This week we went up to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and took a tour of the facility, got some cool footage of planes taking off and talked to the Deputy Executive Director, Parker McClellan.
Year: 2012
PCB Crushes Guinness World’s Largest Bikini Parade Record
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!
Bonus! Videos of the event
Great Deals on Family Spring Break Vacation Rentals
If you’re still planning your family spring break trip to the beach, there are still some sweet deals to be had down here at the beach. We have a number of condos in family friendly resorts that are nicely amenitized (like that made-up word?) and guaranteed to provide you with a blast of a vacation.
We have condos in Emerald Beach Resort, Towne of Seahaven, Calypso Resort, Majestic Resort, Tidewater, Sterling Breeze, Splash Resort, Edgewater Beach Resort and a cute little house next to Pier Park.
Spring Break Vacation Rental Deals
Here are some sweet deals in all of our condos. These prices are good for the rest of March and the first week in April. The “April” rate starts that second week in April. The second week in April, all the prices drop quite a bit. While some of these condos are available for less than a week, I’m just showing the weekly rates.
I should also note, these rates include all taxes and all fees. The price below is the final out the door price.
1 bedrooom condos
- Emerald Beach 1229 — March $1301/wk — April $1095/wk
- Seahaven 716 — March $1294/wk — April $881/wk
- Tidewater 2309 — March $ 1441/wk — April $1095/wk
- Sterling Breeze 2203 — March $1690/wk — April $1423/wk
- Splash 704e — March $1541/wk — April $1211/wk
2 bedroom condos
- Emerald Beach 930 — March $1733/wk — April $1188/wk
- Tidewater 2805 — March $1700/wk — April $1353/wk
- Splash 1906e — March $1650/wk — April $1352/wk
- Edgewater 607 — April $1352/wk
- Summertowne 15 — March $1694/wk — April $1099/wk
3 bedroom condos
- Emerald Beach 2027 — March $2308/wk — April $1500/wk
- Edgewater 2709 — March $1559/wk — April $1054/wk
- Calypso 1604w — March $1659/wk — April $1338/wk
4 bedroom condos
- Majestic 1402 — March $2225/wk — April $1985/wk
A special deal for the readers of PCBDaily!
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Can you say promo code?
Yep, since you’re a reader of PCBDaily.com, we have a special promo code you can use when you book with us online. Just use promo code “pcbdaily” for a super fast 5% off!
Panama City Beach Spring Break Week 1
It’s that time of year again. The weather’s warming, the sand is beckoning and college students and families alike are getting spring-fever! Our beaches are filling up this week and starting in two weeks we’ll have a full load of tourists bathing in our sun, spending their money in our businesses and reminding us all which industry really is king in Northwest Florida.
Panama City Beach Spring Break is upon us!
Before I even begin, I’d like to give a huge shout-out and special thanks to our friends over at Tripsmarter who have graciously given us permission to use some of the information they provide every year to their spring break audience. All of the information I am publishing in this post can also be found over on their site, in their Panama City Beach Spring Break section.
This week’s events – March 5-9
Spinaker Beach Club
- Chasing Scarlett: March 2-7, 2012
- Mega Beach Party (Beach Stage, MCs, DJs, Contests, 600’ Zip Line, Sponsored Activities, Games, and Free Stuff! 12pm-5pm): March 3-23, 2012
- Shawn Rader: March 3-7, 2012
- Bad Habits: March 4-6, 2012
- Natalie Stovall: March 8-11, 2012
- Tobacco Road Band: March 8-11, 2012
Club La Vela
- J. Dash: March 5, 2012
- Starkillers: March 6, 2012
- Mr. Mayhem: March 5-11, 2012
Chateau Motel
- DJ Elements & Beer Pong: March 5, 2012
- Randy Waltz or Dame Vane: March 6, 2012
- DJ Elements & Beer Pong: March 7, 2012
- DJ Unk, Wet T-Shirt, & Beer Pong: March 8, 2012
- Beer Pong Tournament & Local DJs: March 9, 2012
For a full listing of all the Spring Break activities all around Panama City Beach, visit Tripsmarter’s Spring Break section.
