Inaugural celebrations continued for Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick after the formal ceremony with a “Celebration of Texas” featuring speeches from the two men and performances from several bands.
Earlier in the day, Abbott and Patrick shared a swearing-in to begin their third term in office, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“Made in Texas is the mightiest brand in the world,” Gov. Abbott said during his inaugural speech, which was reflected in the celebration’s lineup of Texas musicians.
Shane Smith & The Saints, an Austin-based band, opened the post-inauguration festivities with a high-octane set of some of their well-known songs, including one that had been recently featured on the show Yellowstone. The crowd included many of Abbott’s and Patrick’s political allies who supported their successful bids for reelection.
Lt. Gov. Patrick then came out to welcome the audience, telling them, “This is not the time for political talk, this is the time to have good fun.”
“Thank you for all your support,” he continued, adding, “We have to get it right in Texas because there’s not another Texas to go to.”
Patrick then introduced the Randy Rogers Band and picked up a guitar himself, playing along for the opening number. The group, famous in Texas, played several of their recognizable songs, including “Buy Myself a Chance.”
Gov. Abbott greeted the crowd after the band, welcoming the audience, “Howdy, Texas!”
“I wanted to come out here and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you have done for the great state of Texas,” he continued. “We had a hell of a year this past year.”
“Thank you for helping us keep Texas, Texas,” the governor said. “God bless you all, and God bless the great state of Texas.”
He thanked his wife, Cecelia, his daughter, Audrey, and his campaign staff. Abbott then introduced Parker McCollum, who is from Conroe, Texas.
McCollum then took the stage and opened with his hit song To Be Loved By You before proceeding to play the rest of his set.
Although the cost of this inauguration has not yet been released to the public, Abbott’s previous inaugurations received some criticism for being substantially more expensive than previous governors’ inaugural celebrations. His 2019 inauguration reportedly cost $5.3 million, but none of the money came from taxpayers, with the vast majority of funds coming from donors while several hundred thousand dollars were provided by Abbott himself.
