Have a Blast on the Beaches
Events promise patriotic family fun, music and fireworks
![Boats float in Grand Lagoon to watch the Freedom Rocks fireworks display on Sunday, July 3, 2016, in Panama City Beach. [HEATHER HOWARD/NEWS HERALD FILE PHOTO]](/gcdn/authoring/2017/06/28/NTNH/ghows-DA-5295f427-267d-3919-e053-0100007f3665-9b75e7f8.jpeg?width=300&height=492&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Area residents and visitors are invited to celebrate the Fourth of July at Pier Park with a fun, family-friendly event from 3-10 p.m. Tuesday, July 4. Families will enjoy a variety of patriotic activities, entertainment, giveaways of Pier Park merchandise and limited-edition Pier Park-branded Fourth of July T-shirts. Additionally, retailers will hand out 10,000 miniature U.S. flags throughout the day, and will join the celebration by adding summer sales and in-store events.
The evening will wrap up with a show-stopping fireworks display starting at 9 p.m. sharp. The "Star-Spangled Spectacular" fireworks show will feature dueling displays launched from the Russell-Fields City Pier, 16201 Front Beach Road, and the M.B. Miller County Pier, 12213 Front Beach Road. Download the Kickin' 103.5 FM app to listen to the sychronized simulcast of patriotic tunes by Powell Broadcasting. For more details, go to VisitPanamaCityBeach.com.
The event is free and open to the community.
Don’t forget your sunscreen and lawn chairs/blankets. Patrons are advised to carpool if possible in order to reduce traffic congestion, and plan to arrive early as onsite parking is limited. For the latest event updates, visit Simon.com or Pier Park’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages. Pier Park is located at 600 Pier Park Drive off Panama City Beach Parkway.
FREEDOM ROCKS!
The Independence Day celebration starts early at Grand Lagoon, where merchants will offer specials and sales all day Monday, July 3, ending with a fireworks display over the lagoon at 9 p.m. For more details, visit GrandLagoon.org.
Come early and dine at any Freedom Rocks participating waterfront restaurant, rock a spot with the glorious sunset painting the skies above the Grand Lagoon Bridge, or bring your chair/blanket to the green grassy lawn at Treasure Island Marina, 3605 Thomas Drive, to view the fireworks. Listen to choreographed music simulcast on the Kickin' 103.5 FM app, available at Kickin1035.com.
Boardwalk Beach Resort Hotel & Convention Center, 9600 S. Thomas Drive, will "Light up the Gulf" with a fireworks show over its beachfront at 8:30 p.m. Monday. The display is part of the resort's 11th annual Beach Bash, which will include live music, hermit crab races and more activities. For details or accommodations, call 800-224-4853.
Sheraton Bay Point Resort, 4114 Jan Cooley Drive, will host events throughout the weekend, July 1-4, including a performance from the Ukelele Orchestra, sandcastle competitions, a movie by the pool, an aerialist show to amaze kids of all ages and an extended fireworks show above the resort's beachfront on Sunday, July 2. For details or accommodations, call 850-236-6065.
Paradise Adventure will offer opportunities to see awesome fireworks shows from the water: 7–10 p.m. Monday, July 3, for the Freedom Rocks Grand Lagoon show, and 6:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 4 (if sea conditions allow) to view the Pier Park show from the Gulf of Mexico. For details, visit ParadiseAdventuresPCB.com.
Panama City Dive Center will offer a fireworks trip aboard one of its boats for Freedom Rocks. Call 850-235-3390 for details, or visit PanamaCityDiving.com.
Capt. Anderson’s Marina offers the opportunity to cruise the Grand Lagoon with the family for a 1.5-hour tour, or take a 2-hour tour overlooking St. Andrew Bay. Prices vary; call 850-234-3435 or visit CaptAndersonsMarina.com for details.
MORE COASTAL CELEBRATIONS
WALTON COUNTY — South Walton's 16 unique communities dotted along 26 miles of sugar-white beaches offer beach-going families a variety of opportunities to celebrate Independence Day this year, including local parades, picnics, parties and, of course, fireworks.
“Each community offers guests a different experience. Some focus on the arts, a few on the outdoors and others are all about relaxation," said Jay Tusa, executive director for Visit South Walton.
July 1: The 21st annual Rags to Riches Regatta kicks off at 11 a.m. in Grayton Beach. Sailors race catamarans from Grayton Beach to Seagrove Beach as families and friends gather on the beaches to watch. The regatta will begin and end on the beach behind the Red Bar.
July 3: Plan a relaxing evening listening to music at Marina Park in WaterColor at the Easy on 30A Concert featuring a mix of Nashville and local artists. The show starts at 5 p.m., and guests can take part in raffles, a silent auction and a craft market, with proceeds benefiting several local charities. For a truly patriotic performance, don’t miss the Seaside Stars & Stripes concert in the Seaside Amphitheater starting at 7:30 p.m.
July 4: Grab your bike or rent one and attend the Bike Decoration Contest & Breakfast at North Barrett Square in Rosemary Beach at 7:30 a.m. The bike decorating and breakfast party is free, and you can ride along the annual Bike Parade through the Town Center at 8:30 a.m. Then, enjoy an old-fashioned field day on Western Green with sack races, a balloon toss and more at 9 a.m. Later, at 6 p.m., the band “Like Totally” Hep Cats will play.
Those who’d rather decorate their cars can cruise over to Grayton Beach for the annual Old Fashioned Fourth of July Parade at 8:30 a.m. No registration is needed. Lineup begins at 8 a.m. at the Red Bar. Enjoy watermelon and lemonade at Grayton Coast Properties afterward.
The annual South Walton Fourth of July Parade begins at 8 a.m. down Scenic Highway 30A in Seagrove and will end in downtown Seaside. A portion of County 30A will be closed for a few hours during the parade.
For a funk-meets-Motown soul evening, visit Alys Beach for the Fourth of July concert featuring Bucktown Allstars starting at 6 p.m. There will be food and drinks, with fireworks following the concert. Beginning at 7 p.m., you can catch a performance that takes a journey through WWII-era music at the Victory Belles Concert in Seaside. Performances include “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Don’t sit under the Apple Tree,” and many more.
The Seaside Fireworks Spectacular starts at 8:30 p.m., and viewing should be ideal from the Seaside Amphitheater. Pull up a seat on the beach and enjoy a star spangled fireworks display at 8:45 p.m. at Rosemary Beach. And the Alys Beach Amphitheatre will host a fireworks show at 9 p.m.
For Fourth of July events in Panama City, Lynn Haven, and towns to the east, see pages E6-7 in Friday's Entertainer.