During the summers of 2017 and 2018, thousands of dollars from Hotel Tax funds were used by the Park Board of Galveston to present a fireworks display each Sunday night beginning at 9:00PM on the Galveston Seawall at 37th St. The fireworks, detonated very near a densely populated neighborhood, attempted to attract tourists and encourage them to stay another night in Galveston.

The fireworks have become more than an expensive nuisance. They frighten small children, the elderly and others that live in the surrounding neighborhoods while traumatizing dogs and other household pets. In addition, the fireworks have ill effects on the local wildlife, including the disorientation of birds. The displays create choking smoke in the vicinity while depositing soot and toxic chemical residue into the water, affecting aquatic life. Finally, the people who gather on the beach often leave litter everywhere for the Park Board workers to clean up the next day, spoiling the beautiful beaches we all enjoy.

It is time for a change.

If you agree and would like to see that money used in other ways, please sign this petition in support of Ending the Summer Sunday Fireworks in Galveston. https://tinyurl.com/NoSundayFireworks Note: We are NOT advocating ending traditional fireworks displays on holidays like July 4th. This is strictly about ending a repetitive schedule of fireworks displays on otherwise peaceful Sunday nights with no way to measure the benefit to our tourism economy. You can also help by spreading word about this petition to your social media contacts, family and friends. The URL is https://tinyurl.com/NoSundayFireworks

The final results of the petition will be shared at the upcoming Tourism Development Advisory Committee meeting.

The Park Board has very capable and creative folks onboard who can develop alternatives to fireworks that will encourage longer stays in Galveston while not holding residential areas hostage to a weekly barrage. Let’s turn those folks loose and see what better attractions they can dream up to keep tourist dollars here.