Top entertainment and other event highlights have been announced for the 105th annual Mardi Gras! Galveston. The biggest Mardi Gras celebration in Texas will be headlined by rock icons and Houston natives, Blue October, along with fellow 2000’s pop-rock sensation, Bowling for Soup.
Rap legend Bun B will also be in attendance, Grand Marshaling the all new Bumpin’ Bus Parade on Saturday February 22 at 5:30 p.m. — featuring over 20 decked-out party buses parading through downtown Galveston. The parade will be followed immediately by the Knights of Momus Grand Night Parade, the largest parade of the historic celebration.
Blue October, most notable for the platinum hits “Hate Me” and “Into the Ocean” from their 2006 platinum album Foiled, will perform live at 6 p.m. Saturday, February 15, in downtown Galveston’s Saengerfest Park during Mardi Gras! Galveston’s kick-off weekend. Meanwhile, the Grammy-nominated Bowling for Soup, originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, will perform on the same stage at 10:30 p.m. on Friday Feburary 21 for the festival’s final weekend.
In addition, “Fiesta Gras” will return for its fourth year featuring popular Monterrey norteño group La Leyenda at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 16. Austin’s all-star Selena tribute band, Bidi Bidi Banda — led by Stephanie Bergara — will perform at noon. Fiesta Gras festivities will include two parades, a balcony party and shopping and dining options.
“This is by far our best band lineup of the last 10 years,” said Yagas Entertainment president Mike Dean, who is in his tenth year organizing the festival for the city of Galveston. “Concerts are part of what make the Mardi Gras experience different in Texas, and we are excited to bring in these great local bands and homegrown Texas talent.”
For fans of EDM, “Electric Mardi Gras” returns to downtown Galveston. This separate area will provide continuous concerts, DJs and laser light shows on Fridays and Saturdays (Feb. 14-15 & 21-22). Performers will include DJ SQUARED, Houston’s own Bryan Rhymez, and Galveston’s own DJ Nonstopp.
For tickets and more festival information visit mardigrasgalveston.com
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2020.
