GALVESTON, Texas — Galveston officials are preparing for large crowds over the Fourth of July weekend and are urging visitors to follow beach safety guidelines, observe warning flags and dispose of trash properly.
Beach patrol officials said hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected on Galveston Island during the holiday weekend. They advised beachgoers to check the colored warning flags posted at lifeguard stands before entering the water.
Under the beach warning system, a green flag indicates calm conditions, a yellow flag signals normal surf conditions that require caution, and a red flag warns of rough water and the potential for strong rip currents. Officials advise adult swimmers to stay no deeper than waist level under red flag conditions, while children and non-swimmers should remain at the surf line.
Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Austin Kirwin urged swimmers to avoid jetties, piers and other structures extending into the water because rip currents commonly form in those areas.
“You’ve got to stay very far away from the ‘no swimming’ areas and very far away from anything that sticks out in the water. That is where all the rip currents and current form,” Kirwin said.
Kirwin said beach patrol personnel will be stationed at the island’s busiest beaches throughout the holiday weekend.
Galveston will host several Independence Day events, including a Fourth of July parade and fireworks display on Saturday. The Battleship Texas will also present a free fireworks and drone show on Friday.
Visit Galveston spokesperson Chris Stanley reminded residents and visitors that discharging fireworks within Galveston city limits, including on the beach, is prohibited. Only permitted fireworks displays are allowed.
Stanley also encouraged visitors to help keep the beaches clean by disposing of litter in designated trash containers.
“We put extra trash cans out this year and we’ll have crews out very early throughout the weekend to clean up,” Stanley said. “We hand-clean our beaches every day, but when you have litter that you need to put up, put those in the garbage cans that are nearby … help us keep the beaches clean.”
