Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman announced this week that they are welcoming Connecticut residents to attend the state’s gubernatorial inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, January 7, 2015.
The ceremony will be held at the William A. O’Neill State Armory on 360 Broad Street in Hartford and is free and open to the public. Tickets are not necessary and seats are first come, first served. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. Guests are asked to arrive early and to refrain from bringing large bags in order to ensure smooth admittance through security protocols.
The state’s constitutional officers – Attorney General George Jepsen, State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier, and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill – will also be sworn into office during the ceremony. Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, who presides over the State Senate as part of her official duties, will take the oath of office at a separate ceremony earlier that morning in the Senate chamber during the General Assembly’s opening day activities, as is tradition.
The traditional inauguration parade will step off at 11:30 a.m. that morning, commencing near the intersection of Jewell Street and Trinity Street in downtown Hartford, proceeding under the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, turning right onto Capitol Avenue past the State Capitol building, then turning right onto Broad Street and ending at the State Armory. Guests attending the inauguration ceremony should plan for road closures in the areas surrounding the State Capitol and the State Armory during the parade.
Following the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony, Governor Malloy will deliver the State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly inside the Hall of the House of Representatives at the State Capitol.
“It is an honor and a privilege to serve the people of the State of Connecticut, and Nancy and I look forward to sharing this day with as many residents as we can,” Governor Malloy said. “This ceremony is not about any particular office – it’s really about the people of this great state. We’ve got work to do, and I’m very grateful to the residents of Connecticut for again trusting in me to serve in this capacity.”
“Inauguration is a day to celebrate our democracy – and it begins a new chapter in building a stronger, better Connecticut,” Lt. Governor Wyman said. “The Governor and I went into public service because we want to make life better for our residents. We are honored and grateful to serve a second term on behalf of the people of the state.”
As was previously announced, the 2015 Connecticut Inaugural Ball will be hosted by the First Company Governor’s Food Guard and held later that evening at the Connecticut Convention Center. Tickets to that event are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.ctinauguralball.com or via telephone by calling 860-246-7772.
Information for the media on how to obtain press credentials to the inauguration ceremony and other technical details concerning filming, photographing and recording the event will be announced in the coming days.
In 2011, Governor Malloy was the first Connecticut governor to hold an inauguration ceremony in the State Armory, selecting that location in order to provide a larger venue that would accommodate as many attendees as possible. Prior governors held their inauguration ceremonies in the atrium of the Legislative Office Building, inside the Hall of the House of Representatives, and outside on the lawn of the State Capitol.
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