GALVESTON — Mardi Gras is returning for 115th celebration in Galveston this February week. The celebration will commence on Friday, Feb. 6 and will conclude on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17, two full weeks jam-packed with music concerts, festivities and many parades to greet and bring smiles to thousands of residents and tourists.

Attendees should be aware of traffic delays and strategize their travel to reach their desired destinations. Drivers heading to the downtown entertainment district are encouraged to use Harborside Drive to avoid street closures. Visitors staying overnight during the second weekend should inquire about free shuttles from hotels offered on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

For tickets, concert schedules, parade routes and times, or vendor information, visit the official Mardi Gras! Galveston website at: http://www.mardigrasgalveston.com/

Below are Street Closures during the Mardi Gras! Galveston celebration:

First Weekend:

No parking signs will be placed downtown prior to the weekend. On, Thursday, Feb. 5, at 5p.m., 21st to 25th streets between Harborside, Strand and Mechanic will close to allow for event staging and load-in preparations. Streets will reopen on 11:45pm on Sunday, Feb. 8 on the first weekend, and Feb. 15 on the second weekend.

Seawall Parade Routes: Saturday, February 7
Parades are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. Access streets leading to Seawall between 23rd and 61st Streets will be barricaded from 9 a.m. to as late as 10p.m. Vehicles will be directed westbound away from the parades.
-East and west-bound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd. between 59th and 23rd Streets from 10a.m. to 11p.m.; access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in that area.
-Additionally, 25th Street from Seawall Blvd. to Market will be closed in both directions from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. to safely allow for passage of the night parade.
-Broadway, Avenue O, Avenue P, and Harborside will remain open for cross traffic except during parade events.
-There will be no motorized vehicles – including golf carts – allowed on the seawall or 25th Street on Saturday, February 7 from 9 a.m. to approximately 10 p.m. after the night parade.
-Cars parked on the Seawall MUST remain parked through the day Saturday until after the night parade. This means people will not be allowed to move their vehicles parked on the Seawall after the day parade. Participants should plan accordingly.

Second Weekend:

To accommodate the Mardi Gras parades, street closures along Seawall Blvd. will begin at 8:30a.m. on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. Keep note that on those days, East and westbound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd between 19th, 25th, 27th, and 33rd streets from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Additionally, 25th street from Seawall Blvd. to Market will be closed in both directions from 3p.m. to 10p.m.

Seawall Parade Routes: Saturday, Feb 14:
To accommodate several parades, street closures along Seawall Blvd. will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 14. Please note the following traffic schedule:

-East and westbound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd. 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 Blvd. 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 Blvd. to Market will be closed in both directions 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.

Overnight parking will be allowed on the Seawall beginning Thursday 5:01a.m. till Sunday 5:00a.m. Sunday during the first Mardi Gras weekend only. Vehicles parked on the Seawall need to be remained parked through the Saturday night parade. No movie traffic is permitted on the Seawall Saturday during the day. Violators will be fined with a $250 citation beginning Monday, Feb. 2, until 5a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5.

Available parking spots are expected to fill up quickly on the first weekend. Galveston PD informs its citizens and visitors to not cover space with anything other than a properly registered vehicle, cones, chairs, ropes, chains and the like will be removed at the owners expense, and to keep Seawall sidewalk pathways clear of any obstacles to allow free access to pedestrian traffic.

If you have any additional questions about this year’s festivities, visit Mardi Gras! Galveston website at http://www.mardigrasgalveston.com.

To help ensure a quick pass through the gate to enjoy the celebrations, please view the list of items prohibited in the Uptown Entertainment District at: https://www.mardigrasgalveston.com/faqs/.

_{Photo courtesy: Mardi Gras Galveston/Galveston.com}