Gulf Coast Horse Show

The next three weeks on Panama City Beach should be awesome.

For years PCB’s tourism paradox, which is the last three weeks of April, has bewildered businesses all around the beach. After the Spring Break season is over and before the summer season crowds the shores, there has always existed a perennial lag. During this time hotels are still operating at full staff, so are the restaurants and attractions when, frankly, business has slowed enough to validate a winter-like hibernation. There just isn’t a season and no reason for people to visit the beach.

Well that was then and fun is now.

The TDC and private sectors have put together a string of events for the next three weeks that will keep our beach so packed it should provide a seamless segueway into summer.

This is what’s coming up on Panama City Beach:

April 17 – 19^th – The 11th Annual Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam

April 16 – 19^th – Seabreeze Jazz Festival

April 22 – 25^th – The 11^th annual Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show and Music Festival

April 30 – May 3^rd – Thunder Beach Spring Rally

I hope the beach is ready because these upcoming events are bound to have the beach rocking. In fact, most accommodations around Pier Park are already sold out while others are starting to see the benefits of the efforts. If you’re a vacationer, now is the time to get your best value on accommodations and dining. If you’re a resident you should definitely get out while the weather’s great and traffic is loose to enjoy the activities.

This post is somewhat of a tip-of-the-hat to everyone who put in the effort to keep the business flowing on the beach. If we keep this up before you know it we’ll have a whole new season. Question is, what should we call it? Any suggestions?

The 11^th annual Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show and Music Festival returns to Panama City Beach April 22-25^that Frank Brown Park. If you read the title and thought “why go to the beach for horses?” you may not realize what you’d be missing. This isn’t your typical equestrian event. The Horse Show is an entertainment extravaganza complete with good music, clowns, door prizes, children’s amusement rides, artwork and outstanding food – it may be the perfect reason to take the kids to Frank Brown and have a ball.

General admission is $12.00 and children under 6 get in free.

Here’s what to expect:

“The entertainment for 2009 is “LEGENDS OF THE BEACH” (Formerly The Embers) Friday and Saturday after the show, “ENTICE”, from Nashville, TN Thursday after the show, and “THE RHYTHM ALLSTARS”(with 3 songs topping the charts in Europe) Wednesday after the show, and the “Ivey Brothers” and “Royce Reagan”, will be back by popular demand before the show. Specialty Acts are the “Wild Thang” which is monkeys riding the Border Collies herding sheep, and Blake Goode roman riding a pair of Brahma Bulls weighing in at over 2000 lbs a piece… jumping through a ring of fire!”

Did you know?:

The Horse Show is responsible for over $675,000.00 going to area charitable and civic organizations and parks since its inception in 1999. The major beneficiaries have been, Anchorage Children’s Home, Hospice of The Emerald Coast, Gulf Coast Community College, Chipola College, Habitat for Humanity, Teen Challenge of Bonifay and Frank Brown Park as well as the Optimist and Kiwanis of Panama City Beach to name a few.

In 2006 the Gulf Coast Charity Celebration partnered with Anchorage Children’s Home to be its largest fundraiser of the year. The Gulf Coast Charity Celebration, Inc. and Anchorage Children’s Home, with the help of sponsors will benefit the numerous abused, abandoned and neglected children of Northwest Florida. Since the Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show & Musical Festival’s inception its proceeds have provided education to area residents, helped families of and the terminally ill, abused, neglected and abandoned children and troubled teens and more.

To download the full event list click Here

To download the Official Show Bill click Here