Joe and Jill Biden Attend Kennedy Center Honors Celebrate the artistic achievements of five individuals and groups in Washington on Sunday night.
The president and first lady will first attend the annual event at their current offices in 2021, wearing masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Donald and Melania Trump, Biden’s predecessors, skipped the celebration, usually attended by the president. )
This year, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honored actor and human rights activist George Clooney, singer Amy Grant, performer Gladys Knight, composer and conductor Tania Leon, and Irish band U2.
“Growing up in small town Kentucky, I never imagined I would one day be the one to sit on the balcony of the Kennedy Center Honors Awards. is a truly exciting surprise for the entire Clooney family,” Clooney said in a statement on the Kennedy Center website.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff were also scheduled to attend Sunday night’s event.
The Bidens’ appearance came after the couple welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron for an official visit last weekThe president also traveled to Boston to greet Prince William at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
Each year, the center honors artists who have influenced American culture. 2021 winners include Saturday Night Live showrunner Lorne Michaels, singer and actress Bette Midler, and singer Joni Mitchell.
The celebration attracts Washington politicians and Hollywood mainstays to the Kennedy Center on the capital’s Potomac River.
The winners of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors Awards were announced in July.
The awards ceremony not only recognizes the artistic talents and contributions of the winners, but also raises funds for the Kennedy Center, which hosts a series of shows throughout the year.