FREE kayak safety and instruction class for the whole family
Have you been interested in kayaking, but don’t know the basics?
Consider registering for a short, limited space paddling clinic for the whole family this Memorial Day Weekend at Galveston Island State Park! Our trained guides will lead small groups through an introduction to paddling, water safety, and let you spend a few minutes in our gear to explore the TPWD Paddling Trails. FREE!
There will be 15 seats available in three separate sessions:
Participants must arrive 15 min. before the session to fill out a liability waiver. Adults must accompany children and proper clothing/footwear must be worn (no bare feet or flip flops, close-toed shoes only). Late arrivals will forfeit their space(s) to walk-ins.
Restrooms, shade, and picnic area available. Prizes and more information given to participants once your session is completed.
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.
Treasures await you at the water’s edge!
Stretch your legs and join Ranger Lisa for a great shell hunting workshop and collecting expedition on Memorial Day. Morning is the best time for beachcombing, but dress for the weather and be prepared to get your feet wet!
We’ll start at the Day Use parking lot, where we can review treasure hunting basics, hand out equipment, and use the restroom before we go to the beach.
So join us and grab your own collection of shells, sea beans, and beach treasures!
Our out-of-this-world fun starts with families relaxing on the lazy river, sliding down 18-foot tower slides and splashing in the wave pool. Free fun for all ages. Identify yourself as a Rosenberg Library summer reading club participant at the Palm Beach gate. Wear your swimsuit and your library t-shirt. Free admission for the whole family.
Attention budding builders – sandcastle builders, that is. Starting June 1st, 8am-4pm, Galveston will host a free family-friendly event to help beachgoers create spectacular sandcastles with tips from the pros.
Visitors to Stewart Beach can participate in “Sandcastle Days” events to receive free sandcastle building lessons from a professional sandcastle builder. The events will take place each Saturday this summer from June 1st thru August 17th.
Each event will begin with an instructor building a sandcastle from 8-11am followed by lessons at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Equipment will be provided on a limited basis and participants are encouraged to bring their own sand buckets and shovels.
Registration is not required. The lessons will take place on the sand near the Stewart Beach Pavilion.
Stewart Beach is located at 201 Seawall Blvd. It is home to helicopter tours, a pavilion, volleyball courts, a children’s playground, restrooms, showers, chair and umbrella rentals and concessions. Parking at Stewart Beach costs $15 per car during Sandcastle Days events.
For more information, visit galvestonbeachinfo.com.
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.
Hurricane season is quickly approaching and the City of Galveston wants residents to be prepared! The City of Galveston is hosting a Hurricane Preparedness Town Hall meeting to provide residents and visitors the opportunity to review preparedness practices.
The town meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 1 at the McGuire-Dent Recreation Center, 2222 28th Street Galveston, Texas.
The preparedness fair will be staffed with representatives from the National Weather Service, CenterPoint Energy, Galveston County’s Office of Emergency Management, the Galveston Fire Department, the City of Galveston Office of Emergency Management and many other preparedness and recovery experts. The fair will also have numerous vendors that specialize in helping families, pets, and senior citizens prepare their homes for hurricane season.
Family sand castle building workshop, equipment provided.
Think you’ve got some good sand castle-building skills?
Ranger Lisa will clear an area for our contest, and bring some gear for you to use. We want to see what kind of castle you (and your family and friends) can make. Everyone is invited to spend some time gathering materials, building a structure, and decorating it to your liking!
Wear sunscreen, bring a hat, and come prepared to be in the sand for this special art contest! (Don’t worry, everyone wins….)
Meet Ranger Lisa for a brief orientation and space assignment before beginning. Only sand castles made during the program count. No prior experience or materials needed.
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.
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.
