GALVESTON, Texas (Oct. 7, 2024) – The season for thrills and chills is quickly approaching and Galveston Island’s ghostly history makes it one of the top destinations in the country for “haunted” travel. This year, the inaugural Ghost Coast Festival and Boo Fest will enhance a robust selection of ghost and cemetery tours throughout the island.
Ghost Coast Festival
The Ghost Coast Festival will take place Oct. 11-13. The event kicks off with a pub crawl on Friday, Oct. 11 in Galveston’s historic Strand district. On Saturday Oct. 12, the family friendly event moves to the League Kempner House, a historic mansion designed by noted architect Nicholas Clayton, for a day filled with panels, speakers, paranormal investigations and psychic readings. Sunday, Oct. 13 offers curious festival-goers opportunities to participate in guided ghost tours. Information and tickets are available at www.ghostcoastfestival.com.
Boo Fest
Trick or treating, eating and a parade marks Boo Fest festivities in Galveston. Taking place on Oct. 26 at various venues in downtown Galveston, the event aims to attract families to for a fun fall celebration. Anticipated highlights include a downtown trick or treat among shops and restaurants, a trunk or treat in Saengerfest Park, the Mystic Parade of Boo featuring several of Galveston’s Mardi Gras Krewes, plus after-event happenings at bars and restaurants. A schedule of events can be found at www.visitgalveston.com/blog/island-boo-fest.
Dia De Los Muertos Fall Fiesta
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council #151 will host a Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Fall Fiesta Oct. 26 from 1-9 p.m. near the Old County Courthouse at 722 21st Street. This family-friendly event is a celebration of life and death and will feature traditional dishes, plus the creation of altars to remember the dead.
Haunted Sites and Attractions
Galveston Island has many sites that are considered haunted, including an 1867 building that served as a morgue after the 1900 Storm – still the deadliest storm in U.S. history having killed an estimated 8,000 Galveston residents. The building now houses Haunted Mayfield Manor – a year-round haunted house attraction in downtown Galveston. The haunted house embraces the spooky history of the building’s past while providing guests with a psychologically thrilling experience.
The Galveston Historical Foundation offers ghost tours throughout October. Many of the island’s historic places have ghost stories attached to them as Galveston has been home to epidemics of disease, war, fires, storms and many merciless pirates, including the infamous Jean Laffite whose lavish and lawless den of thieves was the island’s first European settlement. Galveston visitors can enjoy Haunted Harbor Tours in Galveston Bay and Galveston Ghost Stories in the city’s oldest home, the 1838 Menard House. To see a schedule, visit www.galvestonhistory.org.
Also embracing its reported haunting is the island’s 113-year-old Grand Galvez, which has been featured on the Travel Channel’s Ghost Stories and on the Discovery Channel’s Ghost Lab for its paranormal significance.
The hotel, offering year-round ghost tours, is said to be haunted by a “Ghost Bride” who reportedly has been seen in room 501 and in the hotel’s west turret. Legend has it that the bride hanged herself in the west turret during the mid-1900s after hearing reports that her fiancé had died at sea. Tragically, her fiancé eventually returned to the hotel looking forward to a marriage that would never be. Visitors can learn more about her and other haunted happenings when they book a tour at the Galvez with Melissa Hall, the “Ghostess of Galveston.” Book a tour at www.grandgalvez.com.
More Haunted Tours
Several companies and their ghostly history experts offer haunted tours of the island.
Ghost Tours of Galveston
Discover the dark side of Galveston on one of these ghost tours. Guests can opt for a Ghost Tour on the Strand, the Great Storm Talk & Tour, Galveston Cemetery Ghost Tour or a Restless Spirits Tour. www.ghosttoursofgalvestonisland.com
Haunted Mayfield Ghost Tours
Guides take visitors on a walk through dark alleys and around hidden corners during these downtown Galveston ghost tours. Expect to hear stories of ghostly residents believed to continue to haunt the area. www.galvestonhauntedhouse.com
Ghost Walks and Cemetery Tours
Author and historian Kathleen Maca takes visitors through Galveston’s streets, historic cemeteries and the railyard introducing them to colorful characters from Galveston’s past including murder victims, movie stars, military men and women and more. www.kathleenmaca.com
Historic Galveston Ghost Tours
Historic Galveston Ghost Tours are led by members of academia and are designed to educate, entertain and scare participants. An added bonus is a tour of Galveston’s fabled Red Light District illuminating the area’s scandalous history. www.historicgalvestonghosttours.com
For a listing of Halloween-themed events, go to www.visitgalveston.com and search “haunted.”
About Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a historic beach town located on the Gulf of Mexico just 50 miles from Houston. The island is best known as a vacation destination, offering 32 miles of beaches, a variety of family attractions, Texas’ premier cruise port and one of the largest and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country, including several National Historic Landmarks. Galveston Island is the birthplace of Juneteenth and home to popular amusements such as, Moody Gardens and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, as well as a variety of museums and recreational activities from surfing to birding. For more information on Galveston Island visit www.visitgalveston.com or call 1-888-GAL-ISLE.