Armored tanks have taken to the streets in Washington, D.C., days ahead of amilitary parademarking the U.S. Army's250th anniversary. The parade, which will be held on June 14, also coincides withPresident Donald Trump's79thbirthday. The president has promised the event will be"unforgettable."The occasion, formally called theArmy Birthday Festival, will feature military demonstrations, equipment displays and live music throughout the day, according to organizers. Specifically, the parade portion will last roughly two hours in the evening and span Constitution Avenue near the National Mall. More than 7,000 troops, two dozen tanks and armored vehicles each and 50 helicopters areset to be part of the event. Here's a look at on-ground preparations in the city, including the equipment that has already landed in the streets. When is Trump's military parade?What to know ahead of June 14 Days before the celebration is set to kick off, lines of tanks, armored vehicles and other trucks have already blocked off streets in central D.C., videos of the parade area show. The armored vehicles have also been temporarily staged on what appear to be wooden pallets. Some soldiers are already in the area as well, according to the videos. Military parade graphicsA look at the parade for Army's 250th year – and (unofficially) Trump's birthday The 250th Army birthday celebration, including the parade, will be livestreamed on all U.S. Army social media platforms. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET on June 14. Contributing: Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tanks, military vehicles seen lining DC streets before June 14 parade
