Where and when
- Capitol
- New Mexico State Capitol (the Roundhouse), 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501
- Ceremony
- New Mexico State Capitol (the Roundhouse)
- When
- Fri, Jan 1 · Time to be announced
- Stream
- Posted when announced · official site
Where to stand, when to arrive
Recent New Mexico inaugurations have been held outdoors on the Capitol grounds with free standing room. Arrive 90 minutes early for a sightline; the Roundhouse is small and the plaza fills. Bring a hat and layers: New Year's Day at 7,200 feet is bright and cold.
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. Stephanie Garcia Richard. With Haaland, the first all-women-of-color top ticket in any state.
Weather in January
Average highs around 43°F, lows near 18°F. Dry, sunny and thin air; snow on the ground is common.
Getting there
Airports
- Santa Fe Regional (SAF), 15 min, limited nonstops
- Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ), 65 mi; the Rail Runner train and shuttles run to Santa Fe
Rail and road
Amtrak Southwest Chief stops at Lamy, 18 mi south; a shuttle meets most trains.
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.
- The Shed 113½ E Palace Ave
Red chile, blue-corn enchiladas, in a 1692 adobe. - Tia Sophia's 210 W San Francisco St
Breakfast burritos and sopaipillas; the locals' counter. - Cafe Pasqual's 121 Don Gaspar Ave
Southwestern breakfast and dinner a block from the Plaza. - La Plazuela at La Fonda 100 E San Francisco St
New Mexican classics under the painted-glass roof. - Sazón 221 Shelby St
Moles and mezcal, a short walk from the Roundhouse. - Plaza Café 54 Lincoln Ave
Santa Fe's oldest restaurant, on the Plaza since 1905.
An hour well spent
Palace of the Governors and the New Mexico History Museum
105 W Palace Ave
The oldest continuously occupied public building in the country. Native American artists sell under the portal most mornings. An hour here puts the day in four centuries of context.
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.