Planning for New Year’s Eve? Ideas Have Arrived

Christmas is right around the corner, which means that 2012 is looming near as well! If you aren’t sure how to spend the last moments of 2011 maybe you’ll find some inspiration in these events!

Pier Park’s 4th Annual Beach Ball Drop

Say farewell to 2011 and hello to 2012 at Pier Park with a family-friendly celebration that includes balloon artists, stilt walkers, and the release of over 7,000 beach balls. The countdown to midnight will involve the lowering of a 800-pound beach ball and fireworks to celebrate the start of 2012.

Festivities are set to begin at 5:30pm on December 31st, 2011 with the beach ball release being scheduled for 7:00pm.

Visit previous articles to get a feel for the event:

Beach Ball Drop 2010

Pictures from 2010

A Video of 2008’s Event

3rd Annual Countdown to Seaside! A New Year’s Eve Celebration

Seaside’s festivities begin at 7pm on December 31st, 2011 and will continue into the wee hours of 2012. The event is a family-friendly party with live entertainment, kids’ art projects, street performers, and a firework display over the Gulf of Mexico. Performances will include Kyle Lamonica at 7pm, The David Mayfield Parade at 8:15pm, and at 10pm Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers will take the stage. Midnight will be greeted with an amazing firework display.

From 7pm-11pm, Abrakadoodle will be offering free unique art projects for children. These projects will include noisemakers and time capsules! There will also be face painters to help get everyone in the festive spirit!

SHINE- A NYE Celebration in Paradise, at the Holiday Inn

The Holiday Inn is partnering with Give Kid’s The World Foundation for this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s event will help a family with a child, whose medical bills and conditions would have prevented them from enjoying their time together, make amazing memories.

They have special prices for a room, dinner, party, breakfast, and drink tickets- all including a late checkout time! Please visit them online to see the different packages and pricing available for New Year’s Eve. Have fun celebrating a new year for a great cause!

Make sure to have fun, because “how you start the year, is how you spend the year!”

Win a Trip to PCB For New Year’s Eve

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, meaning Christmas and New Year’s Eve aren’t that far behind either! Sterling Resorts would like to help you figure out your plans to ring in 2012.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve Sterling Style

Want to go to the Panama City Beach Ball Drop for New Year’s? Sterling Resorts is giving away a 3 night/4 day stay in a beautiful 2-bedroom condominium at a Sterling Resort for New Year’s Eve. In addition, they are also giving the lucky winner a $100 gift card to Pier Park Shopping and Entertainment Center and transportation to and from the beach ball drop in Pier Park.

How to Enter

Visit Sterling Resorts on Facebook, then click the tab that says “Contest” on the left- enter your name and email address. The winner will be announced December 15th, 2011.

Will you be the one who Celebrates New Year’s Eve Sterling Style? Good Luck!

Enormous Turnout for New Year's Eve at Pier Park

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.

Continue reading “Enormous Turnout for New Year's Eve at Pier Park” →

Photos from You – Beach Wedding, Pier Park New Year, West End Sunset

Every week we’ll feature photos from you, the reader, of anything from crowded streets at Pier Park, to finger crabs scurrying across the beach. They say pictures are worth a thousand words, share your words with pcbdaily.com. Submit your photos and share your Panama City Beach pictures.

Submitted by Debbie Massey

Elizabeth Massey weds Daniel Walsh in a romantic Panama City Beach wedding.

Submitted by Serry Lambert

Bill, Sherry, Casey, and Kelly New Year’s at Pier Park

Submitted by Peri Schaeffer

West-end sunset on Panama City Beach – amazing.

Submitted by Jason Koertge

On Thomas Drive, firefighters fought a car fire that erupted in a violent blaze Saturday morning.

Pier Park Ready for New Year's Bash

I was out at Pier Park today scoping the grounds for our live production tommorrow for the first ever Panama City Beach New Year’s bash that is being presented by Margaritaville.

Pier Park has done an amazing job of putting together a great party for everyone in Panama City and Panama City Beach to enjoy. I was talking to Berna-Liza, Sales and Marketing Manager for Margaritaville and remarked that this is the first time Panama City Beach (as long as I’ve been here) has done something like this that the whole community can come together and celebrate this once-a-year holiday.

There will be something for everyone. If you are a drinker, there will be tons of places to party, if you are a family person, there will be bouncy houses and open areas to play, if you are a loner, there will be tons of people there to keep you company. I love it, I can’t hardly think about sleeping tonight.

The family time, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, will play host to stilt walkers, face painters and live music playing on the main boardwalk area AND in the open area in front of Bootleg BBQ and Starbucks. Then, at 9 pm, the countdown party will begin with more live music and prizes given away from the stage in front of the beach ball every 20 minutes.

The beach ball is an illuminated 8 foot ball with the Pier Park logo on it that will be suspended 120 feet in the air. As midnight approaches, it will be lowered by a winch, ringing in the new year. At the exact moment the ball hits the ground, fireworks will shoot off on the beach just next to the pier that is currently under construction.

I’ll be there, along with a buddy of mine, Lou Columbus, shooting video, taking pictures and having a grand ‘ol time.

See you at Pier Park!

First Ever New Year's Beach Ball Drop in Panama City Beach

Celebrate the start of 2009 with a bounce and a bang at the New Year’s Eve “Beach Ball Drop” in Panama City Beach, Fla. Presented by Margaritaville and hosted by Pier Park, this first annual event rings in the New Year with live entertainment and fun activities for the whole family, including a spectacular fireworks display, amidst dazzling beaches and holiday lights.

Creating its own beachside version of Times Square, Panama City Beach will close the roads of Pier Park for pedestrian traffic only and host a street festival with live music, food, festivities and more. To mark the start of the New Year, a larger-than-life illuminated beach ball will slowly descend from a 120 ft. tower, 12 stories high, at the stroke of midnight.

“The Beach Ball Drop is the first of what promises to become an annual tradition at Pier Park, Northwest Florida’s largest shopping, dining and entertainment venue,” remarks Felicia Cook, Director of Mall Marketing for Simon Property Group. “We are thrilled to play host to this one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve event and look forward to ringing in the New Year in Panama City Beach.”

Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with exciting activities for the entire family including live music, food, bounce houses, stilt walkers and face painters and a Florida Lottery “Prize Zone.” The New Year’s Eve countdown celebration starts at 9:00 p.m. with more live entertainment, leading up to the awaited Beach Ball Drop at midnight. The evening will culminate with a spectacular fireworks show over the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

“The New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop provides the perfect opportunity to visit Panama City Beach and become a part of history,” states Dan Rowe, president and CEO of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “We welcome locals and visitors alike to join us for a weekend of cheer and celebration as we kick-off 2009 in the world’s most beautiful beach destination.”