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Night fly · nite fly · night kites

Port Aransas Night Fly Guide

Shawn’s Port Aransas Night Fly Guide · Snapshot Sep 4, 2026

Shawn Bramlett’s Port Aransas night fly guide — where to watch night kites and a nite fly on Mustang Island. Beach markers 13–15, parking, wind, and how late the LED lights stay up when we fly.

20-year kite flyer · 40-year Port Aransas beach goer · Island Kite Man. Dated snapshot. Wind decides. Not a hotel ranking — that is the trip guide.

This snapshot: Fall 2026 · Meet Shawn

Kite-fly trip guideBook a night flyShop LED kitesDay fly events361-391-5628
Shawn Bramlett — Southern Lights LED Kites
Shawn Bramlett — Lead kite flyer

Island Kite Man

Meet Shawn Bramlett

I’m Shawn Bramlett. This is my Port Aransas night fly guide — how and where to watch night kites, a nite fly, LED night kites after dark on Mustang Island.

Port Aransas is my home beach. I have been a Port Aransas beach goer for about forty years and a kite flyer for about twenty. I learned this sand, this wind, and this Gulf sky the slow way. A day on Mustang Island is one thing. After sunset the beach is another.

That is why a night fly matters here. In daylight a kite is color against the blue. At night, LED kites are how you still read a shape from the Port Aransas sand — night kites, nite kites, LED night kites. Same thing. People come to watch. People come to fly. Either way they need a clear stretch and an honest account of how this beach works after dark.

I wrote this guide for that job. Not a hotel list — that lives on the Port Aransas beach guide. This page is the night: beach markers 13–15, the parking permit, 15 mph on the sand, how late the lights stay up when we fly, and the difference between a daytime kite festival and a Southern Lights night LED show. Fly It Port A hosts the day fests. I lead the night crew. I do not own the day festival.

The snapshot is dated on purpose. Fall 2026 is Fall 2026. Wind still decides whether a night happens. I will not invent a calendar of guaranteed flies, ticket prices, or review scores. When the season turns, I write a new board. The old one stays archived.

If you are here for the night: stand near markers 13–15, get the beach permit before you drive on the sand, and look up when the wind is up. Book a show if you want the crew on your date. Shop LED kites if you want one in your hands. Use the beach guide for hotel, cart, RV, food, and shaved ice. Call 361-391-5628, write southernlightsledkites@gmail.com, or find us at 315 Cutoff Road, Port Aransas, TX 78373.

Team page — Shawn and Tracy Cheek · Kite-fly trip guide

How to use this night fly guide

Jump the sections, then plan the rest of the weekend on the beach guide. This page is how and where to watch. The trip guide is stay, cart, eat.

  1. 01

    What is a night fly

  2. 02

    Markers 13–15

  3. 03

    Parking & permit

  4. 04

    Best time

  5. 05

    Day vs night

  6. 06

    What you’ll see

  7. 07

    Plan the trip

  8. 08

    Book · shop · team

Follow

TikTok @shawnbramlett976

Night flies from the Port Aransas sand — Shawn’s own account, plus the YouTube channel.

Open TikTokOpen YouTube

What is a night fly / nite fly in Port Aransas

A night fly in Port Aransas is LED kites after dark on Mustang Island. Locals also write nite fly. Night kites, nite kites, and LED night kites are the same sky — lit shapes over the Port Aransas beach when the wind is up.

You can come only to watch. You can come to fly. Southern Lights sells LED kites and books night shows. We do not promise a fly every evening. Wind decides.

Where to watch: beach markers 13–15

Stand on Port Aransas beach markers 13, 14, and 15. That is the stretch we fly. The map pin below is marker 13. Work south along the sand toward 14 and 15. Same beach for a night fly or a nite fly.

Drive onto the sand at the beach access, keep 15 mph, and look for the numbered markers. More detail lives on where to watch.

Pin is Beach Marker 13 (27.8081346, -97.0725637). We fly the stretch from markers 13–15 when the wind allows — not the shop on Cutoff Road. Open in Google Maps

Parking, beach permit, and 15 mph on the sand

If you park on the sand, you need a Port Aransas beach parking permit — a ~$12-class annual sticker. City Hall, the Welcome Center, grocery stores, and convenience stores sell it. We do not sell the permit. Drive 15 mph on the sand.

The city’s beach page states a beach parking permit is required. Read that source, then our parking permit notes.

Port Aransas beach page

Best time for a night fly — and how late

The honest window is after dark on a night with wind. When Southern Lights flies, lights often stay up until about 10–10:30pm. Wind decides whether the night happens. There is no guaranteed nightly calendar on this page.

Festival Saturdays draw a daytime crowd — then, if the wind holds, a night fly on the same beach. Private booked nights are a separate call. More on best time.

Day fly vs night fly

A day fly on this island is a daytime kite festival or open fly — color over the sand, families, a Saturday crowd. Fly It Port A hosts those Port Aransas daytime fests. Fly It Port A Fall Kite Fest is Saturday, October 10, 2026. Fly It Port A Spring is Saturday, May 8, 2027.

