Keep your calendar clear for Saturday, April 14th!  The 10th Annual Mask Parade and Gala for Convenant Hospice will be taking place at the Edgewater Beach Resort!  Expect performers, artwork, silent and live auctions, dinner, and dancing!

Currently they are accepting sponsorships. Remember, sponsorships include recognizing your support of the Hospice in promotional opportunities leading up to the gala.  This includes the Mask Preview Party and the Parade which both occur in the weeks prior to the gala.  The deadline to confirm sponsorship is March 23rd, 2012.  Email Mask.Parade@covenanthospice.org for more information.

Last year’s gala raised over $90,000 for the 900 patients of Covenant Hospice in Panama City and surrounding areas.  These funds enabled them to provide end-of-life palliative care based on need, not someone’s ability to pay.  They also provide services for indigent patients, services not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or priviate insurance.

Want to celebrate Mardi Gras without the crowds of New Orleans?  The Krewe of Massalina is making sure that you celebrate Mardi Gras right, right here in Panama City!  More than 50 vendors will be set up, as well as two stages of N’Orleans style music to fill the air.

Schedule of Events

• Friday, February 3rd, Block Party 6pm-10pm in McKenzie Park
• Saturday, February 4th, Mardi Gras Festival 12pm-10pm in McKenzie Park
• Saturday, February 4th, Mardi Gras Parade 3pm on Harrison Avenue

Giveaways

• The Toad Lick Festival will be giving away several tickets to the biggest music festival in Dothan, AL.
• Over $10,000 in “The Great Downtown Giveaway”
• Assorted gift certificates will also be thrown out during the Mardi Gras Parade

Will you join the Krewe of Massalina to celebrate this year’s Mardi Gras?

It’s time!  This Saturday night the concert you have all been waiting for takes the stage!  Stars and Guitars benefitting the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center will feature Andy Griggs, Daryle Singletary, Randy Houser, Josh Gracin, and Ashton Shepherd.

Andy Griggs

Andy is from Louisiana and records on RCA Nashville’s label.

Some of his best known hits are:

• You Won’t Ever Be Lonely
• She’s More
• This I Gotta See

Please visit Andy’s website for more information.

Daryle Singletary

Darlye Singletary is from Georgia and released his first album in 1995.  Click here to visit his website.

Songs you might recognize are:

• I Let Her Lie
• Too Much Fun
• I’d Love To Lay You Down

Randy Houser

Randy Houser is a singer and songwriter from Mississippi.  He has written songs for Trace Adkins, Justin Moore, and Jessie James.

A few songs he has recorded are:

• Boots On
• Whistlin’ Dixie
• Anything Goes

Josh Gracin

Made famous for his appearance on American Idol, Josh Gracin is originally from Michigan.  You can learn more about Josh online.

Some of Josh’s most popular songs are:

• Nothin’ To Lose
• Stay With Me/Brass Bed
• We Weren’t Crazy

Ashton Shepherd

Ashton Shepherd made her way from Alabama to RCA Nashville to release her first album in April 2007.

Some of her best known singles are:

• Look It Up
• Takin’ Off This Pain
• Where Country Grows

This is a concert you don’t want to miss!  Tickets are available online for $27.50 downstairs/$20 upstairs.  Enjoy the concert and making a difference for the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center!

January 21st, 2011 the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, a local non-profit, will be holding the 4th Annual Country Music Jamboree “Stars and Guitars.”  The event is the primary fundraiser for the organization, raising funds that provide services to children suffering from abuse and neglect in our community.  At 7pm country stars Andy Griggs, Daryle Singletary, Ashton Shephard, and Randy Houser will take the Marina Civic Center stage!  During intermission, there will be a live auction.

In the local community there were over 8,000 reports of child abuse and neglect last year.  Tragic and disturbing, these numbers show how much the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center needs our help, so that they are able to make an impact in our community.

