From the author of the book comes a wonderful tour and a riveting journey through the forgotten parts of downtown Galveston that were once bustling with wild parties and generous offerings of hourly love.
Join renowned author and speaker Kimber Fountain as she brings to life the tales – both tragic and triumphant – of Galveston’s Red Light District: A History of The Line
Known today as a colorful resort destination featuring family-friendly entertainment and a thriving arts district, Galveston was once notorious for its flourishing vice economy of illegal liquor and gambling and an infamous red light district called simply, “The Line.”
This unassuming five blocks of Postoffice Street came to life every night and remained a stubborn mainstay of the island cityscape for nearly seventy years. In the late 1950s, the era was known as the “Free State of Galveston” finally came to an end, and today, almost all that remains of its history has been sensationalized and marginalized.
Galveston was more than just a city of “gangsters” and lewd women, and Kimber Fountain pursues the authentic, sequestered story of women who wanted to make their own rules and the city that wanted to let them.
Tours are every Wednesday-Saturday starting at 7pm. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online at redlightdistricttoursofgalveston.com in advance or at the start of the tour (cash only).
Reservations are required for cash/onsite tickets, and both online ticket purchases and cash reservations must be made by 5pm the day of the tour.
The tour meets on the north steps of the old Galveston Post Office at 601 25th Street (corner of 25th and Church St.). Meet at the north steps located on Church Street side.
Tours begin promptly at 7pm. Please arrive at least 5-10 minutes early to ensure ample time to park and/or purchase onsite tickets. Due to mature content, this tour is strongly recommended for adults and older teens only. Tour content will not be censored for younger audiences, and teens and children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more info go to redlightdistricttoursofgalveston.com, email GalvestonRedLightTours@gmail.com, call or text (409)526-6883. Reservations required.
Bay Area Council, BSA 100th Anniversary Scouting For Food
Scouting For Food is a council-wide service project to collect food for our communities in need.
Door Hanger Drop off – Saturday, May 11, 2019
Scouts distribute door hangers in their neighborhoods to announce the upcoming food drive.
Food Collection – Saturday, May 18, 2019
Scouts return to pick up donations from their neighborhoods and deliver them to local food banks.
The Gulf Coast Volleyball Association (GCVA) is the largest outdoor volleyball association on the Gulf Coast and has been rated the #1 outdoor volleyball organization by Outdoor Volleyball USA.
The GCVA features an array of high-flying scheduled tournaments at Stewart Beach and East Beach, two of Galveston Island’s premier beach parks. Don’t miss out on the fun!
You do not have to be a GCVA member to participate. Check-in at East Beach is at 8:30am with tournaments beginning promptly at 9am. For most tournaments, the first 100 players checking in at the beach will receive a free GCVA t-shirt. The entry fees are $25 per person, $50 per team.
You are playing on a REAL BEACH on the Gulf of Mexico and are subject at all times to Mother Nature. The GCVA Recorder at (832)928-4120 is updated by 5am Tournament Day, and earlier if possible.
For more info and to register for any of the tournaments go to gcva.net.
- May 11th: Bring Your Mom to the Beach Day
- May 18th: Qualifier JR Beach National Qualifier
- May 25th: Memorial Madness Tournament
- June 2nd: East Beach Classic
- June 8th: Spalding’s School’s Out Beach Party
- June 15th: ESPN 97.5 & Yahoo Sports Radio 1560 Super Fun Sunfest
- June 29th: Galveston Open
- July 6th: Red, White, ‘N Volleyball
- August 4th: Hot as Hell Classic
- August 31st: GCVA Labor Day Classic
- September 22nd: GCVA Season Closer
Hunt for coastal treasures with state park naturalists.
Beach Exploration hikes start at the park’s Day Use Beach boardwalk (adjacent to the restrooms and parking lot.)
Get a close-up look at the many critters and birds that inhabit the sand, surf and seaweed. This Saturday tour includes hands-on seining, searching for ghost crabs and beachcombing under the guidance of Friends of Galveston Island State Park (FoGISP) volunteers.
Galveston’s vintage past meets present-day fun for the Eleventh Annual Galveston Island Beach Revue. Presented by Hotel Galvez & Spa® and held at Beach Central, 2102 Seawall Blvd., this year’s revue will be held on Friday, May 17th and Saturday, May 18th. The annual revue showcases vintage-inspired fun, headlined by the Bathing Beauties contest, next to Galveston’s historic shoreline. Admission is free to the revue, and complete information is available at galvestonbeachrevue.com.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for GHF to be involved in Beach Revue this year,” explains Dwayne Jones, Galveston Historical Foundation’s Executive Director. “This event is a fun and inspirational time to revisit an old island tradition. It celebrates the beach and our tourism industry all with a nod to our fascinating history.”
The Galveston Island Beach Revue was started in 2009, by Islander By Choice, LLC., in direct response to Hurricane Ike. It became one of Galveston Historical Foundation’s annual events in 2019.
