May 10th-12th: Texas Crab Festival, Crystal Beach – In its new location, the 2019 Texas Crab Festival opens at 1605 Highway 87 in Crystal Beach. The new site, now named “Festival Park,” sits on 51 acres formerly occupied by Texas Frog Fest, and features a huge performance stage, dedicated dance floor, beer garden, and plenty of room to grow. The Texas Crab Festival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, which gives 100% of net proceeds from the festival back to the community in the form of scholarships, job training, youth camps, and initiatives for residents of Bolivar Peninsula. Events taking place as part of the festival are the Texas Crab Festival 5K Run, Crab Gumbo Cook-Off, Crab Legs Contest, Weiner Dog Races, tournaments, contests, and games; Carnival midway, and an RV and Boat show. Sample tasty crabby creations and local seafood favorites from a variety of vendors while browsing booth after booth of coastal arts and crafts, gifts, beachwear, and décor. 2019 music entertainment headliners Wayne Toups, Sunny Sweeney, Bag of Donuts and Sandy G y los Gavilanes take the new main stage along with Paul Childers, Tennessee Jet, Andy & the Dreamsicles, Treble Soul, The Cadillacs, Haley Comeaux, Heaven’s Love, and the Bolivar’s Got Talent Show. Keep the little ones entertained with Crab Races, games at the Crab Arcade, carnival rides, and fun activities at the Kid’s Stage. Tickets are available at texascrabfestival.org. Tickets are $10 for Friday or Saturday admission; kids 15 and under are free. Everyone gets in free on Sunday and parking is FREE all weekend. Carnival ride wristbands are half-price at $10 on Sunday.
On the second Saturday of every month, 10am-3pm, the Ocean Star celebrates Family Day. Each Family Day focuses on a different theme that relates to the offshore industry. The information is presented at a student’s level using activities or experiments. Children 18 years of age and younger are admitted free with a paying chaperone. The Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum is located at Pier 19 in Downtown Galveston. For more info call (409)766-7827 or go to oceanstaroec.com.
May 11th: This Cycle Rocks – Discover how hydrocarbons are formed from the various processes within every layer of the Earth, and how certain rocks tell geologists where to look for oil and natural gas. Moving through areas like the soil, volcanoes, and bodies of water, pretend you are a rock on your own special journey through the rock cycle. Create a comic strip of your rocky story, or learn about the ABCs of rocks and fossils.
Every Saturday, weather permitting, Galveston Railroad Museum, located at 2602 Santa Fe Place, Downtown Galveston, offers train rides for all ages on The Harborside Express.
The “Harborside Express” is an open-air caboose that travels 1 mile up Harborside Dr., then returns to the Galveston Railroad Museum. The train rides are approximately 15 minutes long. The train is a standing ride without seats. Due to the caboose being open air, the rides will sometimes be closed during inclement weather.
Boarding for the Harborside Express begins at 11am, with the last train ride departing the depot at 1:45pm.
Tickets are $5 in addition to admission to the Galveston Railroad Museum and must be purchased at the museum or at galvestonrrmuseum.org.
From May 2nd-26th, the Galveston Art League Gallery, 2117A Postoffice St. in Galveston, will exhibit artworks that were accepted into its Spring 2019 Juried Show.
The nonprofit Galveston Art League holds three juried competitions per year, and the next one will occur in the fall. The competitions are open to everyone, and each artist may submit up to three entries. Typically a little over 100 entries are accepted for the five categories: works on canvas or board, works on paper, photography, mixed-media 2-D works, and 3-D works.
Full details― including entry requirements, fees, and cash awards to top-rated artworks ― are available in the show prospectus, which is posted about a month before entries are due. The prospectus may be downloaded from the black sidebar at GalvestonArtLeague.com.
The Galveston Art League was founded in 1914 to promote visual arts and art education. The league accomplishes its mission through its juried shows, low-cost art workshops for children and adults, nine member shows per year, and promotion of area artists in electronic and print media.
For more info visit GalvestonArtLeague.com or email gallery2117@gmail.com.
Live by the sun, love by the moon.
