Annise Parker, 53, was formally sworn in as the 61st mayor of Houston, Texas, Jan. 2 in a private ceremony, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Judge Steven Kirkland—Parker’s longtime friend and former campaign manager—administered the oath of office as her family and friends watched.
According to a statement from the city, Parker kept the weekend swearing-in private to avoid overtime costs that city employees would have been paid.
Windy City Times reported that Parker’s Dec. 12, 2009, win made her the first openly gay person to be elected as mayor of one of the top five most populated cities in the United States.
Two public inauguration celebrations took place Jan. 4, including a morning event where a 200-member orchestra and choir performed, the Chronicle reported. Singer Jennifer Holliday (“And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going”) sang at an evening inauguration concert.