Merry, bright activities abound in Galveston for the holidays
Galveston attracts visitors from all over the world to its beaches in the summer months, but the holidays on the historic island are packed with magical experiences as well. Bump into Scrooge or Tiny Tim at the 46th annual Dickens on the Strand festival or hitch a ride on the Polar Express. Catch performances of holiday favorites Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and The Nutcracker on stage at the Romanesque Revival-style Grand 1894 Opera House. And the lights twinkle from Moody Gardens to downtown.
“We are incredibly excited about our Christmas offering this year; downtown is a canvas that we’ve created Christmas on,” said Trey Click, executive director of the Historic Downtown Galveston Partnership. “We love to provide this free spectacle for our community, as well as sharing it with all the visitors we have.”
Beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving, Downtown Lasers and Lights will brighten the Strand and adjacent shopping areas with lighted rooflines and garlands suspended above the streets. At nearby Saengerfest Park, a sparkling 37-foot Christmas tree (the star on top is 5 feet by itself) will represent the holiday season. Twice an hour from 6-10 p.m., visitors can view a holiday laser show projected on the American National Insurance Company Building on weekends through Dec. 22. This is a new exhibition, replacing the holiday lanterns of the past two years.
“The laser show will start on the hour and the half hour and lasts 12 minutes,” Clerk said. “The show is synchronized to Christmas holiday music.”
On Dec. 15, you can follow or join in with other walkers and runners decked out in their Santa gear for the Santa Hustle Half Marathon and 5K. You can register as late as the day of the event, with prices varying by race and date of sign-up. Each registered participant receives a Santa beard and hat, a red hoodie and a finisher medal. There is a dash for kids, too, though it’s an early start at 6: 45 a.m. A portion of race proceeds support the Galveston County Food Bank. The race begins at Moody Gardens.