If shrimpinвЂ™ is your game, then the Galveston Island Shrimp Festival is for you.

5 in USA TodayвЂ™s 2016 ReadersвЂ™ Choice Awards for Best Beer Festival in the U.S., this is one event not to be missed. Sample the IPAs, pilsners, ales, and stouts from more than 400 regional and international brewers and the delicious foods from some of top restaurants in the area. Held on Labor Day Weekend, GalvestonвЂ™s Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival is a mecca for lovers of all things hoppy.

The annual event features historical exhibits, demonstrations, and lectures live music beer tastings and various contests. Their influence is celebrated by the Galveston Heritage Festival, a showcase of all the cultures that helped make Galveston what it is today. In its heyday, Galveston was known as вЂњThe Ellis Island of the South,вЂќ where thousands of immigrants entered the United States for a fresh start in a new land. Watch (or compete) in the beach volleyball or soccer tournaments, admire the creations built for the sandcastle competition, and enjoy all the live music. For one day in late July, the islandвЂ™s beaches are where all the action is at. GalvestonвЂ™s warm sand and inviting waters provide more than enough of a reason to visit in the summer, but the annual Galveston Summer Fest kicks things up a notch. Independence Day Parade and Fireworks ShowДЄ colorful and patriotic parade down Seawall Boulevard and a spectacular fireworks show over the Gulf of Mexico are all part of the Fourth of July celebration in Galveston. This momentous occasion is celebrated in Galveston with parades, African-American heritage exhibits, concerts, and reenactments of GrangerвЂ™s reading of the proclamation. On Jon a harbor pier in Galveston, Union General Gordon Granger read the words of the Emancipation Proclamation, an act that freed the last enslaved people in the United States. Arrive early to watch the builders work, then stick around for the awards ceremony in the afternoon. Months of planning and preparation go into these astounding creations that are judged by originality, execution, and difficulty. More than 60 talented teams carve up the sand on GalvestonвЂ™s East Beach as they vie for the top prize (the Golden Bucket). As if that wasnвЂ™t enough, the Galveston Island Beach Revue also has live music and a kidsвЂ™ pie eating contest.Дuring this annual competition, sandcastle building is serious business. Headlined by world-class chefs, the festival includes food and wine tastings, and a 5K run.Д«eer tastings, a hot rod and classic car show, and a retro swimwear contest called the Bathing Beauties Contest are just a few of the events that make up this tongue-in-cheek nod to the roaring 1920вЂ™s. Thanks to its wealth of high-end restaurants and local breweries, Galveston is a foodieвЂ™s delight.

A schedule of the early April eventвЂ™s events is available on its website. Whether youвЂ™re an experienced birder or you want to check it out, attend a workshop or a field trip that is part of the Galveston Featherfest and Nature Photofest. Galveston sits in the midst of a major migratory bird path, making it a fantastic place for birding enthusiasts and wildlife watchers to spot thousands of our feathered friends. Galveston Featherfest and Nature Photofest Enjoy all the sounds and sights of Mardi Gras in downtown Galveston at the end of February. Find out more about the annual events in Galveston below and start planning your next trip to this island getaway.Д¬ome one come all for the largest Mardi Gras celebration in Texas! Dating all the way back to 1867, this annual event features colorful parades, lavish balls, spectacular concerts and family events. It all starts with TexasвЂ™ largest Mardi Gras celebration and continues with food and beer festivals, beach parties, sand castle building contests, and more. Thanks to its fun and family-friendly annual events, Galveston is a hot and happening place to visit regardless of the time of year. The Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort, located on Galveston's spectacular Seawall Boulevard, offers an excellent combination of executive conference facilities and relaxing resort amenities.Galveston may be best known for its beaches, but its thriving culture and historic charm will have you coming back for more.

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