Hermann Park Conservancy’s Kite Festival - Sunday, March 26th

Add Hermann Park Conservancy’s Kite Festival to your plans for Sunday, March 26. The day will be jam-packed with kid-friendly activities, music, kite-flying and more! Houkulele (Houston's Ukulele Club), is so excited to be a performer at this year’s festival. You won’t want to miss out! Make sure to follow Hermann Park Conservancy (@HermannPark) for up-to-date information. #hermannparkkitefestival

ndar/annual-hermann-park-conservancy-kite-festival/

Make Music Houston 2022 at The Ion - Tuesday, June 21st

 Houkulele will be performing at Make Music Houston 2022 at The Ion on Tuesday, June 21st!

 

What's it all about?

In collaboration with Make Music Houston 2022 the Midtown Cultural Arts and Entertainment District presents a free musical celebration of summer solstice in various locations throughout the community, including METRO Rail Stations, The ION, and #midtownpark and #bagbypark. We will have Broadway, jazz, marching bands, salsa, and a Ukulele Band (yep, that's us!). There is something for everyone and it's going to be F U N!

 

Houkulele will go on at 11:30AM and play for close to an hour.

The ion is located at:

4201 Main St

Houston, TX 77002

Hope to see you there!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2022 - Saturday, February 19th

Galveston Mardi Gras - Krewe of Gambrinus
Saturday,  February 19, 2022 - "Flights of Fantasy"

 

Here is the latest you should be aware of.

1. Parade starts from/near the Galveston Convention Center on Seawall Blvd at 6:00 PM Saturday February 19th. We suggest the walkers arrive no later than 4:45 pm and find our trailer/pickup. It should be staged somewhere near the Kroger store on Seawall Blvd and 61st street.
2. The personnel on the trailer who will be plugged into the sound system should plan on being at the trailer by 3:30 pm so we can run a sound check before the bands start to arrive.
3. You can park at the Galveston Convention Center at 5000 Seawall Blvd in their parking structure. The Seawall will be closed from 61st street east but you can get to the Convention Center by taking off before you get to the Seawall and come in the backway from  57th. There is a parking pass available (email houkulele@gmail.com to request yours). Put a copy on your dashboard below your windshield. This is needed to enter the parking structure. Please read the instructions on the bottom of the parking pass. Note that parking will be limited.
4. The parade will finish near the end of the Strand and the Galveston Cruise Terminal.
5. It will be necessary for everyone to make their own arrangements to get from the parade end back to the Convention Center to pick up their cars after the parade should they choose to park there. There are several suggestions to help with this, but you should be flexible. The Krewe are not running buses back to the Convention Center from the parade end.

• Coordinate with one of the other Houkuleleans that you know of going to the event and car-pool/park a car in a pay-lot or on the street near the Cruise Terminal. Then park your car at the Convention Center at the parade start and then use the vehicle at the parade end to carpool back to the Convention Center.
• Uber/Lyft/Taxi from the parade end to get back to the Convention Center.
• You may be allowed to park a car in the Cruise Ship parking area using the parking pass below (this is where the high-school band buses park to pick up band members after the parade). We will confirm if this is an option.

 

 Housekeeping Items:

• We will have water and Gatorade in a cooler the truck
• You should have something to eat before the parade starts
• There will be beads and leis to pass out to the crowd
• Please do not bring your instrument rigid cases to the trailer (there is no spare room to store them)
• Dress appropriately, (theme is “Flights of Fantasy”) it will be cool later-on in the evening, watch the weather reports.

Bring your enthusiasm!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2020 - It's time to practice!

February 15th will be here before you know it! Now's the time to practice the songs we'll be playing during the parade:

Houkulele Mardi Gras 2020
(Version 3)

Want something to play along with? We've got you covered! Here are all eight songs in one convenient MP3:

Mardi Gras "Supercut"
NOTE: There are actually two kazoo breaks during When the Saints Go Marching In, but the audio track only has one.

Galveston Mardi Gras 2020 - Saturday, February 15th

Galveston Mardi Gras - Krewe of Gambrinus
Saturday,  February 15, 2020 - "HAV-AN-A Good Time Tonight"

Houkulele has been asked once again to participate in the Krewe of Gambrinus Mardi Gras Parade. The event is really fun and a rare chance to play for 250,000 people!

The Krewe of Gambrinus is one of the kickoff parades for Galveston Island’s two-week Mardi Gras celebration. The parade starts at the Galveston Seawall at 6 PM and ends about 2-3 hours later at the far west end of ‘The Strand” near the Train Museum. The parade route is a little over 4 miles. This year’s theme is "HAV-AN-A Good Time Tonight,” so we’ll be playing easy, latin/tropical songs. We'll need lots of riders and walkers to pull off a good show!

Want to participate?
Fill out this simple Google form with your contact info.

