Sandcastle contest on the island Saturday

The 25th annual American Institute of Architects Houston SandCastle Competition will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on East Beach, 1923 Boddeker Drive, in Galveston.

Fifty-four teams will try to win the Golden Bucket Award.

Admission is free. Parking is $10 (cash only) per car.

Visit www.aiahouston.org or www.galveston.com/beachparks.

Call 713-520-0155.

Clean Galveston’s Back Garden Tour

Clean Galveston — dedicated to making the island “as pretty as it oughta be!” — will have its 18th annual Back Garden Tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at various gardens across the island.

Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 on the days of the tour.

Tickets can be purchased at Tom’s Thumb Nursery, Speedy’s Printing, Eiband’s, J Bangle’s Silk Stocking Gallery and the Galveston Wreath Co. They also can be bought online at www.cleangalveston.org/events.html.

Call 409-762-3363.

Plankowners Party And Auction

The 2011 Plankowner’s Party and Auction will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Texas Seaport Museum on Pier 22 at Harborside Drive in Galveston.

Dinner, live music and a hefty cargo of unusual auction items will be on hand during the annual fundraiser supporting the 1877 Elissa.

Tickets are $50 per person or $90 per couple and can be purchased online at www.galvestonhistory.org/plankowners or by calling 409-763-1877.

Complimentary parking will be available at the museum.

Advance reservations are requested, although tickets will continue to be sold until the evening of the party at the door.

Free Poolside Entertainment At Moody Gardens

Moody Gardens Hotel will have free poolside concerts from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. starting Saturday at 7 Hope Blvd. in Galveston.

The David Schwope Band will perform.

The concerts will be on various dates. For a complete band lineup, visit www.moodygardenshotel.com.

Sunsational Summer Kick-off

The H2O Pool and Bar at The San Luis Resort will kick-off summer with a poolside party featuring Junior Gordon from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at 5222 Seawall Blvd. in Galveston.

Gordon, who was a member of the Southern Justice Band, has performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Tootsies and almost every club in Nashville’s Publishers Alley. He also has been recognized by the League City Music Festival.

To reserve your spot, call 409-744-1500 or email srandolph(at)ldry.com.

Free Summer Pop Band Concerts

The Galveston Beach Band, directed by Frank Incaprera, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Aug. 16 at the Sealy Gazebo on 24th and Sealy streets — directly across from Rosenberg Library in Galveston.

The concerts entertain and delight audiences of all ages with a diverse mix of show tunes, big band numbers and jazz.

Call 409-621-3177 or visit www.galvestonbeachband.org.

Live Music Night In Nassau Bay

The Arts Alliance Center will present MundoNuevo, a new four-piece acoustic group, playing a blend of world music, including Brazilian bossas, Latin sambas and jazz from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at 2000 NASA Parkway in Nassau Bay.

Admission is $5. Beverages will be available for purchase.

Visit www.taaccl.org.