Events in Port Aransas and Mustang Island

There are a few things you can always count on in Port Aransas: sand between your toes, the roar of the Gulf, and a drink in your hand. Although you can visit Port Aransas at any time of the year, the city’s annual events are worth timing your trip for. Below are a few of the annual events in Port Aransas and Mustang Island to help you do so. For information on other recurring events, visit Port Aransas’ events calendar.

---

January

Restaurant Week

Take a culinary tour through the thriving food culture of Port Aransas. With restaurants all over the island offering prix-fixe menu options, you’re sure to find the perfect place to satisfy any craving. Restaurant Week showcases the inventiveness of local chefs and the up-and-coming epicure hot spots.

Multiple Locations
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

February

Whooping Crane Festival

Every winter, majestic Whooping Cranes migrate to the Texas Gulf Coast's coastal waters to escape the north's biting cold. Their arrival is celebrated by the four-day Whooping Crane Festival in Port Aransas, where you can venture out on guided field trips and nature tours, attend workshops and lectures, browse nature-related booths at a trade show, and more.

Port Aransas Civic Center
710 W. Avenue A
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

March

Margarita Madness

The island town of Port Aransas is filled with purveyors serving up delicious margaritas loved by locals and visitors alike. Join in on Margarita Madness—a monthlong celebration of coastal margaritas. Come on down and get ready to get salty in Port A!

Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce
403 W. Cotter Ave.
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

April

Texas SandFest

The largest native sand-sculpting competition in the U.S. also brings the excitement of live music, shopping, and some of the region's most delicious carnival food. These aren't your run-of-the-mill sand castles. These sculptures, which range in themes and designs, are jaw-droppingly impressive and often stand well above the heads of attendees.

Beach Marker 13 and Marker 17
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

June

Deep Sea Roundup

When it first launched in 1932, the Deep Sea Roundup was known as the Tarpon Roundup. Today, it is one of the oldest and largest family fishing tournaments in the world. Divisions include offshore, bay surf, fly-fishing, and juniors.

Port Aransas Civic Center
710 W. Avenue A
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

July

---

Annual Fireworks Show

What’s better than a fireworks show? How about watching a fireworks show under swaying palm trees in warm Gulf breezes? Head to Port Aransas and experience the Fourth of July on a whole new level.

Roberts Point Park & Fred Rhodes Memorial Pavilion
301 J C Barr Blvd
Port Aransas, TX 78373

Billfish Pachanga

Calling all deep-sea fishing enthusiasts! Billfish Pachanga sees some of the country’s best fishermen in the waters of the Fishing Capital of Texas. All participants are invited to attend a private concert where the winners are named. Not participating this year? Watching dozens of beautiful boats take off into the Gulf at the tournament’s shotgun start is an experience in itself.

Virginia's on the Bay
815 Trout Street
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

August

Texas Legends Billfish Tournament

Texas Legends Billfish Tournaments honors the legacies of all anglers past, present, and future. Participating boats can leave from any Texas port, but the weigh-in for this huge annual tournament happens at Port Aransas Fisherman’s Wharf.

Fisherman's Wharf
900 Tarpon Street
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

September

Texas Women’s Angler Tournament

Also known as TWAT, this woman-only, family-run fishing tournament has raised funds for Women's Shelter of South Texas, The Purple Door, since the tournament was founded in the '80s. Join over four hundred women anglers at this tournament for a good cause.

Sip Yard Port Aransas 
123 W. Cotter Ave.
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

October

Harvest Moon Regatta

The Harvest Moon Regatta takes sailors from Galveston’s Pleasure Pier to the Port Aransas jetties in the longest point-to-point regatta in U.S. coastal waters. Great views can be had from South Jetty, Robert's Point Park, and several other areas. 

Roberts Point Park
301 J.C. Barr Blvd
Port Aransas, TX 78373

Port A Live Music Weekend

Experience Port A’s live music scene with events happening throughout this island town. Enjoy music artists’ performances all weekend long at your favorite Port A restaurant or bar. There’s no better place to kick back and enjoy live tunes!

Multiple Locations
Port Aransas, TX 78373

Wooden Boat Festival

The Port Aransas Wooden Boat Festival is an annual three-day, family-friendly event featuring handcrafted kayaks, paddleboards, skiffs, sailing boats, and historic Farley boats. Bring the whole family out, and be sure to swing by Farley Boat Works to learn more about how these Port Aransas classics are made by hand.

Roberts Point Park
301 J.C. Barr Blvd
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

November 

Holiday Shop Around

Browse great offers at dozens of Port A’s finest shops and boutiques in this annual shopping event. Kickstart your holiday shopping and do it island-style!

Multiple Locations
Port Aransas, TX 78373

---

December

Lighted Boat Parade

Ring in the Christmas season at Dennis Dreyer Municipal Harbor, where you’ll catch a lighted boat parade followed by refreshments and the arrival of Santa on a U.S. Coast Guard vessel.

Fisherman's Wharf
900 Tarpon Street
Port Aransas, TX 78373

Sand Santa

Leave those long lines to see Mall Santa behind and take the family to the Texas coast to visit a larger-than-life sand sculpture of Santa Claus. This amazing sculpture is just a preview of the amazing sandcastles and sculptures you can see during Texas Sandfest.

Roberts Point Park
301 J.C. Barr Blvd
Port Aransas, TX 78373