Galveston Island, Texas– Book your passage now for Galveston Historical Foundation’s newest event, the Galveston Heritage Festival! Enjoy music, food and entertainment from numerous cultural groups and organizations from throughout Texas while learning more about the early days of immigration through the Port of Galveston. Held in Kempner Park at 27th and Avenue O, the event opens its gates at 10 am and concludes at 8 pm on Saturday, August 15. Tickets are available at galvestonhistory.org and are $10 for adults, $8 for GHF members, $5 for youth 6-12 year’s old and free for children 5 and under.
“GHF will celebrate the island’s rich heritage by recognizing the people and cultures that came to Galveston in the 19th and 20th centuries,” explains Dwayne Jones, GHF Executive Director. “This inaugural event kicks off a concerted effort by GHF to capture individual and family stories for almost 200 years. We see this as the first of many annual events to recognize local cultural entities and welcome back families from across the state and the West with ties to Galveston Island.”
The event will be set in historic Kempner Park and the c.1880 Garten Verein pavilion, and feature a craft beer garden, live entertainment on outdoor stages as well as lectures and hands-on workshops. Additionally, descendants of immigrants who came through the Port of Galveston from the early 1800s to the mid-20th century will be on hand throughout the park, sharing their cultural heritage through vendor tents, exhibits and more.
Also making its debut this year is a pop-up exhibit with contributions from the public. The Galveston Heritage Festival is seeking 50 objects that represent what Galveston’s immigration history means to you. Have something that belongs in a museum? Does your family history include a unique artifact that you want to put on display? It could be one of 50 items that will be selected from the public for this temporary exhibit set up at the Garten Verein. Submit images and a description of your artifact online, at galvestonhistory.org, for consideration. Submissions will be accepted through July 31st and, if your artifact is selected, complimentary admission to the festival for two will be included as the festival’s way of saying thanks.
Known as the “Ellis Island of the West,” Galveston’s port was a primary point of entry for thousands of immigrants settling across Texas and the western United States. These immigrant groups would establish communities throughout the southern United States, and beyond. The Galveston Heritage Festival will celebrate the bold vision and contributions these groups made to our history.
For more information, please contact Will Wright, Director of Marketing & Special Events at 409-765-3404, [email protected] or visit galvestonhistory.org.