Dubbed the “Pageant of Pulchritude” by C.E. Barfield, Galveston’s Bathing Beauties Contest began in the summer of 1920 and marked the kick-off for tourist season each year. By 1928, the event, which had morphed into the “bathing girl revue,” had become so popular that the Island’s population was said to have tripled during the event weekend. These Island pageants were the beginning of what we know today as the Miss Universe Pageant. The famed Galveston Bathing Beauties pageants ended in 1932 due in part to the Great Depression and were resurrected in 2009. The event’s location, held across from the Hotel Galvez & Spa®, is footsteps away from its original location in the early 1920s.
Always a crowd favorite, the weekend’s main event is the Bathing Beauties Contest. Retro swimwear is chic and vintage is king as contestants from across the country catwalk while modeling vintage and vintage-inspired swimwear and accessories that echo the “good ole days” of Galveston’s summertime history. Classic pinup styles of the sort that Esther Williams, Marilyn Monroe, and Bettie Page made famous heat up the beaches as 30 contestants vie for cash prizes and top honors.
2019 Highlights
Revue Prevue Kickoff at Hotel Galvez & Spa®
Galveston’s iconic “Queen of the Gulf”, Hotel Galvez & Spa®, 2024 Seawall Blvd., opens its doors for a special night of curated music, craft beer, speakeasy-inspired cocktails and more as part of a Friday Night Revue Prevue on May 17. This kickoff will feature the first public introductions of the 2019 Bathing Beauties at 6:30pm and is hosted by Dandy Wellington from 6 to 7:30pm. Admission is free and vintage attire is encouraged. Guests in their vintage best will be up for consideration to win a coveted Beach Revue winner’s sash for “Best Vintage Dressed”.
Bands & Bombshells Concerts
The 11th Annual Galveston Island Beach Revue isn’t just great competitors and vintage cars. It’s also a stage for vintage and vintage-inspired music. Participating artists and musicians for 2019 include:
- Swimwear Department – Swimwear Department’s songs are all inspired by their name. When the band shot its 2018 Tiny Desk Contest entry in a pool, NPR’s Marissa Lorusso called the Houston four-piece’s obsessive commitment to only writing songs about swimming holes and shopping malls “delightfully on-brand.” Their live shows feature crowd-sourced backing vocals and dance contests. Their debut album, Turn Over! Go Under! is peppered with moments of sincere nostalgia for bygone summer swims and cool mall strolls. Reminding listeners that everything changes, but there’s always fun to be had. Learn more at swimweardepartment.band.
- The Broken Spokes – Free Press Houston’s David Garrick sums it up with “There was a time when country music had less pop and a lot less sheen, reserved for honky-tonks and dancehalls. In today’s crowded music landscape, it’s become hard and harder to find traditional country acts, but Houston’s Broken Spokes are as traditional as the genre gets. Full of twangy guitars and honkytonk undertones, the five-piece makes the kind of country music that would make Johnny Cash and Hank Thompson proud.” Learn more at brokenspokesmusic.com.
- Dandy Wellington – Inspired by the Big Band Era of Jazz, Dandy Wellington and his Band have taken the sounds of the 1930s and 40s and created a world of well-dressed music. With a passion for obscure songs steeped in the Jazz tradition, Dandy Wellington has assembled a catalog of music that evokes an atmosphere of class. From the golden age of cinema to the bounce of New Orleans, each song is hand selected and played to perfection by a band cut from the cloth of elegance. This year marks the fourth year of Dandy’s participation at the Galveston Island Beach Revue. Learn more at dandywellington.com.
Beach Revue Whisker Review
The fine folks with the Austin Facial Hair club know a thing or two when it comes to face follicles. They’re bringing their years of experience to this year’s event to host the new Beach Revue Whisker Review. Competitions will be held beginning at 3pm in Best Handlebar, Best Natural Dapper ‘Stache, and Best Barbell ‘Stache. Dress to impress and bring your best, and you just might find yourself going home with one of their coveted awards.
Classic Auto Group Hot Rod & Classic Car Show
Hot rods, rat rods, vintage trailers and more line up to take part in the Galveston Island Beach Hot Rod + Classic Car show on Saturday from 12 noon-5pm at Beach Central, 2102 Seawall Blvd. Admission is free for the general public to view the cars and is part of a full day of vintage-inspired programming. Car and trailer owners can register online at gavestonbeachrevue.com. Registration is limited to cars from 1975 or older.
Food & Vintage Vendors
Beach Revue 2019 expands this year with food trucks, novelty options, and the return of our vintage vendor area. Featuring can’t-miss vintage and vintage-inspired items, this specially curated vendor market will be available for shopping from 12 noon-7pm (or until the end of the Bathing Beauties Contest) on Saturday, May 18th.
For more information on the Eleventh Annual Galveston Island Beach Revue presented by Hotel Galvez & Spa®, please contact (409)765-3424, will.wright@galvestonhistory.org or visit beachrevue.org.
