What's on in PCB
Short answer
October is PCB's busiest festival month, with Pirates of the High Seas Fest and the Thunder Beach fall rally. April brings the Seabreeze Jazz Festival, summer brings free concerts at Aaron Bessant Park, and the year ends with a giant beach ball drop at Pier Park.
Coming up
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Thunder Beach Fall Motorcycle Rally
Thousands of riders, vendors and live music across the beach. Expect heavier traffic on Front Beach Road and Panama City Beach Parkway.
Confirm dates and times with the organizer before you go.
Event details for Thunder Beach Fall Motorcycle RallyDirections to Frank Brown Park and venues across Panama City Beach
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Fishing Rodeo
A city Parks and Recreation fishing event for families at the Frank Brown Park ponds.
Event details for Fishing RodeoDirections to Frank Brown Park
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New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop
PCB drops a giant lighted beach ball instead of a crystal one. Recent years have had a family drop with fireworks at 8 pm and a second at midnight.
Confirm dates and times with the organizer before you go.
Event details for New Year's Eve Beach Ball DropDirections to Pier Park
Nothing dated is listed right now. See the year at a glance on the events page.
The year at a glance
What usually happens when. Exact dates change each year, so confirm with the organizer or the city events page.
January and February
- Quiet season
- Mild days, cool water, empty beaches and winter visitors from up north. Great for walking, fishing and shelling.
March
- Spring break
- Through March, alcohol is not allowed on the sandy beach, and bars stop selling at 2 am.
- Spring Market
- Farmers market at Aaron Bessant Park, usually mid to late March.
April
- Seabreeze Jazz Festival
- Smooth jazz on the west end, usually in late April.
- Thunder Beach Spring Rally
- Motorcycle rally, usually late April into early May.
- Spring EGGstravaganza
- Free city Easter event at Frank Brown Park.
May
- Sea turtle nesting starts
- May 1 to October 31: lights off the beach, holes filled, nothing left overnight.
- Memorial Day weekend
- The unofficial start of summer, and one of the busiest weekends of the year.
June to September
- Summer Concert Series
- Free evening concerts at Aaron Bessant Park through the summer.
- Hurricane season
- June 1 to November 30. Most weeks are fine; keep an eye on the forecast.
- Fall Festival and Market
- Late September at Aaron Bessant Park.
October
- Pirates of the High Seas Fest
- Free pirate and Renaissance festival with parades and fireworks, usually the second weekend of October.
- Thunder Beach Fall Rally
- Motorcycle rally, usually the second half of October.
- Floating Pumpkin Patch, Paws in the Park, Fishing Rodeo
- Free city events for kids and dogs.
November
- Shoulder season
- Warm days, the water still swimmable early in the month, and far fewer crowds.
December
- Last Minute Market
- Holiday market at Aaron Bessant Park, the weekend before Christmas.
- New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop
- Pier Park's giant beach ball and fireworks.
Questions people ask
When is spring break in Panama City Beach?
Mostly in March. During March, alcohol is not allowed on the sandy beach and nightly alcohol sales end at 2 am.
When is the Pirates of the High Seas Fest in Panama City Beach?
Usually the second weekend of October. It's free, with parades, fireworks and a living-history pirate camp.
Where is the New Year's Eve beach ball drop?
At Pier Park. In recent years there has been a family-friendly drop with fireworks at 8 pm and a second drop at midnight.
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