Mayor Ruth Nicholson rides a circus elephant in front of the Garland Performing Arts Center while serving as Garland’s first female mayor, 1982 through 1984. Though she served a second, nonconsecutive, mayoral term from 1988 through 1990, Garland’s next female mayor was elected in 2018. Garland Jaycees sponsored the summer fundraising circus across Fifth St. from the PAC.