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Who We Are
The Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization of Galveston Island, Texas... Read more.
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| Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau |
Press Room  |
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Media Contact
Mary Beth Bassett
Director of Public Relations
Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
Office: (409)797-5121
Email: mbassett@visitgalveston.com |
GALVESTON HOLIDAY EVENTS 2019
New Downtown Laser Shows, Polar Express Train Ride Among Holiday Events Taking Place in Galveston This Season
GALVESTON, Texas (November 1, 2019) – From train rides to the North Pole on the authentic Polar Express to new laser light shows downtown, a 2-million-pound ice land and a world-renowned Victorian festival, Galveston offers no shortage of holiday fun.
If you’re in the mood for visits with Santa, sips of hot cocoa and all the magic the holiday season brings, then head to Galveston this November and December for the island’s 50+ days of holiday attractions and events.
Here’s a look at a few of the events taking place in Galveston this season:
The Polar Express Train Ride
The Polar Express Train Ride will open at 5 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Galveston Railroad Museum offering an exciting opportunity for kids (and adults!) to experience, firsthand, the magic of the classic children’s tale. Set to the soundtrack of the motion picture, The Polar Express will whisk passengers away (on six separate cars pulled by vintage locomotives) for a magical one-hour trip to meet Santa complete with hot chocolate and dancing chefs. The ride will be open on weekends and select dates through Dec. 29. www.galvestonrrmuseum.org/polar-express
ICELAND at Moody Gardens
Galveston’s holiday festivities will continue Nov. 16 when Moody Gardens opens its 28,000-square-foot ICE LAND attraction (made from 2 million pounds of ice) with an all-new “Christmas Around the World” theme as well as its annual Festival of Lights. ICE LAND will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 16 and will remain open daily through Jan. 12. In this 28,000-square-foot ice wonderland, visitors can explore a chilling maze of majestic ice sculptures, decorated in elaborate colors and shapes with some standing 30 feet tall! Kids’ eyes will light up when they see 30-foot ice slides and intricately carved sculptures, featuring holiday figures and scenes that will allow you to “travel” from Russia and Egypt to China and beyond to see representations of how different cultures celebrate the holiday season. www.moodygardens.com/holiday_season/
Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens
Also opening Nov. 16 is the 18th annual Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens, where visitors can enjoy the largest holiday lighting event on the Gulf Coast. At 5 p.m. Santa will parachute in and at 6 p.m. he will flip the switc h that turns on the mile-long Festival of Lights trail, showcasing more than 100 sound-enhanced animated light displays. The opening ceremony will feature choirs and other free, live entertainment. While visiting Moody Gardens, visitors can also take a ride on the Arctic Slide, go ice-skating, visit with Santa, go on a train ride, grab hot cocoa and more. Festival of Lights will continue nightly through Jan. 12. www.moodygardens.com/holiday_season/
Galveston Holiday Lighting Celebration at Hotel Galvez
The annual Galveston Holiday Lighting Celebration at Hotel Galvez will kick off at 6 p.m. Nov. 29 to celebrate the start of the Christmas season. This free event will feature live performers, including the Galveston Ballet, visits with Santa and the lighting of the city’s official 35-foot Christmas tree. www.hotelgalvez.com
Downtown Lasers & Lights
Nov. 22 through Dec. 31, Galveston’s historic downtown district will host Downtown Lasers & Lights featuring new laser shows, a magical display of lights and other holiday-themed attractions in Saengerfest Park – and beyond. Highlights at Saengerfest Park include a 30-feet-tall Christmas tree and a giant snow globe for visitors to enjoy on weekends. In addition, lights are hung on The Strand from 20th to 25th streets as well as along 23rd and Postoffice streets. New this year, four-hour holiday laser shows synchronized to music will be projected on the American National Insurance Company Building from 6 to 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22. While in the area, visitors can tackle some of their holiday shopping at the district’s many gift shops, boutiques, art galleries and antique shops set among beautiful Victorian architecture.
Dickens on The Strand
The first weekend in December (Dec. 6-8), the majestic iron-front buildings found in Galveston’s historic downtown district will make the perfect backdrop for the 46th annual Dickens on The Strand. This holiday street festival transforms the area, particularly Strand Street, into the Victorian London of Charles Dickens complete with costumed characters, street performers and vendors, parades, holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired crafts and more. Each year, descendants of Charles Dickens travel from London to be a part of the festivities, and attendees are encouraged to join in the fun by dressing in period costumes. www.dickensonthestrand.org
Historic East End Holiday Homes Tour
With Galveston being home to one of the largest collections of Victorian architecture in the country, it’s not hard for the island to put you in a nostalgic state during the holidays – especially on the East End Historical District’s East End Holiday Homes Tour. The 30th annual tour will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 6, featuring five private homes that will open their doors to the public for one night. Each home will decked out in festive décor. The event will also include refreshments and holiday music at the East End Historical District Association cottage. Tickets are $25 and proceeds benefit the EEHDA. www.eastendhistoricaldistrict.org
Victorian Holiday Tours at Moody Mansion
Restored to its turn-of-the-century splendor, the 28,000-square-foot Moody Mansion is one of the premier architectural museums in Galveston. During the holidays, guests can tour this home, completed in 1895, while it is dressed up for season with festive trimmings and elaborately adorned Christmas trees throughout its 20+ rooms. The mansion is open for tours daily except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. www.moodymansion.org
Holiday Shows at The Grand 1894 Opera House
For holiday entertainment, Galveston certainly won’t disappoint. The Grand 1894 Opera House, which is a gem in the island’s historic downtown district, offers no seat further than 70 feet from the stage for its exciting lineup of live holiday shows happening throughout November and December. Here you can catch shows like Merry Christmas from the Doo Wop Project, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, The 5 Browns Holiday, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and more. www.thegrand.com
Cirque Joyeux Dinner and Show
You can experience “Christmas Around the World” at the Cirque Joyeux Dinner & Show coming to the Moody Gardens Hotel Dec. 20-30. This one-hour Christmas spectacular features an exciting performance from a cast of international circus and variety talents plus a sumptuous holiday dinner. Tickets to the show include admission into Moody Gardens’ Festival of Lights. You’ll also visit Santa’s Workshop and see Santa himself. For pricing, visit https://moodychristmasshow.com.
The Santa Hustle
If you’ve never seen 5,000 Santas racing along the beach, you’ll have your chance Dec. 15 when Galveston hosts a wacky holiday race: the Santa Hustle 5K, Half Marathon & Kids Dash. This unique race event will be a “jolly good time” as participants receive a lightweight performance Santa hoodie, Santa hat and beard to wear while running. Participants will also be able to stop at cookie stations and enjoy festive music and outrageous holiday decorations along their routes. The races, put on by Adrenaline Sports Management, will take off from Moody Gardens. The Kids Dash will start at 6:45 a.m., the half marathon will start at 7 a.m. and the 5K race will begin at 7:15 a.m. https://santahustle.com/galveston
For more information on holiday events in Galveston, visit www.galveston.com/holidaymagic.
MEDIA RESOURCES: To download Galveston holiday images, CLICK HERE. To download Galveston holiday b-roll video footage, CLICK HERE.
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