Most food categories and restaurant types are represented. From Sea Food to Steaks, and Casual to Upscale, there is something for everyone to appreciate. Galveston residents and frequent visitors are eager to tell you which entry is their favorite. Which restaurant that is participating in the Galveston Restaurant Week is your favorite? Share your opinion and vote today. Last year’s winner of the 2014 Galveston Restaurant Week was The Olympia Grill at Pier 21. Who will become the 2015 winner? Many of the participating restaurants are offering specials during this year’s Galveston Restaurant Week. Stop in and enjoy the outstanding cuisine offered on Galveston Island. You won’t be disappointed. It is recommended that you call for reservations during this year’s popular event. No sense having to wait for a seat unnecessarily.

Galveston Restaurant Week: A Few of the Participating Restaurants

• ShyKatz
• The Steak House
• The Gumbo Bar
• Brick House
• Olympia Grill at Pier 21
• Waterman’s

Remember that Galveston Restaurant Week is a People’s Choice Award. Professional connoisseurs will not decide the winner. You will, and that’s why your vote and participation is so important. It is estimated that over fifty restaurants will participate in this year’s event. We have only listed a few above. Many more are participating. So, enjoy Galveston Restaurant Week. Vote for your favorite, or one of your favorites. Try a few new ones and enjoy dining out in Galveston with your family or friends.

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There will be daily parades, and nearly non-stop entertainment on six stages scattered throughout the Strand area of downtown Galveston. Musicians roam the streets entertaining. Carolers sing all your favorite Christmas songs. Vendors offer you food and treats. Entertainers are everywhere doing what they do best. It is a family friendly atmosphere that has something for everyone regardless of their age. Your grandchildren and your grandparents will all enjoy themselves very much.

Dickens on the Strand is an event like no other. For three days you and your family can enjoy a fun journey into history. Fun is the key word here! Music, food, and parades are plentiful. Entertainers, costumes, and vendors are everywhere. Meet the Queen, talk to a Constable, or hire a Chimney Sweep. Dickens on the Strand represents a period of time that Charles Dickens wrote about in his novels. This Victorian extravaganza gets bigger and better each year.

Jane Monk, the Great-Great-Granddaughter of Charles Dickens will attend Dickens on the Strand this year and host a breakfast. This traditional English breakfast will once again take place at the Ashton Villa on Broadway. Saturday, December 6^th is the date and 8:00AM is the time. Make your plans early as this event almost always sells out. Not only is the food delicious, but you can purchase an autographed copy of Charles Dickens Christmas Story by Jane Monk. How many of your friends have one of those?

Dickens on the Strand is an event you don’t want to miss. It’s also an event you can go to year after year, and enjoy each and every time. Dickens on the Strand is clearly one of the premier events hosted in Galveston each year.

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The biggest Holiday Shopping weekend of the year just got bigger. Moody Gardens will be hosting the 2^nd Annual “Home for the Holidays Gift Market”. This Holiday event will take place November 28^th & 29^th. It will be open from 2PM – 9PM on Friday, 28^th & 10AM – 9PM on Saturday, 29^th. Santa will be making an appearance so make plans to attend for this year’s Holiday kickoff event. Over 100 vendors will be displaying and selling their most unique and desirable items. Get out your Christmas sweater, grab the kids, & bring your Christmas Holiday shopping list to The Home for the Holidays Gift Market. You won’t be sorry, and you can expect to find just the right gifts for those special people in your life.

Moody Garden’s “Festival of Lights” is a Holiday extravaganza like no other! Moody Gardens has presented the largest and most spectacular Holiday Light Show anywhere on the Gulf Coast for over ten years. This year’s Festival will be no different. Walk along the Holiday Trail (approximately 1 mile) and experience over 100 lighted Holiday scenes. Each scene is carefully designed to bring you the most dramatic presentation. Holiday music will accompany you throughout your journey down this lighted trail. Bring your entire family and enjoy this festive annual event.

