Three straw hats with rainbow bands displayed side by side against a purple gradient background.

Galveston in the merry month of May

By Forest Riggs

“The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.â€

—Harriet Ann Jacobs

When it comes to months that are most celebrated in thoughts, songs, poems and movies, next to December would be the merry month of May. Finally, May has arrived and brings the onset of the summer vacation period that traditionally runs through Labor Day in September.

May is known for celebrating spring in full swing. With spring comes sweet May and universe’s way of declaring “One more time.†Originally the third month of the year in the Roman calendar, with the addition of three “new†months, May became the famous fifth month of the year. Known for its brilliant birthstone, the emerald, and dainty flower, Lily of the Valley, May is symbolic of love, health, and beauty.

Galveston welcomes the month and all the visitors and tourists will that cross the causeway to explore the “Little Baghdad in the Gulf.†Already the Seawall is lined with cars and the newly sanded beaches are full of folks enjoying the cool, southern breezes and warming waters.

As the song says, “What good is sitting alone in your room?†when gay Galvetraz offers so much fun and summer excitement. Rumors Beach Bar along the Seawall offers a fantastic deck where bar patrons can sit, sip, soak up rays, and watch the world pass by below. 23rd Station Piano Bar has been “revamping†their outdoor patio bar and it is ready for some summer fun, with Todd and Tom creating a real getaway environment with the new additions to the “Margaritaville†setting. Robert’s Lafitte, always a hot spot and must-do, is still the place to gather, hang out with locals, and even take a dip in the pool. The drinks are always flowing and the amiable staff is ready to serve.

“With each day going by, hope is reborn,
Dreams come true and a little step is taken toward happiness.
May this May be unbelievably exceptional,
Amazingly colorful and filled with joy, laughter and love.â€

—Anonymous

In 1599, the English Elizabethan dramatist Thomas Decker wrote a play “The Shoemaker’s Holiday†and in it, were the lines:  “O, the month of May. The merry month of May, so frolic, so gay and so green, so green, so green! O, and then did I unto my true love say, Sunset Peg, thou shalt be my Summer’s Queen.†

This is perhaps the first mention of the “merry†month of May in recorded literature. It did not take long for the word “merry†to become the descriptive adjective commonly placed in front of the word for the fifth month.

Just about everyone knows, or has heard the song “Strolling through the Park One Dayâ€. The tune conjures images of striped-suited dandies wearing bowler hats and dancing with a bent bamboo cane. Published in 1884, the original title by songwriter Ed Haley was “The Fountain in the Parkâ€. However, due to the immense popularity of the first line, the title changed over time to its present form referencing a stroll in the park.

“While strolling through the park one day,
In the merry, merry month of May,
I was taken by surprise
By a pair of roguish eyes,
I was scared but did not run away.â€

And so it was that May was to forever be known at the merry month of May. When you think about all the summer adventures that lay ahead, May is an exciting time. When you think about it, May is a sort of magical door or portal into an upcoming summer filled with endless possibilities. The large LGBTQ community on the Island is waiting to make sure everyone has a great summer and makes the most of their getaway or road trip down from America! With the tanned and hot-looking visitors, there are bound to be some roguish eyes taking people by surprise. Don’t be shy, don’t be scared and, most of all, don’t run away; you just might find some island treasure that ol’ Jean Lafitte forgot to bury!

Forest Riggs, a resident of Galveston is no stranger to the adventures of life. A former educator and business owner, he enjoys Island life and all that comes with it. He says he is a “raconteur with a quixotic, gypsy spirit.†Forest has written for several newspapers and magazines as well as other writing pursuits, including a novel and collection of short stories.


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