Panama City Welcomes the Birth of a Renewed Community
Local Music, art shows, and festivals are becoming a luxury that Panama City is welcoming with open arms. It stimulates the economy and brings a sense of community to our big-little-town. After the hurricane, the rebuild in Panama City and surrounding areas has been followed by a boom of tourism and new residents. Some have come for our beaches, some have come for our freedoms, but no matter the reason, what was once a retirement town is now becoming a community drenched in culture.
Arts
We owe this new found sense of appreciation for our town largely to our artistic community. One of the phrases I used to hear all the time growing up was, “There’s nothing to do here, except for party and go to bars.” Another one natives repeated is, “It’s home, but there’s just no culture here.” Thankfully, a turn of events has occurred and local art shows are becoming a focal point of this town. With several venues and a growing audience demand for unique artistic displays, Panama City is answering the call. Here are several upcoming art shows that you should visit.
- FlLuxe Arts Festival March 3, 2023 @ 12pm- March 4th @ 5pm Where: Panama City Center for the Arts
- Psych Night December 16, @ 7pm Where: Mosey’s Downtown
- Forgotten Coast Festival of Trees December 9, @ 5pm- 8pm Where: The Joe Center for the Arts
Festivals
Another lively source of entertainment that has begun to flourish in our community is music festivals. Towns that have these types of gatherings have seen an unprecedented influx of tourism dollars that contribute to the local economy. According to an article on wjhg.com, Gulf Coast Jam brought in more than $30 million in 2022. This has been life-changing for local business owners. As a replacement for the havoc Spring Break brought every year, local government officials began to look at bringing in more family-centered events. It is proving to be the right decision.
Musical Events to look for:
Local Music
Panama City’s local music scene is growing faster than ever. Rarely is there a night where you can’t find a restaurant or bar offering live music. There’s nothing like unwinding with your favorite cocktail, best friends, and a live band. The fact of the matter is, music has power. It has the power to make you cry, recall a memory, hype you up, or make you want to dance. It can relax you or get you moving. If you’re in need to cut loose, responsibly of course, here are some local bands worth checking out.
- Wickid Smooth www.wickidsmoothmusic.com
- Sons Of Saints www.facebook.com/SonsofSaintsPCB
- Filmore Drive www.filmoredrive.com
