Month: December 2011

And The Golden Spoon Goes To… Firefly

Congratulations to Panama City Beach’s Firefly Restaurant on winning the Golden Spoon for the second year in a row!  The Golden Spoon Award is given by Florida Trend magazine in recognition of the exquisite cuisine and outstanding ambiance found at Firefly.  “We are thrilled to receive the award for the second year in a row,” said owner Dave Trepanier. “Excellence and creativity is something we strive for to set us apart from other Panama City Beach restaurants. It is our chef and staff that continually make us great every day, and this award is a direct reflection of that.”

Firefly is located in the Shoppes at Edgewater and was commended by Florida Trend on having “urbane dining with lots of fish, local oysters and serious sushi, plus a chef who dares eggplant pancakes and boar shanks.”

If you haven’t been to Firefly yet- it might be time for you to try it! Congratulations on the second Golden Spoon Firefly!

On The Third Week of Christmas My True Love and I….

Looking for something to do this third week of December?  You won’t be bored!  There are plenty of holiday events to entertain you as well as boost your holiday spirit!

A Very Elvis Christmas Dinner and Show

December 16th and 17th- Breakers

Breakers will be hosting a dinner and show weekend!  Every table has a gulf view and a view of “the world’s most beautiful sunset.”  They have dinner specials starting at $15.95, and starting at 8:30pm, Todd Allen Herendeen will be staring in “A Very Elvis Christmas.”  The show will tribute Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, and more!

Santa Cruise

December 17th- Lady Anderson

Book a dinner aboard the Lady Anderson for the telling of the Christmas Story, caroling, and a surprise visit from Santa Claus!  The cruise will last from 2:00pm-4:00pm and will host the children from Anchorage Children, Rescue Mission, and Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.

The Classic Russian Nutcracker

December 17th- Marina Civic Center
A Christmas tradition, seeing the Nutcracker Ballet!  The Marina Civic Center will host the Gold Medal Winning Company from Saint-Petersburg Classic Ballet Theatre of Marina Medvetskaya.  Known for precision dancing, incredible scenary, and intricate costume design- Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker isn’t a show to miss during the holiday season.  Acclaimed for the unique setting of Act II, with new characters and larger than life puppets, makes this version of The Nutcracker one to see!  Tickets are available online for $44, $34, $24, $14.

Have a great weekend and a boost of holiday cheer!

An Attempt to Salvage “Fun for the Holidays”

While “Fun for the Holidays” looked like something that everyone was going to be excited about, the reality was not what anyone had pictured.  The amount of lights was wan in comparison to what was described prior to the events opening, although the forest of Christmas Trees was as plentiful and in tune with music as had been promised.  Many were expecting the pier to be lit up with lights showing the story of “Christmas Under the Sea,” and not a film projected onto the sand.  You wouldn’t know there was a video being projected onto the sand until you were on the pier, but once there you’d see the creative devices showing the film on either side.

However, many children seemed to have fun at the event.  Several comments had been heard about the “ice skating” rink which was setup, even being compared with ‘plastic covered in baby oil.’  No one seemed impressed with the attempt to create an ice skating environment by the beach. Shortly after Thanksgiving the entry price was lowered, most likely due to lack of community participation.

It seems that the event has still been found lacking in the eyes of the community.  The event has added extended dates- lasting till December 30th now and has extended the ‘ice skating’ hours, Thursday- Saturday from 10am-5pm and 6pm-10pm and Sunday from 12pm-4pm.  They have also added more light displays; a Snowmen Cove with 6-foot snowmen, Santas Galore in Action, a Nativity Scene, and more!  They will be rotating out vendors each night, as well as having carolers and a fire pit (with complimentary s’mores supplies).  From December 15th-17th and 22nd-23rd, Mike Jones will be selling and signing his book, Salvaged Santa.  He will also be accepting donations for the Salvage Toy Program.