Ranger Lisa will take you on a short program and help you discover the mysteries of la luna, or the moon, while we explore the night life of Galveston Island State Park!
The night time is the right time to explore… As we say in the ranger station, ‘Half the Park is After Dark!’
Meet Ranger Lisa at the Day Use Beach parking area at 7pm. We will have some moon discovery games before venturing out on a cool evening stroll in the warm glow of the full moon. Hike begins at 7:30pm, back at vehicles around 8:30pm.
It’s beginning to feel like summer, so why not spend a few hours at the park? Saengerfest Park, located in the heart of Downtown Galveston, is a great place to find free family-friendly fun.
Saengerfest Park is a small, square park located on the corner of 23rd St. and The Strand in Galveston’s Historic Strand District. Saengerfest Park is known for having a large, playable chess set, a large compass that can be used as a seat, a colorful iconic Galveston wall mural, a huge beach chair offering photo opportunities, wooden benches, an old-fashioned London-style phone booth, and a stage used for festivals, movies, and concerts.
Visitors and residents are invited to enjoy free movies the first Saturday of each month beginning just after dusk. Moviegoers are encouraged to set up a blanket or chair. Scheduled movies are:
- May 4th: “A Wrinkle in Time” (2018)
- June 1st: “Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory” (1971)
- July 6th: “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”
- August 3rd: “Ralph Breaks the Internet” (2018)
- September 7th: “Tommy Boy” (1995)
- October 5th: “Goosebumps” (2015)
Music Nite on The Strand takes place on the second Saturday of each month, 6-9pm. These free concerts are a great family-fun event. Dancing is highly encouraged. Concerts scheduled are:
- May 11th: Sonic Seduction (Radio hits)
- June 8th: John Evans Band (Rock, Country, Blues)
- July 13th: Sarah Grace and the Soul (Blues, R&B)
- August 10th: Donovan Keith (Soul)
- September 14th: Fab Five (Beatles Tribute)
- October 12th: 30i (Rock)
These events are presented by Mitchell Historic Properties and The Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more info go to galveston.com/saengerfestpark.
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.
Galveston Historical Foundation opens the doors to Galveston’s incredible architectural history through public tours of privately-owned homes during its annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour.
Tours will be held on May 4th, 5th, 11th and 12th from 10am- 6pm. Tickets are available online at galvestonhistory.org for non-members at $30 until May 3rd, and then for $35 until May 12th. Members of Galveston Historical Foundation can purchase specially priced $25 tickets by calling (409)765-3405 or by visiting any of GHF’s retail locations.
“Our annual Historic Homes Tour highlights some of the best preservation projects on the island. This year we recognize more than forty-five years of preserving historic Galveston,” explains Dwayne Jones, Galveston Historical Foundation’s Executive Director. “There are few places in the country that have our quality and supply of historic properties. It’s what makes the island unique and a treasure for all who visit. Come help put more of the island into use and save your own small piece of history.”
2019 Homes on Tour
August Roemer Tenant House, built 1873: 1416 Sealy
August Roemer built this one-and-one-half-story Gulf Coast cottage with triple dormers in 1873 for use as rental property. The center-hall house features a notable entry with double doors and transom, turned balusters, and square porch columns. Roemer sold the house in 1879 to Julius and Elizabeth Ruhl, who used it as tenant property and a residence for extended family.
James and Amelia Byrnes House, built c.1881: Rehabilitation in Progress House: 2113 Ball Street
In 1883, paving and roofing contractor James Byrnes purchased this lot with an existing building. Byrnes “improved” the house in 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1895. Located adjacent to Galveston’s business district, the Byrnes House was used as an example of urban decay in 1969 during a city referendum on urban renewal. The current owners purchased the house in 2013 and began rehabilitation of the property.
Conrad and Henrike Lenz House, built 1887: 1807 Avenue L
Conrad Lenz built this center-hall, side-gable house with double dormers for use as his family residence. He and his wife, Henrike Pruessner, both emigrated from Germany to Galveston where they were married at First Lutheran Church. Lenz, a butcher, operated a shop and smokehouse next door, on the corner of 18th Street.