From the author of the book comes a wonderful tour and a riveting journey through the forgotten parts of downtown Galveston that were once bustling with wild parties and generous offerings of hourly love.
Join renowned author and speaker Kimber Fountain as she brings to life the tales – both tragic and triumphant – of Galveston’s Red Light District: A History of The Line
Known today as a colorful resort destination featuring family-friendly entertainment and a thriving arts district, Galveston was once notorious for its flourishing vice economy of illegal liquor and gambling and an infamous red light district called simply, “The Line.”
This unassuming five blocks of Postoffice Street came to life every night and remained a stubborn mainstay of the island cityscape for nearly seventy years. In the late 1950s, the era was known as the “Free State of Galveston” finally came to an end, and today, almost all that remains of its history has been sensationalized and marginalized.
Galveston was more than just a city of “gangsters” and lewd women, and Kimber Fountain pursues the authentic, sequestered story of women who wanted to make their own rules and the city that wanted to let them.
Tours are every Wednesday-Saturday starting at 7pm. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online at redlightdistricttoursofgalveston.com in advance or at the start of the tour (cash only).
Reservations are required for cash/onsite tickets, and both online ticket purchases and cash reservations must be made by 5pm the day of the tour.
The tour meets on the north steps of the old Galveston Post Office at 601 25th Street (corner of 25th and Church St.). Meet at the north steps located on Church Street side.
Tours begin promptly at 7pm. Please arrive at least 5-10 minutes early to ensure ample time to park and/or purchase onsite tickets. Due to mature content, this tour is strongly recommended for adults and older teens only. Tour content will not be censored for younger audiences, and teens and children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more info go to redlightdistricttoursofgalveston.com, email GalvestonRedLightTours@gmail.com, call or text (409)526-6883. Reservations required.
Join us for the 1st annual Maduros Cigar Lounge Smokin’ and Cruisin’ event. This is a 3-hour fun-filled cruise out of Moody Gardens. Includes Food, Drink, Cigar Vendors, Raffles, Music by DJ Big John and a podcast featuring ‘Smokin and Toastin with Ian and Cruize’!
Cigar Vendors include Rocky Patel, EPC, and Drew Estates
Tickets: After completing your purchase on Eventbrite, you will receive an email confirmation with your attached PDF ticket(s). You MUST print and bring your PDF tickets AND VALID PHOTO IDENTIFICATION to be admitted for the event. You may download the Eventbrite app and show your ticket on your mobile device for entry in lieu of printing
- General Admission- 3 Hour Cruise, 1st hour open bar, Food and a bag full of goodies!
- VIP- Transportation to and from event site (meet at Maduro’s Cigar Lounge@ 5:00 pm), 3 hour Cruise, 1st hour open bar, and a bag full of goodies!
- Boarding starts at 6:00 pm (gates close 10 min prior to sail)
- Departure is 7:00 pm sharp!
- Free Parking at Moody Gardens
- Casual Attire
Every Thursday 3-6pm and Sunday 9am-12 noon (note new summer hours), Galveston’s Own Farmers Market is held at The Bryan Museum Gardens, located at 1315 21st St. Come to the beautiful Conservatory and botanical gardens to relax and enjoy time and conversation with friends, family, and museum staff while shopping for locally grown produce, prepared foods, and edible farm products, plus live music, yoga, massage, crafting and Kids Corner!
The Thursday market features all of the perks that you’ve come to expect at the market plus the added charms of the Bryan Museum’s “Wine at the Bryan” weekly event. The Sunday market also features wonderful goods and the charm of Bryan’s courtyard. It is always free to browse and most events are FREE to participate.
At every market, there will be:
- Live music
- A chance to learn more about The Bryan Museum
- FREE recycling with Keepin’ It Green: Every week, they accept your clean, rinsed recyclable plastics, glass, aluminum and paper/cardboard. KIG comes to pick it up every week aftermarket.
- Family-friendly activities sponsored by partners like Rosenberg Library, Galveston Island State Park, Galveston Island Humane Society, etc.
GOFM is always “BYOC” – bring your own cup. They have eliminated single-use cups for the free Sunday morning coffee station and Thursday water station. Support the initiative by cleaning out your cupboards and donating unwanted mugs to market for others to use.
Every Sunday (10am): Yoga Classes – These classes are led by local yoga teachers. All classes are free to attend.
Become a Galveston Bay warrior and uncover life on and in the bay waters.
Come join one of our weekly explorations of the connections between the mainland and our island paradise – Galveston Bay. Sandy beach access to the calm waters of this seafood nursery abound with life! Meet our naturalist guides at the Lake Como Fishing area at 10:00 am; explorations last approximately 75 minutes.
Discover the wetlands with a close-up look at the critters, grasses and birds that inhabit the marshland and bay. Tour activities include hands-on-seining, fiddler crab sightings and more under the guidance of FoGISP (Friends of Galveston Island State Park) volunteers.
