SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday: 12:30 p.m. – Parade of Sail
Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. – Tall Ships Festival (CLICK FOR TICKETS)
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: 6-9 p.m. – Movie Night on the Pier (FREE ADMISSION – NO SHIP TOURS)
CLICK FOR FESTIVAL TICKETS CLICK FOR MAPS & INFO CLICK FOR ENTERTAINER SCHEDULE
PLEASE NOTE: FESTIVAL ADMISSION IS NOT INCLUDED WITH DAYSAIL AND TWILIGHT SAIL TICKETS. PLEASE BE SURE TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR ADMISSION AND ON-BOARD TOURS. FESTIVAL ADMISSION IS NOT NEEDED FOR PARADE OF SAIL RESERVATIONS.
DAY SAIL & TWILIGHT SAIL PASSES
No experience at TALL SHIPS® GALVESTON is complete without setting out on one of our participating daysail tall ships! Step onboard WHEN AND IF and GLENN L. SWETMAN for special day sails into Galveston Bay. Twilight tours through Galveston’s historic harbor are available on the previous ships as well as PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II. Space is extremely limited for all sailing opportunities. Ages 4 and over are allowed onboard for sailing with ticket purchase.
SEAGULL II SHIP VIEWING TOURS
See the visiting fleet from a totally different angle! Galveston Historical Foundation’s Seagull II will take special tours of the historic waterfront while offering guests waterside views of the ships. Learn more about the histories of our visiting fleet, view dolphins as you travel through the bay, and maybe even catch a glimpse of our twilight sail vessels as they pass by. Photographers welcomed!
PARADE OF SAIL RESERVATIONS
A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sail onboard a TALL SHIPS® GALVESTON ship during the kick-off Parade of Sail. This Thursday event sees the visiting fleet sail down Galveston Island’s historic coastline as spectators gather to view the ship’s entrance to the event weekend.
PLEASE NOTE: Tall Ships Galveston has been designated as a Marine Event of National Significance by the U.S. Coast Guard. Special security measures will be in effect. All attendees will be screened, including personal belongings, bags, and purses. No large bags or coolers are permitted. Small coolers no larger than 5 quarts will be permitted for baby food/formula and medicine. No firearms (regardless of permit), knives, drones, illegal drugs, or other dangerous items identified by security. Toy guns and replicas are prohibited. No unsealed or broken seal bottles of liquid or outside food are permitted, except baby food and formula that must be contained in plastic containers. No glass is permitted. One sealed bottle of liquid per guest is permitted through the gate. No prohibited item will be held by security at the gate and must be returned to the vehicle, or it will be discarded.
Drones are strictly prohibited around the event area and Parade of Sail unless authorized by the Event. Unauthorized usage will be reported to law enforcement and FAA authorities.
Fishing off any pier around the event area is prohibited.
Attendees may bring an umbrella for inclement weather, but they may not use the umbrella while onboard a tall ship during a tour.
Service (trained dogs and miniature horses) animals are welcome. No other animal is permitted.
ABOUT TALL SHIPS GALVESTON®
The 2023 Tall Ships® Galveston festival hosts tours of participating ships, numerous special events, sail-away excursions, music, food, and fun in a family-friendly format. Galveston Island serves as one of three ports for the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Gulf Coast 2023 Series, which features a fleet of ships traveling across the Gulf of Mexico as they visit other participating cities. Learn more here.
ABOUT THE TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®
The Tall Ships Challenge® is a series of annual events organized by Tall Ships America. These events draw hundreds of thousands of people to witness beautiful tall ships from the age of sail and provide a unique opportunity for the participants to interact with the crews of different vessels in friendly rivalry as they race from port to port. The series began in 2001 on the Great Lakes and saw vessels from six countries and visited seven US and Canadian ports. Since its launch, the Tall Ships Challenge® series has visited dozens of North American cities, bringing millions of spectators down to the waterfront to experience the tall ships and creating a cumulative economic impact of hundreds of millions of dollars for host communities. It has continued to grow every year and is an eagerly anticipated event in the seaside communities that host the vessels and beyond. Learn more at tallshipsamerica.org.
ABOUT GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) was formed as the Galveston Historical Society in 1871 and merged with a new organization formed in 1954 as a non-profit entity devoted to historic preservation and history in Galveston County. Over the last seventy years, GHF has expanded its mission to encompass community redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy, maritime preservation, museum development, and heritage tourism. GHF embraces a broader vision of history and architecture that encompasses advancements in environmental and natural sciences and their intersection with historic buildings and coastal life, and continues to lead on local, state, and national levels with research-driven programs that build awareness of preservation’s role in cultural identity and stewardship across generations. Learn more at galvestonhistory.org.
PLEASE NOTE: TALL SHIPS® GALVESTON tickets are non-refundable. The festival is open, rain or shine. GHF is not responsible for independent transactions between visitors and vendors. All ships are viewable from the pier. However, on-board tours are not handicap accessible. If we can assist with arrangements, please contact us at 409-765-7834 in advance of your visit.











