GALVESTON, Texas — Whether or not you are taking part in the Mardi Gras celebrations in Galveston, you should be aware of the street closures in place each weekend if you plan on being on the island.
Galveston Mardi Gras street closures first weekend, Feb. 2-4
Beginning Thursday, Feb. 1, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th streets between Harborside and Strand and Strand and Mechanic, will close to allow for event staging and load-in.
Crews will close all remaining streets in the early afternoon on Friday.
On Friday by 2 p.m., the area from Harborside to Mechanic, 20th to 25th streets, including 25th Street and Market to New Strand, will be open to pedestrian traffic only.
There will be closures on 25th Street from Market to Harborside as a part of the event area. Streets will re-open no later than 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4.
Galveston Mardi Gras parade closures for Feb. 3
Parades are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. Access streets leading to Seawall between 23rd and 61st streets will be barricaded from 10:30 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m.
Vehicles will be directed westbound away from the parades.
- East and westbound traffic will be closed on Seawall Boulevard between 61st and 23rd streets from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in that area.
- Additionally, 25th Street from Seawall Boulevard to Market will be closed from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. to safely allow for the night parade.
- Broadway, Avenue O, Avenue P, and Harborside will remain open for cross traffic except during parade events.
Galveston Mardi Gras street closures second weekend, Feb. 9-11
beginning on Thursday at 5 p.m., Feb. 8, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th streets between Harborside and Strand and Strand and Mechanic, will close to allow for event staging and load-in.
Crews will close all remaining streets in the early afternoon on Friday. By 2 p.m. the area from Harborside to Mechanic, 20th to 25th streets, including 25th Street, Market to Strand, will be open to pedestrian traffic only.
There will be closures on 25th Street from Market to Harborside and streets will re-open no later than 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, February 11.
Galveston Mardi Gras parade closures for Feb. 10
Street closures along Seawall Blvd. will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 10. Please note the following traffic schedule:
- East and westbound traffic will be closed on Seawall Boulevard between 25th and 33rd streets from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in that area.
- East and westbound traffic will be closed on Seawall Boulevard between 19th and 27th streets from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.; access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in that area.
- Additionally, 25th Street from Seawall Boulevard to Market will be closed from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. to safely allow for the night parade.
- Broadway, Avenue O, Avenue P, and Harborside will remain open for cross traffic except during parade events.
Fat Tuesday street closures for Feb. 13
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, crews will close streets inside the downtown entertainment district at 5:30 p.m. in anticipation of the Fat Tuesday Parade.
The area, including Harborside to Church, 19th to 25th streets, Market from 28th to 25th streets, and 28th Street from Santa Fe Place to Market will be closed for the festivities.
All streets will re-open no later than 11 p.m.
Galveston Seawall traffic
During the Seawall parades on both Saturdays of Mardi Gras, moving traffic, including golf carts, is prohibited.
The city has banned golf carts and all other motorized vehicles from the Seawall during the parades on the first and second Saturdays.
People who violate this rule will be subject to fines.
Seawall parking
Overnight parking will be allowed on the Seawall beginning at 5:01 a.m. Thursday until 5 a.m. Sunday during the first weekend of Mardi Gras only.
There will be increased fines associated with parking overnight on the Seawall in the days leading up to Mardi Gras to discourage the practice. The fine will be $250.
This $250 citation will be in effect from midnight hours on Monday, Feb. 5, until 5 a.m. hours on Thursday, Feb. 8. These fines are only for illegal overnight parking, not during the day.
All other times of the year, the citation for parking on the Seawall between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. is $50.
Available parking spots along Seawall are likely to fill up quickly in anticipation of the first weekend parades. The Galveston Police Department reminds residents and visitors:
- Do not try to cover space with anything other than a properly registered vehicle. Trailers must have proper registration and may not be parked unattached to a vehicle
- Cones, chairs, ropes, chains and the like will be removed at the owners’ expense
- Keep Seawall sidewalk pathways clear of any obstacles to allow free access to pedestrian traffic