By now we’ve all heard the talk or felt the excitement about Miracle Strip reopening at Pier Park. Up until a few weeks ago, the speculation has proven to be little more than a variance approval, concepts and lots and lots of rumors. In mid December, the Miracle Strip at Pier Park facebook fan page, here if you want to be a fan, announced a completion and opening in March 2010 and, honestly, I was skeptical until a recent visit proved the announced date worthy of all the excitement. Many of the old rides have already been restored and are in the installation process. Ticket prices and annual passes have been set and, as you can imagine, the buzz for preceding the opening is startling.
The progress is so exciting, it almost makes me forget that it is opening during March, better known as Spring Break, the only time of the year that most locals don’t want to go. Still, I for one, will definitely be in line, come April maybe May, to catch a ride on what parts of my youth I thought would never be rebuilt.
Definitely smashing the turnout record number from last year, this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration at Pier Park far exceeded expectations for success. Last year’s event was immense, but this year the added elements brought out crowds by the thousands. All through the night, we were continually amazed by the shear numbers of people that were everywhere.
Every year we like to put a little post together showing you the TOP TEN articles on PCBDaily for the previous year. The top content is easily found by doing some digging in our analytics. This year’s top stories included a mix from airport news to auction results to information pieces about Pier Park. So, without further ado!
We’ve been poking around Pier Park’s Facebook Fan Page and came across the full event schedule for the New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop event. Reading their updates, it seems apparent that there will be a large dedicated stage for the headliner band, Vertical Horizon and tons of fun things to do for the family. READ MORE
Tonight, the Panama City Beach City Council voted and approved a variance request in the zoning of a particular parcel that rests in Pier Park from T-3 to T-3A, which will allow some amusement rides according to the zoning and future land use plan of Panama City Beach.
Something’s been a brewin’ in Pier Park and a movement is afoot to bring a little life revival to the new “downtown” of Panama City Beach.
Saturday October 24th, Buddy Wilkes, a local author, will be signing copies of his new book, Overboard, at Borders Books and Music in Pier Park at 2 pm. Overboard is a fictional story inspired by the real life disappearances of passengers from cruise ships.
If you are looking for Halloween activities on Panama City Beach, spooky times and fun costumes are sure to be found at this year’s Boo at the Beach in Pier Park. With cool activities including pumpkin carving, pet costume contest, Rescue & Runaways Fashion Show, Spooky Stories read by Creepy Characters and a kids costume contest, Pier Park will be the place to be October 24th.
Every Saturday,The Grand Theatre in Pier Park will feature family-friendly movies for only $3. That is not a misprint. $3 movies for families and that’s not all. The cost includes a small box of popcorn and a kid’s drink.
Show starts at 11:00 am, seating at 10:30.
Schedule of Saturday Morning Movies Showings:
Sept 26 Shark Tale
Oct 03 Madagascar
Oct 10 Flushed Away
Oct 17 Shrek 1
Oct 24 Sinbad – Legend of the Seven Seas
Oct 31 Prince of Egypt
Nov 07 Madagascar 2
Nov 14 Bee Movie
Nov 21 Shrek 2
Nov 28 No Movie
Dec 05 Chicken Run
Dec 12 Over the Hedge
Dec 19 Kung Fu Panda
The Grand Theatres are state-of-the art multiplex stadium seating movie theatres with 3D capabilities, digital sound, high-back rocker seats, a specialty café and a game room. Panama City Beach’s Grand 16, is the centerpiece of Pier Park. Patrons can not only enjoy movies, but shop and dine as well.
We all knew Pier Park would be a game changer when it exploded onto the Panama City Beach shopping scene almost two years ago. But in addition to being a great place on Panama City Beach to shop and dine, Pier Park is also a great place to hold awesome events and fundraisers. With the huge expanse of pavement Pier Park happens to be the perfect place to stage fun and fundraising runs and walks.
If you were out there, then you know that the party Pier Park sponsored at Aaron Bessant Park this year was nothing short of amazing. I just want to take a moment to thank the team at Pier Park for caring so much about the community and really becoming involved when it comes to being sure our perfect slice of paradise is not only beautiful, but also clean.
Recently in a discussion with Paul Ajdaharian, one of the VP’s at Simon Property group, he was telling me that the closely manicured landscaping and near always meticulous look of the property is very intentional, he quoted saying “you wouldn’t beleive how much money goes into keeping this property looking this great every month.” You see, this does more than make Simon look good, it makes Panama City Beach look good as well. The premier shopping and dining complex in Panama City Beach is going to attract near every tourist that vacations in Panama City Beach, and if they don’t have a great experience there, they’ll remember it.
I was talking to someone a few weeks back who was telling me the reason Felicia and Ashley (the marketing girls at Pier Park) do so well in involving the community with events at Pier Park is because they work so hard. And, although I do agree that they work hard, that’s not why all of this is so successful. This all works so well because they LOVE what they are doing and their passion shows greatly in everything and everyway they participate in the community.
While its easy to criticize Pier Park and complain to me about giving them so much coverage, Pier Park has single handedly done more for this community than any one entity has for a long time, and it has given us a way to come together as Panama City Beach in a way that’s never before been seen – just look at the crowds for New Years and July 4th!
So, enough of the mushyness, here’s the video. Great work Pier Park!
