Yes, different from what I have seen and flown in Lincoln City. The public participation is different.
At Lincoln City people wander through like an open house, some pull out kites, some just watch, some shop on the walkway. Here it is mostly sitting around the roped area in your lawn chair to watch.
During the event I have flown out a short way on the flats a few hundred feet away, but it was always solo. Watching the same demos repeat for two days gets old, but I would pay special attention to the group flys. Sometimes they were downwind and I could watch everything, sometimes not, and sometimes I would sit on a chair and just watch. I would love to make it a pair.
They do interact with the crowd as time permits. My daughter talks about 'that time Fletch captured me with his kite when everyone was setting up', but overall B&S has a strict boundary the masses must stay behind. After the indoor session everyone is on the floor with a line of questions, comments, and thanks. The outdoor days are demo after demo continuously, cycling through each team or individual the entire day.
As for kite lights, I'm 0 for 3 on that, evening winds have not been great on the beach. I will have lights with me, and might become 1 for 4 out there. I have had better luck on night flys inland at home.