What will the Army 250th birthday parade look like? Here's what we know so far

Preparations underway for Army 250th birthday parade in DC

The Army’s 250th birthday parade will be hosted in the nation's capital this weekend, and it’s expected to bring massive crowds of people to D.C., along with heightened security.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s 250th birthday parade will be hosted in the nation's capital this weekend, and it’s expected to bring massive crowds of people to D.C., along with heightened security.

The event coincides with the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. Army officials estimate that around 200,000 people will attend the evening event.

What we know:

The parade will go down Constitution Avenue, from 23rd Street to 15th Street, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Fencing is up, and this is just the start of the security measures. 

 "We’re preparing for an enormous turnout," U.S. Secret Service Special Agent In Charge Matt McCool said. 

While Secret Service officials say they’re expecting potentially hundreds of thousands of people, that’s not all — SkyFox captured video over Jessup, Md., showing tanks headed to the nation’s capital as well.

The military parade has been designated a National Special Security Event — similar to a presidential inauguration or state funeral. That status is reserved for events that draw large crowds and potential mass protests. 

It calls for an enhanced degree of high-level coordination among D.C. officials, the FBI, Capitol Police and Washington’s National Guard contingent — with the Secret Service taking the lead.

The Army birthday celebration had already been planned for months but earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to transform the event into a massive military parade complete with 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets.

READ MORE: Army 250 Security plans

What they're saying:

"I cannot emphasize enough, your safety remains our number one priority," D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said. 

Still, there are some security concerns. Just this past weekend, the day the WorldPride parade took place in D.C., police responded to a shooting and a double stabbing at Dupont Circle.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, there’s been widespread unrest and violence as thousands have been on the streets to protest federal immigration crackdowns.

"We are paying attention obviously to what is happening there, and we will be ready for that if it were to occur here," Special Agent McCool said. 

Agent Phillip Bates of the FBI’s Washington Field office, which is tasked with counterterrorism and crisis management, said there were "no credible threats" to the event at the moment.

Although federal, state, and local officials said Monday that they’re not expecting it, their preparations include nearly 19 miles of anti-scale fencing, 17 miles of bike racks and concrete barriers, 175 magnetometers, officers from multiple agencies and drones. 

"Rest assured, all drones will be owned and operated by the Secret Service or our partners. So, please do not be alarmed," McCool said.  

What they're saying:

As for whether people who live in D.C. feel safe, some said yes.

"I don’t have any concern about safety, you know?" Northwest D.C. resident Onur told FOX 5. 

But others say they have some worries. 

"It seems kind of odd that they put up this 10 foot security fence all around if they don’t expect something to happen or some kind of unrest or something," Joe Harper, Jr., said. 

 There are also concerns regarding traffic and potential road damage if you’ve got all of those tanks down here.