Ready to start practicing?
Grab the songbook!
Houkulele Mardi Gras 2020
(Version 3)

100 Ukuleles for 100 Kids - Houston

Please join us Saturday, September 28th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM, to raise money sponsoring the donation of a ukulele to hospitalized children across the nation and right here in Houston at Anderson Fair Listening Room! All proceeds from this event will go toward funding an ukulele, instruction book, and access to the Ukulele Kids' Club learner's app for each child.

In addition to good karma, you will get to experience the musical stylings of Houston's own Rom Ryan (www.moodafaruka.com), The Houkulele Strummers, snack, drink, and potentially win a hand-painted one-of-a-kind ukulele for your own family to enjoy!

The Ukulele Kids' Club (UKC) is a nonprofit organization that provides free instruments and supports music therapy for hospitalized children. The group partners with more than 200 hospitals in the U.S. and worldwide. Enjoy a fun and musical event for the whole family, with proceeds supporting the UKC to give hospitalized kids the gift of music for life.

• $50 sponsors the cost of 1 ukulele for a hospitalized child
• $30 sponsors 1/2 the cost of 1 ukulele for a hospitalized child

Make your donation to reserve your concert seat today at:
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4285782

Want to get involved?  Contact Ashley Herrick Orlando.

Galveston Mardi Gras 2019 - It's time to practice!

February 23rd will be here before you know it! Now's the time to practice the songs we'll be playing during the parade:

Houkulele Mardi Gras 2019
(Version 5)

Want something to play along with? We've got you covered! Here are all ten songs in MP3 format for your listening pleasure:

• 12 Bar Blues
• Crocidile Rock
• Hound Dog
• I Wanna Be Like You
• Joy To The World
• Let The Good Times Roll
• Stray Cat Strut
• The Lion Sleeps Tonight
• When The Saints Go Marching In
• Wild Thing

Prefer all the songs in one file?

• Mardi Gras "Supercut"

Galveston Mardi Gras 2019 - Sign-up!

Planning to join us for the Krewe of Gambrinus Galveston Parade on February 23rd? Great! Here's your chance to sign-up:

2019 Krewe of Gambrinus Galveston Parade Sign-up

Galveston Mardi Gras 2019 - Saturday, February 23rd

Mark your calendars!

Krewe of Gambrinus Parade
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Seawall Blvd, Galveston
6:00 PM Parade Start

Houkulele has been asked once again to participate in the Krewe of Gambrinus Mardi Gras Parade. The event is really fun and a rare chance to play for 250,000 people!

The Krewe of Gambrinus is one of the kickoff parades for Galveston Island’s two-week Mardi Gras celebration. The parade starts at the Galveston Seawall at 6 PM and ends about 2-3 hours later at the far west end of ‘The Strand” near the Train Museum. The parade route is a little over 4 miles. This year’s theme is “Let the Good Times Roar,” so we’ll be playing easy, animal-related songs. We'll need lots of riders and walkers to pull off a good show!

Want to be part of the fun? Join the discussion on our Facebook group!

Houkulele Red Nose Day Jam, Thursday, May 3rd

Join us for music, a silent auction, and more to help us kick off our month-long fundraising campaign in support of Red Nose Day, an annual drive to fight childhood poverty. No cover, ukulele optional!

When: Thursday, May 3rd, 7-9PM
Where: Hickory Hollow, 101 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX

Can't make the jam but want to donate to Red Nose Day? Click here!

*In support of Comic Relief, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

Ukulele Workshop with Peter Moss, Saturday, April 7th

Peter Moss is coming to Houston!!
(All the way from Manchester, UK, for a limited US tour...Houston, Dallas, Boston)

Tickets now on sale for Peter Moss’ ukulele workshops & concert on Saturday, April 7th!

Only $35 gives you admission to two one-hour workshops and the concert - a great deal!

Remember, seating is limited to 25.

Workshop Schedule:

• Workshop 1 (vocal and uke): 3:30pm
• Break: 4:30-5:00pm
• Workshop 2 (instrumental): 5:00-6:00pm
• Social time and snacks: 6:00-7:00pm
• Concert: 7:00-8:30pm

Full details and tickets available here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peter-moss-ukulele-workshop-concert-tickets-43849424810

Houkulele Songbook Updates!

The first version of the Houkulele Songbook for 2018 is now ready for your playing enjoyment!

You can find it under the Songbooks section of the site:


Or you can download it directly here.

What's new in this version?

• New songs
• Updated/fixed songs

As always, check out the Added/Updated column on the song list to see what's new.

Share and enjoy!

Houkulele T-Shirts!

At long last you can get your very own Texas flag-themed Houkulele t-shirt!

The shirts are available in both men's and women's sizes, and I've done my best to keep the price as low as possible: $14 + shipping & hansling.  The goal here is to get them in people's hands rather than make money on the deal.

