Zohran Mamdani to have dual swearing-in ceremonies: one in a decommissioned subway station and another preceding a public block party

Zohran Mamdani will assume the office of New York City mayor as 2026 begins, with festivities extending through New Year’s Day.

The Democrat’s team has arranged two distinct swearing-in ceremonies for Thursday. A small, private event with family is planned for around midnight in a historic subway station, to be followed by a large afternoon ceremony featuring a public block party outside City Hall.

Since a mayoral term starts concurrently with the new year, it is tradition for incoming city leaders to host two events. Outgoing mayor Eric Adams was sworn in at Times Square just after the ball drop, while his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, took his oath at home in Brooklyn.

Mamdani will take his first oath at the former City Hall subway station in Manhattan, an original stop on the underground system renowned for its arched tilework and vaulted ceilings.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally and prominent adversary of President Donald Trump, will administer this oath.

The old City Hall station was built as the showcase for the city’s inaugural subway line but was taken out of service in 1945. Nowadays, aside from rare historical tours, residents typically can only view it by remaining on the downtown 6 train past its last stop as it loops to head north.

In a statement, Mamdani’s office said selecting the station for the oath underscores his “commitment to the working people who keep our city running every day.”

“When Old City Hall Station first opened in 1904 — one of New York’s 28 original subway stations — it was a physical monument to a city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working peoples’ lives,” Mamdani stated.

“That ambition need not be a memory confined only to our past, nor must it be isolated only to the tunnels beneath City Hall: it will be the purpose of the administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above,” he added.

On Thursday afternoon, Mamdani will be sworn in a second time, this ceremony conducted by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a key mentor, on the City Hall steps starting at 1 p.m. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another political ally, will give opening remarks.

Mamdani’s transition team established an inaugural committee featuring actor John Turturro, playwright Cole Escola, and writer Colson Whitehead, along with advocates, small business owners, and campaign workers. The incoming mayor’s office stated these members have “provided perspective, guidance, and cultural sensibility” for the event.

The public swearing-in will coincide with a block party on a section of Broadway approaching City Hall. Mamdani’s office anticipates thousands of attendees and promises performances, music, and interfaith components.