The events surrounding Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president span three days, beginning Thursday afternoon.
Thursday
Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence will first attend a wreath-laying ceremony at 3 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery, where more than 400,000 military veterans and family members are buried.
Trump will then speak at a 4 p.m. celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. The event will feature musical performances from country singers Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood, as well as rock band 3 Doors Down and others.
Thursday evening, Trump, Pence and other officials are expected to attend a candlelight dinner with campaign donors at 7:30 at Washington’s Union Station.
Friday
Friday is the day the White House transitions from President Barack Obama to Donald Trump.
Trump and his family will attend a worship service in the morning before going to the White House at 9:30 a.m. with his wife, Melania, for coffee with Obama and his wife, Michelle. In keeping with tradition, the outgoing and incoming president will then ride together from the White House down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol for the inauguration ceremony.
At the Capitol, Trump and Pence will each take their oath of office at noon surrounded by top U.S. officials and former leaders with hundreds of thousands of people watching from the National Mall.
Trump’s oath will be administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts using a Trump family bible and one known as the Lincoln Bible, which Obama used in both of his inauguration ceremonies. Pence will take his oath from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Trump, like every president before him, will give an inaugural address. Some of the addresses have been very short, coming in at just a few hundred words, while the longest stretched on for more than 8,400 words. Obama’s were about 2,100 words and 2,400 words.
At the end of the ceremony, the Obamas will exit the Capitol and resume their lives as private citizens.
Inside the Capitol, a lunch will be held in honor of the new administration.
Trump and Pence will then travel back down Pennsylvania Avenue in a parade to the White House. The parade features floats, citizen groups and bands to entertain the thousands of people who line the street.
Friday night, Trump is to attend three official inaugural balls, a tradition that dates back to 1809. Many other unofficial balls will be held in Washington.
Saturday
Saturday morning brings the last official event with the National Prayer Breakfast at 10 a.m. at Washington National Cathedral.