A night fly is LED kites after dark. Southern Lights is the night LED crew. Shawn Bramlett is Lead kite flyer. Tracy Cheek is Key Flyer. We do not own Fly It Port A. Night kites that weekend still depend on wind. Dates live on Events.

What you’ll see — LED night kites

LED night kites read as shapes in the dark — nautilus, jellyfish / man-o-war, trilobite, octopus, plus dragon and stingray stills from our own nights, and character kites such as astronaut. These are kites from our own videos. We do not list a headcount or a guaranteed set. Wind and the booked night decide what goes up.

How the lights work is simple: the kite still flies on wind; LEDs do the color. No invented watt numbers. Read how LED night kites work, or shop LED kites.

  • Southern Lights night fly — Shawn / SLK footage
  • LED dragon and stingray kites night fly Port Aransas
    Dragon and stingray — own night-fly still
  • LED jellyfish kite night fly Port Aransas
    Jellyfish / man-o-war — own still

How to plan the kite-fly trip

This page is how and where to watch a night fly. If you are staying the weekend — day fest or night LED show — use Shawn’s seasonal ranked Port Aransas beach guide for hotel, golf cart, RV, food, and shaved ice. Dated Fall 2026. Each company card opens that site.

Open the kite-fly trip guide

Book a show, shop, events, and the crew

Book a Port Aransas beach night if you want Southern Lights on a date. Shop LED kites if you want one in your hands. Check Events for Fall and Spring day fests. Shawn Bramlett is Lead kite flyer. Tracy Cheek is Key Flyer.

Night crew selfie under a glowing LED kite on the Port Aransas beach
Night crew under the LED kites — own still.
Tracy Cheek, Key Flyer, with a manta kite on the Port Aransas beach
Tracy Cheek, Key Flyer — own still.
Book a Port A beach showEmail to book
Kite-fly trip guideBook a night flyShop LED kitesDay fly events361-391-5628
Southern Lights LED Kites
315 Cutoff Road, Port Aransas, TX 78373 · 361-391-5628 · southernlightsledkites@gmail.com

More nights on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Own media only — no scraped spectator drone clips.

FAQ

Who is Shawn Bramlett?
Shawn Bramlett is the Lead kite flyer for Southern Lights LED Kites — a 20-year veteran kite flyer and 40-year Port Aransas beach goer. This night fly guide is his dated account of how and where to watch night kites on Mustang Island. Call 361-391-5628, email southernlightsledkites@gmail.com, or write 315 Cutoff Road, Port Aransas, TX 78373.
What is a night fly or nite fly in Port Aransas?
A night fly — also written nite fly — is LED kites after dark on the Port Aransas beach. Night kites, nite kites, and LED night kites are the same thing. Watch near beach markers 13–15 when the wind is up.
Is a nite fly the same as a night fly?
Yes. Night flying, nite fly, night kites, and nite kites all mean LED kites after dark in Port A. Same stretch of beach.
Where can I night fly or watch night kites on Mustang Island?
Port Aransas beach markers 13, 14, and 15. Drive 15 mph on the sand and bring a beach parking permit.
Do I need a Port Aransas beach parking permit?
Yes, if you park on the sand. It is a ~$12-class annual sticker. City Hall, the Welcome Center, grocery stores, and convenience stores sell it. Southern Lights does not sell the permit. Drive 15 mph on the sand.
How late do the lights stay up?
When we fly, lights often run until about 10–10:30pm. Wind decides whether the night happens. There is no guaranteed nightly show calendar on this page.
What is the difference between a day fly and a night fly?
A day fly is a daytime kite festival or open fly on this beach. Fly It Port A hosts the Port Aransas daytime fests — Spring Fun Fly and Fall Kite Fest. A night fly is LED kites after dark. Southern Lights is the night LED crew. We do not own Fly It Port A.
When are the kite festivals?
Fly It Port A Fall Kite Fest is Saturday, October 10, 2026. Fly It Port A Spring is Saturday, May 8, 2027. Check Events for the current list. Night kites that weekend still depend on wind.
Who flies the night kites?
Shawn Bramlett is Lead kite flyer. Tracy Cheek is Key Flyer. The rest of the Port Aransas night-fly crew works the beach and the lines. We do not invent extra names.
Who sells kites and who books the night show?
Southern Lights sells LED kites and books night shows. The local kite shop that hosts the daytime festivals is Fly It Port A.
What LED kites will I see?
Shapes from our own night videos — nautilus, jellyfish / man-o-war, trilobite, octopus, plus dragon and stingray stills, and character kites such as astronaut. We do not list a headcount or a guaranteed set list. Wind and the booked night decide what goes up.
How do I plan the rest of a kite-fly weekend?
Use the Port Aransas beach guide for Shawn’s Fall 2026 ranked hotel, golf cart, RV, food, and shaved ice picks. This night fly guide is how and where to watch. The beach guide is where to stay, eat, and get around.
How do I book a night fly or buy an LED kite?
Book a Port Aransas beach show by calling 361-391-5628 or emailing southernlightsledkites@gmail.com. Shop LED kites on the shop page — Buy opens the Square store. Wind decides the night.