Historic Downtown Galveston Offers Free Holiday Fun

[Sarah Harano]

The holiday season is just around the corner and this year, Historic Downtown Galveston is offering visitors some extra holiday magic.  Beginning Saturday, Nov. 24, Saengerfest Park, 2302 Strand, will transform into a must-see holiday spectacular and host the return of “Santa on the Strand” as well as newly introduced “Lasers, Lights and Magic in the Park.”  Saengerfest Park will buzz with “Magical Parties with Disney” courtesy of the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Radio Disney AM 1590 on select weekends through December.  As an added touch of magic, visitors to Saengerfest Park can control the weather with a text message throughout the holiday season.  With a simple touch of a button, visitors to tropical Galveston can experience the magic of snowfall right in the middle of the park! 

 

On Saturdays and Sundays starting Thanksgiving weekend Nov. 24, Santa on the Strand returns to downtown Galveston including a special appearance of Victorian Santa during Dickens weekend, Dec. 1 and 2.  Santa and his helpers will greet visitors and pose for photos from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in front of Santa’s Workshop at Saengerfest Park.  This event is also one of the many opportunities for Galveston visitors to get their “Galveston Passport to Holiday Magic” stamped! 

 

On Saturday, Nov. 24, Santa on the Strand will be followed by a special performance by The Woodlands Concert Band to celebrate the initiation of the inaugural Lasers, Lights and Magic in the Park, a nightly 15-minute holiday twinkle light and laser show synchronized to music.  The laser and light show will be on display at Saengerfest Park at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. through New Year’s Eve, Monday, Dec. 31.

 

Saturdays, Dec. 15, 22 and 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Radio Disney AM 1590 bring Magical Parties with Disney to Saengerfest Park.  On Dec. 15, the Radio Disney AM 1590 Road Crew will fill the park with excitement, music, games and prizes.  The following Saturdays, the island will become star struck as Spencer Boldman from Disney XD’s “Lab Rats” and Jake Short from Disney Channel’s “A.N.T. Farm” make appearances in the downtown park to sign autographs and take pictures with visitors on Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, respectively. 

Lasers, Lights and Magic in the Park, Santa on the Strand, and Magical Parties with Disney are part of Galveston’s Passport to Holiday Magic, a two-month celebration of more than 1,000 holiday events.  “Lasers, Lights and Magic in the Park” and “Santa on the Strand” are presented by Mitchell Historic Properties, the Historic Downtown Strand Seaport Partnership, and the Galveston Park Board of Trustees.  For more information, call [phone].

 

About Mitchell Historic Properties

Mitchell Historic Properties (MHP) oversees Galveston properties owned by developer, philanthropist, and preservationist George Mitchell and the Mitchell family, including commercial and residential properties located downtown as well as three hotels – Hotel Galvez & Spa, The Tremont House and Harbor House Hotel and Marina at Pier 21.  MHP owns and preserves approximately one-fourth of the buildings in The Historic Strand Seaport Area, including Saengerfest Park.  For leasing information, visit www.MitchellHistoricProperties.com or call [phone].

 

About Galveston Island

Galveston Island is the No. 2 tourism attraction in Texas for in-state and out-of-state travelers. Galveston is a historic beach town located just 50 miles south of Houston, Texas – the fourth largest city in the U.S.  A diverse cultural town, Galveston Island is a unique destination offering 32 miles of beaches, a variety of family attractions and resorts, one of the largest and most well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country and Texas’ premier cruise port.  For more information on Galveston Island, visit www.galveston.com or call (888) GAL-ISLE.