Governor Holcomb is holding his inaugural ball — seven months late.

Holcomb was sworn in for a second term in a low-key ceremony January 11. The usual pomp and circumstance was shelved because of the coronavirus pandemic. But Indiana Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer, Holcomb’s campaign manager, says with gathering restrictions lifted, supporters expressed interest in a belated celebration.

The campaign will host the traditional black-tie gala August 21 at the J-W Marriott in downtown Indianapolis, with tickets at 150 dollars a person. It’s also sponsoring a concert by country stars Big and Rich in White River State Park. Tickets for that event go on sale Friday. Hupfer says the move from January to August made it possible to book a bigger-name concert, and outdoors instead of indoors.

Hupfer expects about two-thousand people for the gala, about the same or slightly less than Holcomb’s first inaugural four years ago.

The announcement comes with COVID-19 cases rising again as the more infectious Delta variant gathers momentum. Hupfer says he’s not concerned about a second cancellation. Even with the rise in cases, the daily average in January was 10 times higher. And Hupfer notes the coronavirus vaccines, in limited supply in January, are now widely available.