Brendon Drenon
BBC News
Washington is hosting a military parade on Saturday to mark the 250th anniversary of the US military.
It coincides with the 79th birthday of US President Donald Trump, who says the parade will be "unrepeatable."
The event - which the military said could cost up to $45 million (around 39 million euros) - involves over 7.000 uniformed soldiers, dozens of tanks and military vehicles, plus marching bands and fireworks.
Meanwhile, "No Kings" protests against the Trump administration are taking place in more than 1.500 cities across the US.
Organizers are calling the demonstration a "national day of defiance" in response to "corruption" in the government.
First military parade since 1991.
The military parade takes place around the National Mall, which includes the Washington Monument.
Tickets are not required, but registration on the US Army website "for a better view" is.
The parade and festivities are estimated to cost between 21,6 and 39 million euros, according to an army spokesman.
Part of the budget will go to repair Washington's streets, which were not built for tanks and other heavy armored vehicles.
"Thundering tanks and stunning flyovers will roar through our capital," Trump said.
The last time a military parade was held in the US was in 1991 under former President George HW Bush, marking the end of the Gulf War.
An estimated 200.000 people filled the streets for the event, the largest military celebration since the end of World War II.
Military parades were also held in 1961, during the inauguration of former President John F. Kennedy; in 1953, during the first inauguration of former President Dwight Eisenhower; and in 1942 and 1946, on the occasion of World War II.
Where are the protests taking place?
The "No Kings" movement is planning demonstrations in more than 1.500 cities and towns across the US to oppose the Trump administration.
"President Trump wants tanks in the streets and a TV show of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle that is meant to look like power. But real power is not displayed in Washington. It is displayed everywhere else," the movement's website states.
Frustration is present because Trump sent National Guard troops and US Marines to Los Angeles, California, in response to anti-immigration protests, against the governor's wishes.
The group behind the demonstrations, Movement 50501, has been organizing protests against the administration since April.
The name 50501 stands for 50 countries, 50 protests, one movement.
Large rallies and marches are planned in cities including Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix.
A map of planned protests shows they are taking place in all 50 states, from Alaska to Florida.
Dozens of protests are also planned in Texas and Florida, both Trump strongholds.
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