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.
Celebrating his 63rd year in the music industry, legendary singer Johnny Mathis is Columbia Records longest-running artist. A sublime vocalist whose approach to pop music eclipses passing fads and trends, Mathis has performed songs in an incredible variety of styles and categories — from music composed for stage and film to golden era jazz standards, contemporary pop hits, and holiday music, all of which has assured his reputation as one of the most enduring vocalists in music history.
Best-known for his supremely popular hits like “Chances Are,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” and “Misty,” Mathis has recorded close to 80 albums including 6 Christmas albums, and has sold millions of records worldwide.
During his extensive career, he has had 3 songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, achieved 50 Hits on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, and ranks as the all-time #6 album artist in the history of Billboard’s pop album charts.
He has received 5 Grammy Nominations, and in 2003 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Tickets are $55-$200.
The Grand 1894 Opera House is located at 2020 Postoffice St. in Galveston’s historic Downtown Cultural Arts District. Tickets are available by contacting The Grand’s box office at (409)765-1894, (800)821-1894, or go to thegrand.com.
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
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.
Hosted by Brad Maule, “Dr. Tony Jones” from TV’s General Hospital, Texas Country Music Hall of Fame artists Gene Watson and Johnny Rodriguez will appear on stage at The Grand in concert. The Grand is located at 2020 Postoffice St., Downtown Galveston. Tickets are available at thegrand.com.
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.
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.
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.
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
Galveston Bookshop will host a book signing with returning author Bartee Haile and his newest book, a survey of the famous entertainers who came from Texas.
In keeping with its reputation for size and spectacle, Texas has produced a staggering number of stars. Although many hailed from towns too small to have a post office, they occupied the spotlight on the largest of stages.
Roger Miller’s songs made him the “King of the Road,” and Howard Hughes stretched his vision across the skies of the silver screen. Gene Autry won fame as a singing cowboy and Van Cliburn wore a tuxedo to international piano competitions, but both hailed from the Lone Star State. Texans penned Old Yeller and voiced Daffy Duck. From Buddy Holly to Ginger Rogers and Joan Crawford to Jimmy Dean, Bartee Haile charts the brightest constellations of Texas entertainers.
Bartee Haile is known for producing “This Week in Texas History,” a syndicated column found in many local newspapers. He has also written several other Texas histories including, “Murder Most Texan,” a true crime collection; and “Texas Depression-Era Desperadoes,” which focuses on Bonnie & Clyde and other notorious criminals of that period.