Allen and Lulu Cameron House, built 1891: 1126 Church Street
English born architect Henry Collier Cooke of the firm Bourgeois Nitchner & Cooke designed this two-story Victorian house for merchant Allen Cameron and his new bride, Lulu Aschoff. The house boasts an asymmetrical façade with double wrap-around galleries separated by a patterned shingle skirt, a decorative balustrade, and a widow’s walk. Cooke trained as an architect in England and Italy before he arrived in Galveston in 1891.
Lucas Terrace, built 1901-1908: 1407 Broadway
Brick mason and English immigrant Thomas Lucas erected this complex using salvaged bricks from his apartment building at 6th and Broadway destroyed by the 1900 Storm. Constructed between 1901 and 1908, Lucas Terrace features two connected gable-front three-story buildings. A courtyard separates the main buildings from two detached two-story servant’s quarters on the south part of the property. When completed, the apartments were advertised as being “superior” to all others in the city.
Peter and Augusta Nielson House, built 1915: 1711 Rosenberg Avenue (25th Street)
Peter Nielson, a Danish-born merchant tailor, built this two-story brick house with details inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement for use as his private residence. A year after construction, Nielson died suddenly. His widow, Augusta, maintained the residence until 1929, when she moved to Houston to live with family.
Iocopo Niccolai Tenant House, built 1922: 2416 38th Street
Italian immigrant carpenter, Iacopo Niccolai, relocated this five-room bungalow, along with eleven others, in March 1938. Originally on 15th Street, Niccolai concentrated the twelve properties within the 2400 block of 38th Street, which he called “Niccolai Subdivision.” Niccolai utilized the block as rental property until his death in 1947.
Peter and Anna Serini House, built 1903, rebuilt 1923: 1810 Avenue N ½
Alexander McLellan, a Canadian immigrant and a foreman for Southwestern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company, moved to Galveston after the 1900 Storm. In 1902 he purchased this vacant lot, and in 1903 relocated an “old” house there. In 1913, Peter and Anna Serini purchased the property. The Serinis rebuilt the house in 1923, using “part old material,” according to the property’s original 1903 insurance record.
Events in conjunction with the Home Tours are HERE.
May 10th-12th: Texas Crab Festival, Crystal Beach – In its new location, the 2019 Texas Crab Festival opens at 1605 Highway 87 in Crystal Beach. The new site, now named “Festival Park,” sits on 51 acres formerly occupied by Texas Frog Fest, and features a huge performance stage, dedicated dance floor, beer garden, and plenty of room to grow. The Texas Crab Festival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, which gives 100% of net proceeds from the festival back to the community in the form of scholarships, job training, youth camps, and initiatives for residents of Bolivar Peninsula. Events taking place as part of the festival are the Texas Crab Festival 5K Run, Crab Gumbo Cook-Off, Crab Legs Contest, Weiner Dog Races, tournaments, contests, and games; Carnival midway, and an RV and Boat show. Sample tasty crabby creations and local seafood favorites from a variety of vendors while browsing booth after booth of coastal arts and crafts, gifts, beachwear, and décor. 2019 music entertainment headliners Wayne Toups, Sunny Sweeney, Bag of Donuts and Sandy G y los Gavilanes take the new main stage along with Paul Childers, Tennessee Jet, Andy & the Dreamsicles, Treble Soul, The Cadillacs, Haley Comeaux, Heaven’s Love, and the Bolivar’s Got Talent Show. Keep the little ones entertained with Crab Races, games at the Crab Arcade, carnival rides, and fun activities at the Kid’s Stage. Tickets are available at texascrabfestival.org. Tickets are $10 for Friday or Saturday admission; kids 15 and under are free. Everyone gets in free on Sunday and parking is FREE all weekend. Carnival ride wristbands are half-price at $10 on Sunday.
Coral bowls are a favorite at the studio. Its a perfect center piece at a dining table or hanging on the wall. Instructor will take you step by step on creating your masterpiece as well as teach about all glass fusion basics to anyone new to the art of glass.
Galveston’s Paint Your Own Pottery & Social Canvas Studio!