Full list of schools out for Spring Break this week
2012 Seabreeze Jazz Festival – Full Artist Lineup
Every year, as the weather begins to warm and the grass begins to green there are few things that come to mind before the sweet tunes of the annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival that confirms spring is definitely in the air. Brought to Pier Park in April of 2009, they’ve seen record growth year over year and have brought in artists such as Nick Colione, George Benson, Boney James, and Brian Culbertson, just to name a few.
This year’s lineup is going to make the weekend one of the most awesome you’ve ever had.
The full Seabreeze Jazz Festival Artist Lineup
- Dave Koz
- Brian Culbertson
- Fourplay
- Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue
- Richard Elliot
- Rick Braun
- Down To The Bone
- Phil Perry
- Nick Colionne
- Mindi Abair
- Four 80 East
- Maysa
- Jeff Golub
- Cindy Bradley
- Jeff Lorber
- David Pack
- Eric Darius
- Alexander Zonjic
- Brian Simpson
- Althea Rene’
- Shilts
- Urban Jazz Coalition
- Karen Briggs
- Matt Marshak
- Gail Jhonson
- Mariea Antoinette
- Vincent Ingala
- Chris Geith
- Street Corner Renaissance
To buy tickets or for more information, visit SeabreezeJazzFestival.com
Seahaven Beach Break’s Ground On A New Phase
If you’ve driven down Front Beach Road near Origin at Seahaven, you no doubt noticed all the ground that is being turned up. We’ve had a lot of inquires as to what it could be (no, it is not another Walmart). In fact, Seahaven Beach Resorts is beginning it’s first phase of a new Village and Streetscape plan, starting with the large parking lot. The new plan will add that much-needed parking as well as a lineup of choice retail spots that will line the roadside with storefronts.
This addition to the resort should help tie it in with Pier Park and create an even stronger pull for what has become Panama City Beach’s busiest area.
If you are interested in retail space or have additional inquiries, head over to Seahaven Beach Resorts
“Bridging the Gap” With Sober Events In Panama City Beach
For people engaged in a battle with alcohol and sobriety, our area can be a constant temptation to stray from the road to recovery. Frozen daiquiris beckon from sidewalk stands, bars and liquor stores are a prevalent presence on nearly every block, and countless community events are enjoyed by countless attendees with drinks happily in hand.
For David Murphree, a co-founder of Bridging the Gap (BTG), a transitional recovery center in Panama City Beach, this fact was not lost during the recent Super Bowl. Murphree, who along with co-founder Dan Luoma, had struggled with watching previous Super Bowl’s at bars or friend’s house parties. The atmosphere, while normal to most, always seemed a little tense and uncomfortable.
“It just never feels quite right,” said Murphree in a BTG blog post recently regarding the ever- present lure of alcohol while watching previous Super Bowls. “And unless you have a pretty strong recovery program I certainly don’t suggest it.”
This year, Murphree and Luoma decided to cut out any social temptation from their Super Bowl festivities and organized a sober Super Bowl party of their own. The idea was to offer recovering addicts a safe and sober environment where they could relax and enjoy the game, complete with mounds of food and other traditional trappings, without the pressure of being surrounded by others who didn’t quite understand the everyday struggle of staying sober.
The event was a huge success and helped Murphree and Luoma realize there was a strong demand for sober events in Panama City Beach. Especially as Spring Break approaches and the lure for alcoholic pressure is at it’s greatest.
“I had so many people come up to me, truly appreciative of a place to watch the game with their families or friends and not have to worry about any of the drama that comes with alcohol,” Murphree said after the event. “Sometimes it is liberating to be shielded from temptation.”
Other attendees chimed in with rave reviews as well.
“It was such a pleasure to see so many people having such a good time, not a chemically induced good time, but a genuinely good time,” said one attendee.
“Priceless, so fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful people,” said another.
BGT plans to hold the Sober Super Bowl party again next year and is also considering organizing sober activities throughout the rest of the year to provide Panama City Beach families the opportunity to partake in outings free from the drugs and alcohol that is frequently associated with those events.
