Galveston Island, the Winter Wonder Island of Texas, offers holiday fun with several events kicking off in the coming weeks, as well as a few new attractions.
Holiday favorites like POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride begin Friday, Nov. 10 and Moody Gardens Holiday in the Gardens will begin Friday, Nov. 19 at the lighting of the festival of lights. Plus, there is a brand new, full-service hotel, Hotel Lucine, now available to book your holiday stays.
(Nov 18) Galveston International Festival
For the first time, the Galveston Children’s Museum is set to host an event with more than 40 tents featuring various attractions, arts and crafts vendors, restaurants, and food trucks. Attendees can enjoy international and local music, a fashion show, and a recognition ceremony for Galveston’s sister cities Niigata, Japan; Macharaviaya, Spain; Stavanger, Norway; and Vera Cruz, Mexico. There will be exhibitors and performers from different countries and cultures providing entertainment, education, arts & crafts and giveaways, sharing information, and inviting guests into a daylong adventure. This event is Inspired by the book "Adventures with my Auntie" by author Phylicia French. For a full performance lineup, visit www.galvestoncm.org.
(Nov 18 – Jan 6) Holiday in the Gardens
ICE LAND returns presenting “Rainforest Holiday!” More than two million pounds of ice have been meticulously carved for this attraction and are housed in a venue kept at a chilly nine degrees. Explore stunning ice sculptures and enjoy holiday attractions like the Arctic Ice Slide, Rudolph 4D experience, 3D Holiday films, and more. Don't miss the Festival of Lights, a mile-long trail of illuminated displays, and special events like breakfast with Santa and New Year's Palooza. Guests can also ice skate on an outdoor rink, take a turn on the Arctic Ice Slide, watch holiday-themed films, and, of course, meet Santa! Visit here for details.
(Nov 10 – Dec 23 ) THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride
The Galveston Railroad Museum invites you to embark on a magical one-hour journey to the North Pole aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride. Meet Santa and enjoy a theatrical recreation of the sights, sounds, and enchantment of this timeless children’s tale. The POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride in Galveston consists of six separate cars pulled by vintage locomotives from the Galveston Railroad Museum’s collection. The attraction will be open on weekends and select dates Nov. 11 through Dec. 23. Visit www.galvestonrrmuseum.org.
(Nov 19 – Dec 16) Holiday Shows at the Grand 1894 Opera House
Celebrate the holidays with grand entertainment at Galveston’s historic theater, the Grand 1894 Opera House, featuring performances such as Annie, Jesus Christ, Superstar!, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Galveston Symphony Orchestra in December, and An Evening with The Duke Ellington Orchestra. Visit www.thegrand.com to book tickets.
(Nov 21 – Dec 28) Miracle at DTO
Miracle returns to Daquiri Time Out (DTO) for the 6th year in a row. Miracle is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar where you can enjoy holiday cocktails in a festive atmosphere. Decked out with fun holiday decorations and serving expertly crafted cocktails, Miracle is guaranteed to bring the holiday spirit even to the grumpiest of grinches.
(Nov 24) Tree Lighting at the Grand Galvez
On Friday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m., the Grand Galvez continues its annual Galveston Holiday Lighting Celebration to bring in the holiday season with an appearance from Santa Claus and the lighting of the hotel’s 35-foot Christmas tree. The event takes place on the grand palm tree-lined front lawn of the hotel. Following the tree lighting, Galveston Ballet will perform a medley of variations from the ballet, “The Nutcracker” and the Galveston Symphony Brass Ensemble will perform holiday classics.
(Nov 25) Galveston’s Official Tree Lighting at Saengerfest Park
Downtown Galveston's Tree Lighting Ceremony at Saengerfest Park: Join Santa Claus, enjoy a Christmas Golf Cart parade, live entertainment, and late-night shopping at Galveston's ArtWalk. Santa will be a special guest at downtown Galveston’s tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. Galveston’s police and fire departments will provide a special escort for the man in red. The tree lighting coincides with Galveston Art Center’s ArtWalk, a community-wide event that takes place every six to eight weeks. During ArtWalk, shops, boutiques and galleries remain open later into the evening and feature live entertainment at several venues throughout the downtown district.
(Nov 10) Hotel Lucine Begins Offering Stays
The Hotel Lucine is opening in Galveston on November 10th. What was previously and affectionately remembered as the Treasure Isle Motel in the 1960s, is now what you'll come to know as Hotel Lucine, a 61-bedroom boutique hotel designed by the Austin based design firm Kart Wheel Studio. The hotel's offers a heated pool and two full-service dining spaces, an on-site French-fusion restaurant, The Fancy (@thefancytx), led by the serious talents of Chef Leila Ortiz, and the Den, offering coffee, breakfast, lunch, and dinner and of course, wonderful cocktails curated by our beverage director, Jesse Rubio. You'll also find his impressive drink menu at the rooftop bar while you enjoy 180-degree unobstructed views of the ocean. Reservations are now open for accommodation as early as November 11th. To book, visit www.hotellucine.com.
For a full list of holiday activities in Galveston and media resources including images and B-Roll, go to www.visitgalveston.com.
About Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a historic beach town located on the Gulf of Mexico just 50 miles from Houston. The island is best known as a vacation destination, offering 32 miles of beaches, a variety of family attractions, Texas’ premier cruise port and one of the largest and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country, including several National Historic Landmarks. Galveston Island is the birthplace of Juneteenth and home to popular amusements such as Moody Gardens and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, as well as a variety of museums and recreational activities from surfing to birding. For more information on Galveston Island go to www.visitgalveston.com or call 1-888-GAL-ISLE.
