Panama City Beach Spring Events: 8 Ways to Celebrate the Season

The top Panama City Beach spring events bring together locals, visitors and stars to celebrate the best things about the beach. These events coupled with scenic views, delicious food and laid-back vibes keep visitors coming back each year. In fact, Panama City Beach ranked on the Top 5 Best Beaches in the U.S. according to TripAdvisor travelers. If heading to the area in the spring, don’t miss these top Panama City Beach spring events.

Top 8 Panama City Beach Spring Events for Travelers

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March Events in Panama City Beach

Emerald Coast Boat and Lifestyle Show

Boat lovers gather at Aaron Bessant Park for Emerald Coast Boat and Lifestyle Show. The three-day show features boat exhibits with engines, tech, and accessories from top dealers and manufacturers in the industry. This festival also celebrates outdoor living with fishing, paddleboards, diving equipment and active wear. When planning, find time to watch the fashion show on Saturday packed full of beachwear and streetwear.

Celebrate Scottish Style

Held in Frank Brown Park, Panama City Scottish Festival and Northwest Florida Renaissance and Fantasy Faire bring Scottish and Celtic culture to the beach. Families enjoy Celtic music, Scottish food and dozens of people dressed up as their favorite Medieval characters. Other entertainment includes fencing, storytelling, magicians, LARPers and even human chess games.

Unwind at Unwined

Hosted by sponsors and Visit Panama City Beach, Unwined is a two-day Southern garden party with food, drinks, and fun. The event takes place at Aaron Bessant Park and features craft beer, wine tastings, music and local flavor from area leading chefs. After sampling the best food and drinks, guests enjoy a Picnic in the Park and Concert from big-name acts.

Panama City Beach Spring Events in April

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Look to the Skies

See a free airshow and more than 5,000 airmen at Gulf Coast Salute Airshow and Open House. The Tyndall Airforce Base welcomes visitors to enjoy performances by the Thunderbirds and F-22 demonstration team. The Gulf Coast Salute aims to educate guests and provide fun entertainment for the whole family.

Fill Up on Cajun Favorites

Love seafood and music? Then check out Schooner’s Cajun Fest. This three-day food festival combines the best of Cajun food and beach vibes for an event the family won’t want to miss. Just gather on the beach at Schooner’s for one of Panama City Beach’s favorite parties and crawfish boil.

Head to the Seabreeze Jazz Fest

One of the most popular Panama City Beach spring events and top jazz fests in the U.S., Seabreeze Jazz Festival showcases some of the biggest stars in the industry. This five-day music festival welcomes thousands of visitors who enjoy live music, local food and lots of vendors.

While adults enjoy music, kids can play at Monkey Business, a three-story jungle gym with a zipline, swing, slides and video game consoles. Other things to do at Seabreeze include meeting locals, shopping and enjoying beach views. Read a full guide to Seabreeze Jazz Festival.

Celebrate in May

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Rally with Thunder Beach

Bikers can’t miss Thunder Beach Spring Motorcycle Rally, which has welcomed bikers from all over for two decades. The five-day event offers dozens of events, friendly locals and travelers, and bikes galore. Special events occur in various locations throughout the city, including an LED Bike Show, Kick Start parties and contests.

Jam With Your Jeep

JEEP owners and fans can’t miss Jeep Beach Jam at Frank Brown Park. For five days in May, Jeeps flock to Panama City Beach for fun, contests, live music and swap meets. If attending the full event, register your Jeep to receive goodies, access to special events, and participate in the parade. Registration is also a more cost-effective option, as it’s less expensive than daily passes.

Start planning today and browse available Panama City Beach vacation rentals.

Looking for the best seafood? Read about the top Panama City Beach seafood restaurants.