Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as president and vice president shortly after 11am CST, and Biden will deliver his first presidential address to the country. At night, he is forgoing the traditional inaugural balls because of the pandemic, and he will instead take part in a television event called "Celebrating America."

Absent will be President Trump, making him the first president to skip his successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. Vice President Mike Pence will attend.

Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday in a ceremony that will keep with tradition while being unlike any other inauguration in U.S. history.

There will be pomp, ceremony, former presidents, congressional leaders, A-list performers, parades and tributes to the troops — but before a small, socially distanced audience in a city that has been locked down because of the dual threats of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed almost 400,000 people in the U.S., and possible domestic terrorism after the deadly violence at the U.S. Capitol.

One thing there won't be is an argument that Biden will have drawn the biggest crowd in inauguration history — he and officials in Washington, D.C.,hope it will be the smallest, with people watching from their couches instead of the National Mall.

Among those participating Wednesday are pop superstars Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, rock icon Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and country superstar Garth Brooks.

Here's what to expect Inauguration Day — and night.

FULL RUN DOWN ON NBC.COM

Big Boy's Neighborhood

About Big Boy's Neighborhood