Are You Ready For Football? TDC To Host "World's Greatest Pre-Season Tailgate

It’s that time of year again when you can break out that old jersey, dust off the pigskin and get ready for football. To get you amped up for the season, The Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau will host the “World’s Greatest Pre-season Tailgate”.

From Thursday, August 26 – Saturday, August 28, the REAL.FUN.BEACH. destination has partnered with ISP Sports Network (America’s Home for College Sports) to host the first annual World’s Greatest Pre-Season Tailgate event. Alumni, students, coaches, players, cheerleaders, mascots and sports fans from nine universities among other colleges will convene in Panama City Beach to show their school pride with a series of activities that include a celebrity golf tournament, charter fishing trips, full day of tailgating with BBQ contest, parade, pep rallies and musical performances by country music sensations Sara Evans and John Rich.

“This is football country and we look forward to kicking the season off in style,” states Dan Rowe, president and CEO of the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Participating schools include University of Alabama, Auburn University, Florida State University, University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Southern Miss, Troy University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Vanderbilt University. The World’s Greatest Pre-Season Tailgate schedule includes:

Thursday, August 26

Celebrity Golf Tournament – Tee off at 1 p.m. with your favorite college football celebrity at Hombre Golf Club. Call 850-234-3673 for more information or to register. Fee is $100.00 per golfer.

Dinner at Leisure – Alumni groups can gather at several sports clubs and grills for watching classic games and highlights. Sports celebrities will be making rounds to meet and greet fans.

Summer Concert Series, Aaron Bessant Park – From 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., guests can enjoy Panama City Beach’s complimentary concert in the park series; small coolers and pets on a leash are permitted.

Friday, August 27

Celebrity Charter Fishing Trips – Starting bright and early at 6:00 a.m., visitors can join celebrities for some great fishing in the clear gulf waters. Full and half-day trips are available. Following a day on the seas, participants will meet at Boatyard restaurant with their bounty for a “Hook and Cook” dinner.

Country music star Sara Evans performs live on the beach – From 6:00-8:00 p.m., Country Music Academy award winner Sara Evans will perform behind Boardwalk Beach Resort. Throughout her career, Sarah has had many number one hits, including “Born to Fly,” No Place That Far,” “Suds In The Bucket” and “A Real Fine Place to Start.” There is no charge for the benefit concert.

At 9:00 p.m., fans will gather for late night football and meet & greet opportunities by coaches and players and pep rallies by cheerleaders in area restaurants.

Saturday, August 28

TIME to TAILGATE! – Guests will gather their foam fingers, outdoor grills and best painted team faces to show their school spirit. Activities include:

10:30 a.m. – Spirit Parade at Pier Park – all alumni and fans dress in school colors and join their team’s cheerleaders, coaches and players to stroll down the avenue.

11:00 a.m. – BBQ Judging for best tailgating recipe – prizes worth more than $2,000 will be awarded

11:15 a.m. – BBQ lunches for sale

4:00 p.m. – Pep Rally – Time to Show School Spirit – each team takes the stage behind Boardwalk Beach Resort to announce their kick-off games and show team spirit.

John Rich performs live on the beach – The artist behind the theme song that opens the ESPN College GameDay Show, Rich’s leadoff single to his first solo project, “Shuttin’ Detroit Down,” – a populist anthem – has quickly swept the nation. The song is a fitting kickoff to Son of a Preacher Man, an album that finds country music’s Renaissance Everyman giving full rein to his own creative voice in a project that is personal as it is musically engaging. There is no charge for this benefit concert.

For more information on the World’s Greatest Pre-Season Tailgate, visit http://www.www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/tailgate