“We think it’s important in early sobriety to learn that life is not only just as fun as it ever was, but even more so,” Luoma told the News Herald.
A Super Bowl ranks right up there with New Years Eve as one of the biggest drinking nights of the year…and many of us stay home to avoid getting into trouble,” Murphree added in his blog post. “In the future, I hope there are many options for ‘Sober Super Bowl Parties’. I know BTG will be one of them.”
Murphree and Luoma hope that is just one of many sober events to come throughout the year. For more information of Bridging the Gap, you can visit their website at www.btgrecovery.com or call them at 850-290-5975.
Bay Point Billfish Invitational Cancelled
An annual summer tradition in Panama City Beach has been cancelled for 2012, citing economic and logistical challenges. Every summer, the Bay Point Invitational Billfish Tournament brings people, young and old alike, out of the woodwork to enjoy Panama City Beach’s hot summer nights, look at awesome boats and see some huge fish weigh in.
High fuel costs and competition
“It was definitely a tough decision,” said Steve Arndt, marina director at Bay Point Marina, “but ultimately the right one.” He contends that it wasn’t a single factor that led to the decision to cancel the 2012 tournament, but a combination of obstacles.
Arndt suggested that the economy was the main culprit, resulting in high fuel prices and a dwindling sponsor pool. “High fuel costs are especially tough on this tournament,” said Arndt, “Many of our boats come from out of town, and when fuel gets expensive it definitely affects their attendance.”
The proliferation of billfish tournaments along the Gulf Coast is also a factor. “There are almost a dozen big money tournaments along the Gulf Coast each year,” said Arndt. “And in this tight economy anglers and sponsors can’t afford to participate in every event.”
Many tournament anglers feel that their best chance to land a money winning fish lies westward in the fertile fishing grounds near the Louisiana oil fields. In the past, many boats from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi participated, but fuel costs have been pushing that number lower each year as they choose to fish closer to home.
Lost tons of parking
Other logistical factors influenced the decision to cancel the tournament, such as limited parking space. For years the tournament utilized a vacant lot just north of the marina as parking for spectators, participants and boat owners. That lot was recently renovated as a park, resulting in the loss of over 400 parking spaces. “Parking has always been a challenge, and when we lost the lot it was a severe blow. Without that extra space, there is no place for our boat owners and anglers to park.”
“We have many other special events at the marina, such as the Bay Point Outdoor Expo and In-Water Boats Show in March, the Leukemia Cup Poker Run in May and several smaller events throughout the year,” he said, “and we haven’t given up on the Invitational. Hopefully this will just be a short break.”
Past coverage of this event
Panama City Beach Makes “10 Best” Beaches
If you didn’t already know, Panama City Beach is absolutely beautiful. To it’s visitors and residents Panama City Beach rivals any beach in the world in both beauty, excitement and accessibility. Well, now, we’re not the only ones. In a recent publication by “10 Best Reader Choice Travel Awards” Panama City Beach was ranked above Maui and was said to “deliver outrageous sunsets, funky tourist shops and affordable lodging. . . . not to mention all those bikini-clad girls at spring break time.”
Check out the full list here.
Hardee’s on the Beach Opens Monday
If you’re a fan of their heart-attack inducing Thickburgers or their delicious breakfast items, crave no more and forget about the long drive. The first Hardee’s (so far as I know) ever is opening on Panama City Beach on Monday.
Grant it, they’re not some quaint mom-and-pop shop, or some individualistic beach novelty, but they are Hardee’s, and we don’t have one. And now we will!
So, grab your appetite, head over Monday and pick up a Cinnamon ‘n Raisin Biscuit for breakfast, a tasty Mushroom Swiss Thickburger for lunch, but eat some fresh vegetables for dinner.
The new Hardee’s is located just to the east of the Tom Thumb gas station at the same corner as Lowe’s, right on Panama City Beach Parkway (Back Beach Road). The nearest major intersection is PCB Parkway and R Jackson Blvd (formally Beckrich).
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