Where and when
- Capitol
- Texas State Capitol, 1100 Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701
- Ceremony
- Texas State Capitol, south steps
- When
- Tue, Jan 19 · Noon, south steps
- Stream
- Posted when announced · official site
Where to stand, when to arrive
Texas inaugurates at noon on the south steps facing Congress Avenue, free and open to the public, with ticketed seating up front and a very large standing area on the south lawn. Arrive by 10 a.m. for the lawn. Screens line the lawn; the parade and the evening events are separate.
General guidance from recent ceremonies. Security perimeters, screening and the exact public area are set by the state a few days out; we post the specifics here and in the ticket tracker as soon as they are public.
Also sworn in that day: Lt. Gov. Vikki Goodwin, the first woman Lieutenant Governor of Texas.
Weather in January
Average highs around 62°F, lows near 42°F. Usually mild; a norther can drop temperatures 30 degrees in an afternoon.
Getting there
Airports
- Austin–Bergstrom International (AUS), 8 mi; CapMetro bus 20 and rideshare to downtown
Rail and road
Amtrak Texas Eagle (Chicago–San Antonio) stops at 250 N Lamar Blvd, a mile west of the Capitol.
All travel linksFirsts Corner
The meeting point within a short walk of the Capitol, an hour before the ceremony. Stamp table, coffee if we can manage it, a sign you can see across the street.
Location: TBA about a week out
Eat
Where locals send visitors
A few well-known places near the Capitol, named plainly. Confirm hours; inauguration day is not a normal day downtown.
- Scholz Garten 1607 San Jacinto Blvd
Texas's oldest beer garden, since 1866, three blocks from the Capitol. - Clay Pit 1601 Guadalupe St
Indian in an 1850s stone building north of the Capitol. - Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que 217 Congress Ave
Pit barbecue on Congress Avenue. - Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill 303 Red River St
Southern comfort food in an 1850s homestead. - Caroline 621 Congress Ave
American, at 7th and Congress. - Perry's Steakhouse 114 W 7th St
Steaks in the Norwood Tower.
An hour well spent
Bullock Texas State History Museum
1800 Congress Ave
Three floors of Texas, two blocks north of the Capitol. The Capitol Visitors Center in the old General Land Office, on the southeast grounds, is free and takes thirty minutes.
Your stamp
Check in at the Firsts Corner during the ceremony window for 10 points, or tap the stream stamp from anywhere for 2. How the passport works.