Make your way down island for multi-day festival fun, classic cars, challenges for kids and families, food and drink, epic sandcastle building, and more things to do around Galveston Island in October 2024.
With big headline fall festivals and parties, a bevy of genuine and imagined haunted happenings, great weather for outdoor dining, and more, fall is alway a fantastic time to be on Galveston Island.
And of course, with , deep history, charming shopping, great dining, the big outdoors, and more—there’s always plenty do on Galveston every day of the year.
Check out the 10 best reasons to visit Galveston in 2024.
Galveston’s Top 18 Festivals & Events in October 2024
- Haunted Galveston Tours, Destinations & More | Daily – Historic Downtown Galveston always carries a bit of intrigue, giving a nod to the storied haunts and ghosts that reside there. But in October, the dial turns up as locals and visitors lean into the Halloween spirit with tours, experiences, and more. Favorites include Galveston Historical Foundation’s Haunted Harbor Boat Tours, Cemetery Tours, Haunted History Ghost Tours of the 1859 Ashton Villa,
- Sunset Sip, Spa & Shop at the San Luis Resort | Friday, October 4 – The seaside Galveston resort hosts an evening of express spa treatments, live music, and access to a pop-up trunk show and Zen space. The first five attendees and renewing spa members receive a Kendra Scott rose quartz gift. $25. 4pm to 7pm.
- Galveston ArtWalk in Downtown Galveston | Saturday, October 5 | FREE – Enjoy a fall evening when downtown galleries, shops and organizations keep their doors open late, many offering special treats and libations and artist pop-ups. It’s great way to prep for the big ArtoberFest event in a few weeks. 6pm to 9pm.
- Malevo at The Grand 1894 Opera House | Saturday, October 5 – The Argentinian all-male group elevates Malambo traditions with urban percussion and dance. Elements of flamenco, tango and Irish step dance meet to create a performance that has wowed audiences around the world. $25 and up. 8pm.
- Genteel Junque at the Market on Depot | Friday, October 11 to Sunday, October 13 | FREE on Saturday & Sunday – Browse and shop for high quality antiques, furniture, art, and other surprises. Times vary.
- Ghost Coast Festival in Downtown Galveston | Friday, October 11 to Sunday, October 13 – Delve into the paranormal at a Saturday festival at the League-Kempner House—complete with a vendor market, panels, speakers, paranormal investigations, ghost tours, psychic readings, kids activities—that will be bookended with a haunted Friday pub crawl and haunted tours on Sunday. Times vary.
- Oktoberfest at Galveston Island Brewing | Saturday, October 12 | No Cover – Toast to the island life with a full day of food and dance, with commemorative steins up for grabs, competitions, fun activities and live music from Auf Geht’s and Homebrewed Brass Ensemble. Noon to 8pm.
- 40th Annual Galveston Greek Festival at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church | Saturday, October 12 & Sunday, October 13 | FREE – The lively 2-day fest celebrates Hellenic culture with authentic food, wines, beer, pastries, dance performances, commemorative items, and more. Times vary.
- 37th Annual Harvest Moon Regatta Along the Gulf Coast | Thursday, October 17 | FREE to View – Grab a spot along the Seawall beach to spy dozens of sailboats race along the coastline during annual offshore race offshore from Galveston to Port Aransas. 1pm to 3pm.
- 1892 Bishop’s Palace Full Moon Tour | Thursday, October 17 – Get a rare moonlight-fueled look inside the National Historic Landmark, including the third floor, to see how the architectural gem takes on a completely different look the the moon is full. $35. 7pm.
- Pedal Steel Noah in Concert at the 1859 St. Joseph’s Church | Saturday, October 19 – Catch a live show from 16-year-old Austin musician Noah Faulkner, who won hearts on Instagram covering ‘80s and ‘90s hits on pedal steel. $30 and up. 6pm.
- ArtoberFest in Historic Downtown Galveston | Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20 – The island’s premier juried arts festival welcomes 120 artists from across the U.S. for 2 days of artist demonstrations, food, and entertainment in the art of Galveston’s beautiful downtown cultural arts district. $5; free for ages 12 and under. 10pm to 6pm.
- 42nd Annual Galveston Island Oktoberfest at First Lutheran Church of Galveston | Friday, October 25 & Saturday, October 26 | FREE – Galveston’s family-friendly festival returns with two days of free entertainment, food, rides and games. Enjoy traditional German food and drink while you take in a slate of polka performers on both days. Times vary.
- Stomp at The Grand 1894 Opera House | Friday, October 25 & Saturday, October 26 | FREE – The popular percussive hit, featuring performers drumming and dancing with real world and found items to create an award-winning, crowd-pleasing performance. $43.20 and up. Times vary.
- Island Boo Fest in Historic Downtown Galveston | Saturday, October 26 | FREE – The family-friendly, pre-Halloween celebration in downtown Galveston will include trick-or-treating, a costumed parade, a vendor market with unique spirited goods, food and drink pairings, and more. 10am to 7pm.
- Elissa’s 147th Birthday Party at Galveston Historic Seaport – Celebrate the grand old lady, the “Official Tall Ship of Texas,” at the 1877 Elissa annual birthday party, complete with the return of the Elissa costume party with theme “Under the Water”, plus tarot card reading, free craft beer from Saint Arnold Brewing, food, custom birthday cake, live music from Houston’s Buxton, and a shipload of fun with the good and festive folks from Galveston Historical Foundation. $65. 7pm to 9pm.
- Trick or Treating at the 1838 Menard House | Halloween, Thursday, October 31 | FREE – Galveston’s oldest residence opens its gates and door to give out bags of candy to trick-or-treaters. The house itself will not be open for tours. 5pm to 6:30pm.
- Lone Star Motorcycle Rally on Galveston Island | Halloween, Thursday, October 31 to Sunday, November 3 | Some FREE – The massive, annual celebration motorcycles—not to mention juried truck, jeep and classic car shows returns to the islands, with 40 free concerts ranging from classic rock to adult contemporary. Times vary.
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