MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Biden-Harris inaugural event 'Celebrating America': Date, time, lineup and where to watch Tom Hanks-hosted program

The program is expected to mark the induction of the Biden-Harris presidency, which is being dubbed by many as ‘historic’

A primetime special will be aired on major television networks celebrating the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on January 20. The program, titled ‘Celebrating America’ will be hosted by none other than veteran actor Tom Hanks, as confirmed by the Biden Inaugural Committee. The event will also feature performances by a number of celebrity singers including Job Bon Jovi and Justin Timberlake.

However, Biden and his team have encouraged their supporters to celebrate from home rather than attend the ceremonies in Washington and in light of security and public health concerns many traditions will be reimagined and downsized.

Date & Time

‘Celebrating America’ will be aired on January 20, 2021, at 8.30 pm ET. The program will have a duration of 90 minutes.

Theme

The program is expected to mark the induction of the Biden-Harris presidency, which is being dubbed by many as ‘historic’. “The program will highlight the strength of our democracy and our ability to come together during trying times and emerge stronger than ever before,” says the official declaration by the Biden Inaugural Committee.

The celebratory program is being held at a time when America is still reeling from the horrors of the January 6 US Capitol attack. Tony Allen, CEO of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said in a statement, “this inauguration presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the resilience and spirit of an America United. 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 primetime program,” he added.

Lineup

The 90-minute gala will witness performances by singers Jon Bon Jovi, Ant Clemons, Justin Timberlake and Demi Lovato. The entire list of performers will be announced over the course of the next few days. Celebrities performing at the event have expressed their honor and gratitude to be asked to perform at such an occasion.

Demi Lovato tweeted that she was left ‘speechless’ on being approached to perform at ‘Celebrating America’. “I’m SO honored to announce that I will be joining @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris for their special event, 'Celebrating America' on January 20th at 8.30 pm ET/PT ❤️🤍💙 I was left speechless when I was asked to perform! Tune in with various tv networks & live streaming services."

Justin Timberlake also posted about his honor to perform the song ‘Better Days’ with Ant Clemons at the event.

“A few months ago @AntClemons and I wrote BETTER DAYS. This song was our way of doing what little we could to encourage everyone to stay hopeful and to keep working towards a better future. I’m honored to announce we’ll be performing it for the Inauguration.”

“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,” he added in the thread. Ant Clemons retweeted BIC and Timberlake’s tweets with the hashtag ‘Better Days’. 

Veteran singer-songwriter Jon Bon Jovi will also be seen performing his classic hits at the event. 

Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Foo Fighters will also be performing. According to a press release, Kerry Washington and Eva Longoria will also have appearances. At the swearing-in ceremony, Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem, along with a performance by Jennifer Lopez.

The star of the show has to be host Tom Hanks. Americans cannot be more elated to see Tom Hanks as the host of the historic event. Social media went into a frenzy of happiness immediately after the BIC announced that the show will be hosted by none other than the legendary American icon. 

Where to watch

The program will be carried live by ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and MSNBC. It will be streamed live on PIC social media channels: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch. The PIC’s streaming partners, including Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW from Fox, and AT&T DIRECTV and U-verse, will also be carrying the program live. It is also scheduled to be streamed across the social media portals of the Biden Inaugural Committee.