New Additions for Children:

  • Visit with Santa including a gift bag sponsored by Gulf World Marine Park
  • Photograph with Santa and photo download
  • Holiday face painting
  • Caricature drawings
  • Christmas sand art project (Children 18 and under)
  • Flip, Flop and Snowflake coloring station
  • Reindeer food recipe-making station
  • One additional free item each night.  Always a surprise!

 

Will these changes and new additions be enough to salvage “Fun for the Holidays” or is it too little too late?

The Seabreeze Jazz Festival Offers a Holiday Discount

Many have already expressed excitement for the annual Seabreeze Jazz Fesitval coming April 18th-22nd, 2012.  The festival has offered a short-term sale on tickets!  Make sure to buy yours before December 15th, 2011 and you’ll save up to $100!

If you buy a weekend pass or a four-day pass, you will receive the second pass at half-price!  Order your tickets online before December 15th and make sure to enter the promotional code “Holiday 2011.”  They are sending tickets out via Priority Mail, ensuring arrival before Christmas!

 

The Resort Collection Giveaway: A Thank-You Present

The Resort Collection would like to say “thank-you” to all of their fans on Facebook for making them the most-liked property management company in Northwest Florida.  They are giving away an eight-megapixel digital camera dive mask from Liquid Image to one lucky fan.  “This is our way of saying ‘thanks’ to our guests and Facebook fans for being so supportive of us on Facebook,” says Paul Wohlford, vice president of sales and marketing for The Resort Collection. “It makes our job fun. When our guests are happy, we at The Resort Collection are happy!”

How to enter?

The drawing is open to fans of their page only, so make sure to “like” the page first!  Once a fan of the page, enter using your email address on the “Giveaways” tab.  Just make sure to enter before January 15th, 2012!

Good Luck to those who enter!  Congratulations to The Resort Collection and their properties!

PCB Visitors Bureau Racks Up Awards

The Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has been recognized by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) for four separate entries to the Adrian Awards.  The 55th Annual Adrian Awards Competition is the largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition.

The awards will be presented on February 27th, 2012 in New York City.  There were almost 1,000 entries from around the world being judged by top executives from all sectors of the industry.  “The bar is continuously set higher each year in regards to the quality of Adrian Awards submissions we receive,” said Fran Brasseux, HSMAI executive vice president. “This year’s winners have made their mark in travel advertising, public relations and digital marketing.  We look forward to showcasing this exemplarily work with the industry and recognizing the remarkable winners at the Adrian Awards Gala.”

Award Winning Entries from Panama City Beach CVB:

  • GOLD – Panama City Beach feature coverage on CBS “Evening News,” highlighting Spring Break 2011 and the launch of high season in the destination
  • SILVER – REAL.FUN.GUARANTEE. Digital Banners that kept consumers informed about Panama City Beach’s pristine waters and beaches during Summer 2010
  • BRONZE – Panama City Beach feature coverage in the Wall Street Journal, showcasing the destination and the Convention & Visitors Bureau’s innovative tactics for reaching potential travelers (see snip-it’s above and to the right)
  • BRONZE – Digital marketing campaign targeted to 45 colleges employing Facebook media which resulted in an increase of nearly 30,000 fans

“This honor is a great achievement and I want to thank our team and stakeholders for their commitment and tireless efforts in making this happen,” states Dan Rowe, president and CEO of the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “In spite of the challenges we faced last year, we are poised to break our existing record in the number of travelers and amount of revenue that tourism has brought to Panama City Beach by nearly 17 percent (number based on Jan-Sept.).”

You can learn more about the CVB online.  Congratulations on these achievements!

 

 

In The Spirit of Giving: BookIt.com’s “Trip-a-Day Replay”

Looking for a holiday getaway?  Know someone who deserves a vacation?  BookIt.com is bringing back their most popular giveaway this December.  With “Trip-a-Day Replay,” BookIt.com is giving away a free trip to one lucky traveler each day this month.  You can enter to win for free by visiting BookIt.com online or by visiting them on Facebook.

