The U.S. Army is marking its250th anniversarySaturday, June 14, with a day-long festival,music performances, fireworks and a pomp-filled processionthrough the streets of the nation's capitalin a display withfew precedents. The parade and festival, coinciding withPresident Donald Trump's 79th birthday andFlag Day, will consumeseveral blocks of central Washington, D.C., taking place primarily on the National Mall. The day kicks off at about 8:15 a.m. ET with a wreath-laying ceremony headed by Sec. of DefensePete Hegsethat Arlington National Cemetery. It will be livestreamedhere, and followed by a succession of all-day events including an evening parade and wrapping up with a fireworks display. The parade, along with several other events and concerts, will also be livestreamed. The festivities are the "opening event" for the yearlong celebration of America's 250th birthday in 2026, organizers say. While planning for the 2026 bisesquicentennial started nearly nine years ago by anact of Congress, planning began for the June 14 parade a little over a month ago, according to USA TODAYreporting. The administration has repeatedly said that the Army's anniversary and Trump's birthday are coincidental, though it is unclear if the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps will get their own celebrations during their250th birthdays this fall. Here is the latest schedule of events, as of aJune 11 information sheetpublished by the U.S. Army's Public Affairs team, along with how to watch. Keep track of Washington:Sign upfor USA TODAY's On Politics newsletter. More parade news:Trump is fine with peaceful protests during military parade, White House says Parade protests:'No Kings Day' protests planned for June 14 with aim to reclaim the American flag Themilitary paradeis slated for Saturday, June 14, in the heart of Washington, D.C., spanning six blocks and bisecting the National Mall. Organizers say the procession begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. Festivities kick off earlier in the day, but shift from festival to parade at 6 p.m. ET, organizers say, with updated procession times listing a 6:30 p.m. ET start time on Constitution Avenue and lasting until approximately 7:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Afterwards there will be an enlistment ceremony, a concert on the Ellipse and fireworks. More information, including any possible changes or updates, are likely to be available on the Army's event website,www.army.mil/1775/. Graphic of parade route:See where the procession will go through central DC Keep up with Washington:Sign upfor USA TODAY's On Politics newsletter. Here's a breakdown of other events throughout the day, according to the U.S. Armyevent pageas of June 12: About 8:15 a.m. ET:Wreath-laying ceremony headed by Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth at Arlington National Cemetery 9:30 a.m. to noon:Fitness competition 11a.m.:Music performances by the U.S. Army band and U.S. Army Drill Team, among others; cooking demonstration by celebrity chef and U.S. Army veteran Andre Rush 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.:Noah Hicks performance on main stage 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.:NFL "Skills and Drills" event 1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.:Medal of Honor recipients recognition event 2 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.:Scotty Hasting performance on main stage 2:45 p.m. to 3 p.m.:"Army Astronaut Special Presentation" event 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.:250th Army Birthday Festival official ceremony with cake cutting,livestreamed. 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Festivities transition to parade. 6:30 p.m.:Parade begins. Approximately 7:45 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Festivities shift to an enlistment ceremony, concert at the Ellipse and fireworks. The free festival will be held on the National Mall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, according to Army organizers. Attendees are advised to enter at 7th Street between the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, between Madison Drive NW and Jefferson Drive SW. It is open to the public, and will feature opportunities to interact with soldiers, watch military demonstrations and displays, listen to live music. Organizers say the festival is family friendly, pointing to robotics displays, celebrity meet-and-greets, face painting, games and a rock wallavailable for kids. More:Army deletes video of DC parade tanks with 'Hang Fauci & Bill Gates' graffiti The U.S. Army will hold a fitness competition earlier in the day, from 9:30 a.m. ET to noon,organizers say, with events "highlighting the fitness of both individuals and squads" to "test how the teams work under stress and motivate ach other" to cross the finish line. Rather watch the fitness competition than participate? You can tune in to the livestreamhere, scheduled to begin at 9:10 a.m. ET. Competition awards will be given out at noon, which will also belivestreamed. At 11 a.m., upon the start of the festival, there will be a cooking demonstration by celebrity chef and U.S. Army veteran Andre Rush, who has worked as a chef in the White House during four prior administrations. Music performances also commence at 11 a.m., with performances by the U.S. Army band and U.S. Army Drill Team, among others, lasting until 1:30 p.m. The parade will be livestreamed on all U.S. Army social media platforms, and on the U.S. Army'slivestream page. Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Tom Vanden Brook Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What time is Trump's DC military parade? See full June 14 schedule
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