RALEIGH, N.C. — The public inauguration ceremony for new Governor Josh Stein and other state officials set for Saturday has been canceled due to incoming winter conditions, according to the state’s inaugural committee announcement on Wednesday.

Originally planned for Saturday morning at the old Capitol building in downtown Raleigh, the event would have formally sworn in Stein and the Council of State members. However, the National Weather Service has predicted a winter storm for central North Carolina, forecasting 1 to 3 inches of snow, along with sleet and freezing rain on Friday and Saturday.

Despite the cancellation of the public ceremony, Stein and several Council of State members—including the lieutenant governor, attorney general, and state treasurer—have already taken their official oaths in private or smaller ceremonies earlier this year. Additionally, the inauguration committee announced the cancellation of a block party that was to occur near the Capitol following the ceremony, as well as an open house at the Executive Mansion planned for Sunday. There is a possibility that the block party could be rescheduled.

Stein shared on social media that he had been eager to celebrate the event with the public but emphasized that “everyone’s safety is always my top priority.”

This cancellation adds to a pattern of challenges experienced by North Carolina’s inauguration ceremonies in recent years. In 2017, severe winter weather forced the cancellation of a public swearing-in ceremony and an inaugural parade for then-Governor Roy Cooper. In 2021, following Cooper’s re-election, COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings prevented any outdoor festivities, leading to a television-focused inauguration ceremony outside the Executive Mansion instead.