You can order them from https://teespring.com/houkulele

I've set things up so the shirts go to print every 3 days, so don't freak out if you see that you only have a few days left to order.  I'm hoping to keep them available for a month or two (or more).

Spread the word!

Danielle Ate the Sandwich New Mexico & Texas Tour 2017

Danielle Ate the Sandwich will be playing a show in Houston on Wednesday, May 24th.

Want to know more?
Click here for all the details!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2017 - Update 3

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1) The long range weather forecast calls for mild temperatures and mostly fair skies on our parade date. It looks like a very nice evening for a stroll through beautiful Galveston!

2) Our group will be located in the Party Zone near the Kroger food tent, which is near the front of the parade

3) Krewe buses from the Moody Gardens Convention Center to the parade site will cycle between 2:45 and 4 pm

4) Muster at the parade route for bands and performing groups is 4:30 pm

5) Parade starts at 6:00 pm

6) Our truck and trailer will be pre-spotted along the parade route about 12:00 pm, Anyone that can come and help with putting on the delicate decorations would be most welcome.

7) Anyone that can come and help with pre-parade setup on Thursday afternoon or Friday should let us know when signing up or contact Dave Skodack on the Facebook group.

Looking for the music we'll be playing? Here you go!

See you Saturday!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2017 - Parade Maps and Locations

Dave has created a set of maps covering the parade route and the other locations mentioned in earlier posts.  You can snag a copy of it here.

Looking for all the posts related to this year's Mardi Gras?  Here you go!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2017 - Sign-up!

Planning to join us for the Krewe of Gambrinus Galveston Parade on February 18th? Great! Here's your chance to sign-up:
2017 Krewe of Gambrinus Galveston Parade Sign-up

UPDATE: Sign-up is closed.  Still want to join us?  Come on down!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2017 - Times, Bus Transport, and More!

All Ya All,

I talked with the Krewe this afternoon and here is the latest you should be aware of:

1. Parade starts from/near the Galveston Convention Center on Seawall Blvd at 6:00 PM Saturday February 18th.
2. The Krewe of Gambrinus buses start loading at 3:00 PM to take participants from the Moody Garden Convention Center Parking Garage at 1 Hope Road in Galveston to the “Party Zone” at the parade start.  There are 5 buses and when the last one leaves that will be the end of the Krewe transport from Moody to the Parade start.  It is estimated that the last bus will leave the parking garage at 3:30, they leave as they are filled.
3. If you miss the Krewe buses come to the Galveston Convention Center on the Seawall and park in their parking structure.  The Seawall will be closed from 61st street East but you can get to the Convention Center by taking off before you get to the Seawall and come in the back way from say 57th.  When you get to the Houkulele Truck/Trailer ask around and get a ride from one of the others that made the Krewe buses from Moody to bring you back to your car at the Convention Center at the parade end.
4. The parade will end near the Galveston Cruise Terminal and the Krewe buses will be waiting at the Train Museum to take you back to Moody Gardens. It’s a short walk from the Terminal to the Train Museum.

Housekeeping Items:

• We will have water and Gatorade in a cooler
• There will be some spare Kazoos at the trailer and beads to pass out to the crowd
• Please don’t bring your hard cases to the trailer (there is very little spare room)
• Dress appropriately - it most likely will be cool later on in the evening
• If you have a uke that is capable of being plugged into an amp, please bring it

Bring your enthusiasm!
- Dave Skodack

PS There will be a PDF fof the parade/parking locations posted soon!

Galveston Mardi Gras 2017 - It's time to practice!

February 18th will be here before you know it! Now's the time to practice the songs we'll be playing during the parade:

• Houkulele Mardi Gras 2017
  (updated January 25th to fix missing chords on "It's So Easy")

Note: Please try and memorize the songs up to the "Extra Songs" page. Everything beyond that may or may not end up getting played during the event...

Galveston Mardi Gras 2017 - Saturday, February 18th

Krewe of Gambrinus Parade
Saturday, February 18, 2017
6:00 PM Seawall Blvd

All Ya All,

We have received our official invitation from the Krewe! The theme this coming year is:

"Legends of Music on Parade"

At least one of the floats has adopted "The Beach Boys" as their focus.

Your "Collective" is accepting nominations for songs to begin practicing. We need at least six, one of course being "As the Saints Go Marching In", which leaves five others. They should be lively, easy to sing, readily identifiable by the crowd, and can be from any Music Legend. Examples: Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again", Elvis's "Hound Dog", John Fogarty's "Bad Moon Rising", Buddy Holly's "That'll be the Day", Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good", Elton John's "Crocodile Rock", etc, etc, etc.

Of course we could adopt one Music Legend, learn their songs, and everyone dress up as that or go with varied Artists which would leave everyone to dress up as their favorite...

Let us know your thoughts by joining the discussion on our Facebook group.

More as it develops.
- Dave Skodack