history of presidential transitions on Facebook. Details: Sunday, January 17 at 2 PM; Free, watch it here.

Give back: The Presidential Inaugural Committee has organized a National Day of Service to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You can volunteer to help virtually, or sign up for a more hands-on (yet still Covid-safe) opportunity. There are dozens of partners, including the Rock Creek Conservancy and the O Street Museum Foundation. Details: All day Monday at various locations; find out more here.

Another star-studded show: To conclude the holiday, the committee is hosting an MLK celebration with Bernice King, Martin Luther King III, Al Sharpton, and Rosario Dawson. See musical artists Yo-Yo Ma, Chesca, Aloe Blacc, Andra Day, Diane Warren, and Bebe Winans. Other attendees include Congresswoman Sharice Davids and actors Sean Patrick Thomas and Lynn Whitfield.Details: Monday 1/18 at 8 PM; Free, stream the show online here.

Madam Vice President: Explore the life of Kamala Harris on the eve of her ascension to the Vice Presidency with reporter Dan Morain, author of the newly released Kamalas Way: An American Life. In a virtual event with Politics and Prose, hell chat with Washington Post columnist Karen Tumulty about Harriss career from California prosecutor to headline-making Senator to presidential candidateand, now, historic Veep. Details: Tuesday January, 19 at 8 PM; Free ($28-$36 for a ticket with the book included), register here.

For West Wing nerds: Hang with President Bartlet in Mr. President: An Evening with Martin Sheen, an online event from Smithsonian Associates. Sheen will talk to U.S. News & World Report White House correspondent Ken Walsh about his fictional presidency, the enduring influence of the West Wing in pop culture, and how the show affected the nations view of politicians IRL. Tuesday, January 19 at 6:30 PM; $20-$25, buy tickets here.

In memoriam: To honor the more than 380,000 lives lost to Covid-19, the Presidential Inaugural Committee is hosting a ceremony that will light up the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial. Other cities across the country are invited to ring church bells and light up their buildings to mark a national moment of unity and remembrance. Tuesday, January 19 at 5:30 PM.

Details: Youll be able to watch the full days events on cable news or you canstream it on YouTube here. (Everything will also be available on the Presidential Inaugural Committees social channels, including Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch.)

Its official: The swearing-in ceremony will be at noon; Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take their oaths on the west side of the Capitol building. Lady Gaga will sing the National Anthem and Jennifer Lopez will be the musical performer. Also on the agenda: a reading from poet Amanda Gorman. Former Georgetown University president Father Leo ODonovan will give the invocation, while the benediction will come from Reverend Dr. Silvester Beaman of Delaware. Andrea Hall, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3920, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

After the oaths: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Kamala Harris, and Doug Emhoff will participate in the traditional pass in review on the east side of the Capitol to review the readiness of military troops and mark the peaceful transfer of power to a new Commander-in-Chief, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

The escort: Joe Biden will get a Presidential Escort on 15th Street as he heads to the White House. Hell be accompanied by the US Army Band, the Commander-in-Chiefs Guard and Fife and Drum Corp, and more.

Parade: The inaugural parade is going virtual this year. While the lineup is still TBD, the event is expected to include a diverse array of performances from locations across the country.

Across the river: Biden, Dr. Biden, Harris, and Emhoff will go to Arlington National Cemetery to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Joining them will be Barack and Michelle Obama, George and Laura Bush, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

The actual party: Tom Hanks will host Celebrating America, an evening TV program that will feature Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as well as performances from Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato, Ant Clemons, and Justin Timberlake. Other performers announced Friday include Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, and Foo Fighters. The 90-minute show will recognize American heroes who are helping their fellow Americans through this crisis, including frontline workers, healthcare workers, teachers, citizens giving back, and those who are breaking barriers, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington will be part of the program as well.

If you want more of Major: Both Biden doggos get the spotlight in the new illustrated childrens book, Champ and Major: First Dogs. Author Joy McCullough will talk about the new White House pup stars at a virtual Politics and Prose event. Details: Thursday, January 21 at 11 AM; free ($25 with book included), register here.

This post has been updated.

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Web Producer/Writer

Rosa joined Washingtonian in 2016 after graduating from Mount Holyoke College. She covers arts and culture for the magazine. Shes written about anti-racism efforts at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, dinosaurs in the revamped fossil hall at the Smithsonians Natural History Museum, and the horrors of taking a digital detox. When she can, she performs with her familys Puerto Rican folkloric music ensemble based in Jersey City. She lives in Adams Morgan.

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15 Things to Do in DC to Celebrate Inauguration 2021 - Washingtonian