This year’s Festival of Lights will be open from November 22^nd through January 3^rd. We usually go several times each year because it is so relaxing and enjoyable. The Holiday music and Light displays will not disappoint. Sing along with the Holiday music and Christmas Carols that we all know. Get involved and enjoy the experience. It is truly a wonderful way to enjoy a family night out. Remember when you were a child and your parents took you out to see all the Christmas Lights? I do, and it still is a highlight for me! Your kids are going to love this experience. They will remember it and your family will talk about it forever!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you.

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The second festival of the month is Oktoberfest. It runs Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October, 25th. In its 4th year, Oktoberfest has grown to be a very popular festival indeed. The 2013 festival attracted over 15,000 attendees. We are anticipating a larger event this year. One of the reasons for the acceptance and growth of Oktoberfest is of course the Beer, “Bier” as they call it in Germany. You can visit a themed Bier Garten environ. There will be several for your pleasure. Come see the authentic German costumes. Enjoy German Sausage and German Bier. There will be American beer as well, for those who can’t live without it. Lots of children’s activities, family fun games, arts & crafts, and a Cake Wheel will be present at this years Oktoberfest festival. Each year in Galveston an authentic transformation of German heritage is brought to us in the form of Oktoberfest. This family fun event is worth every penny and hour that you devote to it. Good food! Good Bier! Good family fun! It just doesn’t get much better than that.

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September is the time of year that many of us have all been waiting for. The hot summer season is over, and the cooler fall season is right around the corner. The traditional steamy heat of July is being replaced by cooler less humid air of September. It truly is the perfect time and weather for an outdoor Shrimp Festival on Galveston Island.

There are more activities during The Shrimp Festival than you might expect. It is completely family friendly, and fun for all! The Strand area of Galveston will host much of this year’s event. The Strand area will include lots of Live Music. There will be plenty of vendors for even the most discriminating attendees. There is even a “Merchant Walk-About” for your shopping pleasure. A special “Kids Area” will be available this year as well.

Come and enjoy the “Lil’ Shrimps Parade”. Everyone will love this event, so don’t miss out. There is a 5K & 1K Fun Run. For you Fun Run enthusiasts this is an event you won’t want to miss. There will be a FREE RV Show and a FREE Boat Show too!

What would a Shrimp Festival be without a Shrimp Gumbo Cook-Off? Well you will not be disappointed. There is Shrimp Gumbo Tasting too! There will be plenty of shrimp available for all concerned and cooked every way possible. If you like shrimp then you will like The Shrimp Festival on Galveston Island. If you like family fun then you will also like this event.

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The Band (Live Music of course) is second to none! They play oldies as good as the original artists of each song did! Dancing is encouraged, so don’t be surprised if someone asks you to dance. The dress code is extremely casual for this outdoor party. Should you decide to “Dress like a Pirate, or as a Wench” you will be joined by many regulars who dress up every year. Buccaneer Bash honors the history of Galveston Island and Pirate Jean Lafitte.

All proceeds from the Buccaneer Bash will go to purchase a second “Spot Vision Eye Machine“. These machines will be used to examine every child of school age on Galveston Island. The Goal is to quickly determine which children in Galveston need to have a Professional Eye Exam. Poor vision is the number one cause of inattentive children in school. When you don’t pay attention it is difficult to learn.

Raffle items will be available at the Buccaneer Bash, as well as, the traditional Lost Treasure Give-A-Way. There are only 300 Lost Treasure Give-A-Way tickets available for sale. The cost is $100.00 each. Six tickets will be drawn for the following amounts of money; $300, $400, $500, $800, $1,000, and the Grand Prize $10,000. You do not have to be present to win! Tickets are available on line at www.BuccaneerBash.com. They are tax deductible. You may also buy tickets at the Buccaneer Bash or from any member of the Galveston West Beach Lions Club. The GWBLC is the events sponsoring organization. If you want to have a blast and help our children with vision problems, come to the Buccaneer Bash. If you want to win $10,000 buy a Lost Treasure Give-A-Way ticket and come to the Buccaneer Bash.

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