Panama City Beach just crushes the previously held Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Bikini Parade yesterday by 93! The previous record was held by the Gold Coast in Australia – Gold Coast beat the previous record by just 26. This just says, if you’re gonna beat a record, might as well go big!
I’m excited to be at any event where something extraordinary has happened, and Panama City Beach just destroyed a record, which I thought would be beat by maybe 2 or 3, maybe 20 people, but just. . . they crushed it, so I’m thrilled to be here. ~ Philip Robertson, Guinness World Records Judge
Yesterday 450 bikini-clad women, young and old, marched down the beach in front of Harpoon Harry’s in Panama City Beach, wearing signature hats to identify them as official parade participants to the judges. It was almost as if it was meant to be – with gloomy weather almost daily for the last couple weeks, yesterday was literally picturesque; blue skies, warm weather made everything perfect.
The previous record
Previously held by Gold Coast Australia, the last record breaking event was held in October of last year. The record Panama City Beach had to break was 357. The record Gold Coast broke was 331, set by the Cayman Islands in 2010. The Gold Coast is already talking of a record next year, so no telling how long Panama City Beach will get to keep that record.
Although, Panama City Beach completely crushed the previous record capturing 26% more bikini parade goers than the previous record. So for the next runner up, they’ll have to put together quite a gathering!
Couldn’t have been a better day
The weather was fantastic yesterday; sunny, blue skies, warm, in the 70’s. Spring Breakers from all over the south east, residents and others that wanted in on the challenge gathered on the beach behind Harpoon Harry’s beachfront restaurant in Panama City Beach for the parade. At about 11:30 am on Tuesday March 6, the parade began and walked down the beach, under the M.B. Miller (county) pier and back again.
The official announcement of the results was made around 12:30pm and was solidified with the cheers of hundreds of attendees chanting USA, USA, USA!
Quotes from the event
We want to be on top, but the publicity that goes with it – we want people to see this beach and just know how beautiful it is. It really is a national treasure. ~ Gayle Oberst, Mayor of Panama City Beach
This is wonderful. Panama City Beach is known for being a Real Fun Beach, where kids of all ages come to the beach to have a good time. And breaking the record today – not by a little bit, but by a hundred folks – really is wonderful. . . It’s hard to get 358 people all together at the same time, even on a beach like Panama City Beach, where folks are down here in the thousands. But today, the girls came out, everybody had a really good time, highlighting that Panama City Beach is truly one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. ~ Dan Rowe, President/CEO, Panama City Beach CVB
We planned this. It’s been on my Facebook for weeks. . . Tears came in my eyes. Like it’s, legit. This was one of the most exciting moments of my life, I’m gonna tell my kids about this. ~ Some random spring breaker bikini parade participant
I was 357 and she was like 358 in line. So we were like WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!! ~ The actual “record holder” spring breaker.
This was awesome. It was my first opportunity to be a part of a world record. I am so excited, because my name’s going to be on it. That’s sweet. It’s awesome. ~ An excited participant.
What it did for Panama City Beach in the press
Setting a world record is cool, but what it does to solidify our place on the map is enormous! Just by setting the record, Panama City Beach was picked up in national publications yesterday and today, has been talked about in local papers around the country citing that the USA has captured this record and countless others that aren’t showing up in the almighty google I’m sure are taking place.
Again, I’ve got to hand it to the promoters of this challenge. People are literally talking about Panama City Beach everywhere!
PCBDaily 
I wouldn’t say the old record was “crushed,” considering there was only a difference of 93 babes in bikinis. Not exactly a blowout or a crush.
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Actually, considering the difference between what the old record did compared to the record before it, I would say it WAS crushed.
The record before the Gold Coast record was just 331 and was beat out by the Golf Coast by just 26!! We beat that by more than 3 times that!!
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Considering that there are over 100k kids on spring break this week (according to your website), and realizing that not all those kids are in PCB, but let’s say 10k are, I can’t believe organizers couldn’t rally more that 450 or so babes in bikinis. Pretty sad organization if you ask me.
Again, a difference of 93 relative to the record that was to be broken (357) is anything but crushing. It’s only about a 26% increase. Now had the difference been something on the order of 930 – a 260% increase – now that would have been a crushing.
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Ok hank.
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Hey Hank. I have an awesome idea. I think you ought to put this thing together next time the record is broken and see how hard (expensive) it is to get the word out and corral a bunch of spring breakers in one area during what is arguably the slowest spring break week in the month of March.
Otherwise take your negativity to the Squall Line.
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My point exactly.. the slowest spring break week of the month.
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I was wondering the same thing. Why DID they plan it for the slowest week of Spring Break? The 10th-17th is HUGE! Then they really could have CRUSHED the record! I really don’t care either way, but Hank (& Jason) make valid points….. If this was my event, I would have planned it for this week. My guess is that the organizers knew this would be a big money maker for them anyway, and by hosting the parade last week, they were guaranteed a beach full of kids?? That’s the only logical explanation…..
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The photos I saw on facebook were fantastic… a line of gals wearing bikinis & what a day, bright and sunny! I would also say that beating the old record by 93 was a definite CRUSH. 🙂
Hip Hip Hurrah!
🙂 Cathy/Tennessee
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Impressive!
Guess Australia and others have a tough challenge.
Wonder which week Leno will send his intrepid reporter to Spring Break!?
That usually is a fairly humorous (but sad) representation of the typical USA spring-breaker. However, any publicity is GOOD publicity on that show!
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I think if it was done during the big weeks of spring break it would have been to large to manage. I personally think it could be organized to be double, or even triple that #, however if you show all your card early you often get beat! It should be a yearly contest to break the world recored every spring here, even if we are working to beat our own record.
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This had to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. So you got a bunch of pervs together to watch and judge little girls strut in bikinis. Big deal. I’m just glad I live on the west end of the beach. Spring breakers are so irritating. I avoid that end at all costs this time of year. Just like every year, I’ll be glad when it’s over.
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Brad, I really don’t think anyone here is being a “Perv”. And, hey these gals are having good clean fun, not harming anyone. Where is your Spring Spirit at? lol lol
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The beach is so cool and the babes are hot.
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