Contestants will enter to win a three-night stay, plus coach airfare for two.  The restrictions? U.S. and Canadian winners must be 25 years or older to redeem their prize.

Where are some of the free vacations? A different trip will be given away each day of December!

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana – All-Inclusive (see the picture to the left)

Hotel Riu Palace Riviera Maya – All-Inclusive Resort (see picture above for a sneak peak)

Las Vegas – PH Towers Westgate

Good luck to everyone entering, and have a great time on your getaway! If you are one of the lucky winners, please post pictures to share with us!

 

 

During the Second Week of Christmas…

There have been tons of holiday and Christmas activities already, and it’s only the second week of December.  This second week of Christmas there are several more events to count on for increasing your holiday cheer!

5K Reindeer Run and 1-mile Santa Shuffle

Looking to stretch your legs before settling in for a long winter’s nap?  The Junior Service League will be hosting the 5K Reindeer Race and a 1-mile Santa Shuffle in St. Andrews State Park on December 10th at 3pm.  The cost to register is $20 and proceeds will benefit the youth programs of the Junior Service League of Panama City Beach.  Physically-challenged participants and those who will be pushing strollers are welcome to enter.  All 5K finishers under age 12 will receive a reindeer medal and trophies will be awarded to top finishers in numerous age groups.

Parade on the Beach

Starting at 5pm on Saturday December 10th, floats will wind their way through the streets of Pier Park. The parade will feature floats from businesses and community organizations, local marching bands, and car clubs.  The parade will find it’s way through Pier Park to Front Beach Road.

Miracle on 34th Street

A true classic when it comes to Christmas stories!  Visit the Marina Civic Center on December 11th at 5:00pm to watch Miracle on 34th Street in it’s musical format written by Valentine Davies.  This is the story of Kris Kringle on trial, Macy’s becoming the store to shop in, two lost souls finding each other, and a little girl discovering her childhood through Santa Claus.  This musical will be brought to you by Virginia’s Barter Theatre, which is America’s oldest resident equity theater company.  Tickets are on sale for $45, $39, $32.50, and $23 depending on seating.  You can also save $10 for children 18 and under!  Tickets are on sale now!

 

Laketown Wharf’s Christmas Events

Laketown Wharf is hosting a weekend of Christmas fun December 9th-11th.  Complete with live entertainment, children’s activities, photo’s with Santa, local vendors, food and beverage, silent auction, and holiday themed laser light show.  All proceeds from the events will go to the Anchorage Children’s Home and National Military Family Association.

December 9th, 2011

The event will last from 4:00pm-10:00pm.

4:00pm-6:00pm, Live music from Travis Dean featuring Half Past 10

4:00pm- 8:00pm, Children’s activities and photo’s with Santa

6:00pm- 7:00pm, Live Music from Kevin Jacobs

8:00pm, Christmas Light Show

December 10th, 1011

Laketown’s Christmas event will be held from 12:00pm-10:00pm.

12:00pm-8:00pm, Silent Auction

12:00pm-8:00pm, Children’s activities and photo’s with Santa

1:00pm, Santa will arrive in a fire truck

2:00pm-4:00pm, Live Music from Kevin Jacobs

4:00pm-7:00pm, Life Music from Travis Dean featuring Half Past 10

6:30pm, Tree Lighting

8:00pm, Christmas Light Show

Winners from the Silent Auction will be announced immediately following the light show.

December 11th, 2011

The final day of Christmas at Laketown will be held from 12:00pm-4:00pm.

12:00pm-8:00pm, Children’s activities and photo’s with Santa

12:00pm-1:00pm, Live Music from Kevin Jacobs

1:00pm-3:00pm, Life Music from Travis Dean featuring Half Past 10

8:00pm, Christmas Light Show

 

Have a great weekend a Laketown Wharf and celebrating the Christmas season!