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I'm probably headed down there tonight. After almost having to shoot a guy last year, there's no way I'm going unarmed. Of course, I won't be drinking at all either. We'll see how it goes.

A couple years ago Seguin had a Fiesta of some sort (highight: Chihuahua races!) by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on the court house square. Because of some recent unpleasantness between youth gangs, it was announced in the days preceding that entrance to the event would be controlled by gates and people would be wanded for weapons.

My wife went earlier in the day to work at a booth before the security was set up, so she was already inside with her CHL and CHL implement.

I went after the security was set up. I walked up to the SPD officer at the gate, told him I had a CHL and was carrying. He grinned at me, shook my hand, and said something like "Good job!" and passed me in without further ado.

I hope you encounter similar experiences.

O.K., Here is the verdict. I was able to carry into Mardi Gras. I talked to the guy doing the wanding and he wasn't sure so he pointed out an LEO to talk to and the LEO wasn't sure but told me to go ahead. He asked me if I was going to drink and shoot up the place(just kidding with me) lol. There are no gun signs what so ever at the gate entrance. So hope this helps everyone in doubt.

As a younger guy I loved to attend Mardi gras or fairs or festivals or ball games, but as I've grown older, crowds appeal to me less and less...well, o.k. not at all.

Now, you couldn't pay me to go Mardi gras or frankly any place there are big crowds. Heck, I don't like going into a crowded restaurant.

Still, wanding and possibly disarming CHL holders on a public street - un-uh, wrong...

Field report. Held out my chl to the officer at the gate and as he was looking confused the wander said no id needed go on in sir. Another officer educated. I told the wander the girl behind was chl and he waved the whole group thru. Nice.

in all honesty u shouldnt goto galveston without atleast 1 gun.

Well, I was turned away.

I told the first non-LEO security guy I had a CHL while holding it in my hand.

He said something along the lines of "You can't take that in here."

I said that is was legal and asked him to talk to a police officer.

He went and talked to an officer. Two officers came back. One said I could not enter with a firearm. He was polite enough about it. The other stood there and said nothing. Neither officer was with the City of Galveston or Galveston County Sheriff. Both were from out-of-town.

So back to the car it was.

This happened at the Rosenberg and Ship Mechanic entrance around 4:30 p.m.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:Well, I was turned away.

I would be contacting Galveston PD about it (even though they were out of town cops)

I'm giving up disarming for Lent.

seamusTX wrote:Well, I was turned away.

I told the first non-LEO security guy I had a CHL while holding it in my hand.

He said something along the lines of "You can't take that in here."

I said that is was legal and asked him to talk to a police officer.

He went and talked to an officer. Two officers came back. One said I could not enter with a firearm. He was polite enough about it. The other stood there and said nothing. Neither officer was with the City of Galveston or Galveston County Sheriff. Both were from out-of-town.

So back to the car it was.

This happened at the Rosenberg and Ship Mechanic entrance around 4:30 p.m.

- Jim

I went in the entrance closest to the tall white insurance building with the green lighting. Southern most entrance I believe.

OK, maybe I misunderstood in class but I thought you could not carry where a permit had been issued for a parade. I would think the Strand would be covered under this.

Kirk wrote:OK, maybe I misunderstood in class but I thought you could not carry where a permit had been issued for a parade. I would think the Strand would be covered under this.

Yeah you misunderstood.

So I didn't try carrying. I couldn't have followed my group into the bars, and I decided I wanted to drink any way. When I went in, there were no wands, just a guy doing a very ineffective patdown.

A city can prohibit weapons at a demonstration or public meeting, but not persons with a CHL (Local Government Code 229.001(b)(6)—the Quanell X law).

Parades are not included in the law. Anyway, the parades were over for the day.

These people were just making stuff up.

- Jim

Here's what I could find out: The City of Galveston police were told that CHL holders could enter the Strand area, as most people posting to this thread found out.

Probably also the state troopers know that CHL holders cannot be barred from an event held on a public street.

The out-of-town cops were not uniformly instructed.

Mardi Gras gets kicked around almost every year to a different management structure. Sometimes in the past it was the Galveston Historical Foundation (private) or the Parks Board. This year it was the city.

The only advice I can offer for the future is if you are turned away at one gate, go to another. Look for a Galveston officer or state trooper.

- Jim