Tickets are on sales for $27.50 for floor tickets, and $20 for balcony.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the GCCAC at 850-872-7760 or online at the GCCAC or Marina Civic Center.

Thank-you for helping the GCCAC help neglected and children in our area!

The Man in the Sea Museum, local secret, is scheduled to host a fundraiser to repair the Sealab I.

What is Sealab I?

First lowered in 1964 off the coast of Bermuda, Sealab I was an underwater laboratory for U.S. Navy divers.  It was submerged 192 feet with four divers and scheduled to stay for three weeks; however, due to an approaching tropical storm it was removed after 11 days.  The Sealab I allowed for proof that saturation diving in the open ocean was viable for extended periods and provided information about habitat placement, umbilicals, humidity, and helium speech descrambling. Sealab I was tested off the waters of Panama City Beach, FL.

How Will They Raise the Money?

Man in the Sea will hold an Oyster Bash at The Dive Lab on January 20th, 2012 from 3pm-7pm.  (The Dive Lab is located at 1415 Moylan Road, across from Panama Jack’s.)  Aiming to raise $250,000 for the restoration and a structure to contain and display Sealab I, the Oyster Bash will kick-off the fundraising program.  This is the first Oyster Bash, but if the event is a success, they are hoping to make it an annual one!

Tickets are for sale online and at the museum for $25, which will cover all-you-can-eat raw and steamed oysters, cheese grits, and hot dogs.  Beer will be available at an additional cost.  Table sponsorships are available for $500; includes ten tickets and ten beer mugs that can be refilled at no additional charge.

Will you help restore Sealab I?

Looking for a list of bars and clubs that are having a spectacular event for New Year’s Eve?  Here are a few options for your New Year’s party!

New Year’s Eve at Club LaVela

Panama City Beach’s Club LaVela will be partying hard to end 2011 and start 2012!  They are kicking off a new beginning for the nightclub and will be unveiling new renovations.  Over 10,000 free invites will be distributed throughout the city, which will allow you entry for a low price.

Breaker’s British and American New Year’s

Breaker’s is counting down to 2012 twice, once at 6pm when the clocks stike 12 in England and again at 12am when it’s 2012 in Panama City Beach!  There will be party favors and a champagne toast for the “British New Year’s.”  Breakers is also offering a Red, White, and Blue package including appetizers, entrees, dessert for two, and an open bar till midnight.  Make sure to make reservations for both events!

New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance Cruise

From 9:00pm- 12:30am, join the Lady Anderson Dining Yacht for a New Year in style.  There will be a live band, appetizers, favors, toast, and dinner buffet.  Reservations are required, but make sure to reserve early- you’ll get the best seats!

Spinnaker’s Party of the Century

Spinnaker is hosting the Party of the Century this New Year’s Eve.  Dinner will be served in the Paradise Grill from 7pm-9pm, followed by a dance party from 9pm-am.  The dance party will have live music, complimentary champagne, and party favors!  Dinner does require reservations, so please email info@spinnakerbeachclub.com.

Rock in the New Year On the Beach at Schooners

The last local beach club, Schooners, will be having a New Year’s Eve bash on the beach!  Dinner will start at 7pm, followed by the Chris LeBlanc Band, a champagne toast, and party favors!  You can view the menu and reservation information online.

NYE at the Sandpiper Beacon’s Tiki Bar

Celebrate with live music all night long!  Noisemakers, hors d’oeuvres, hats, and a midnight champagne toast promise to bring the fun in with the new year!  Visit the Sandpiper Beacon for more information.

New Year’s Eve Bash

C-Level Bar and Grill is bringing you 5 DJ’s to bring in 2012.  They will have a free champagne toast at midnight, but with advanced notice bottle service is available.  They are giving away CD’s, freebies, and a raffle for a $50 gift certificate to Skully’s Time Piece Tattoo’s.  There will be drink specials all night long.

If you are looking for more family-oriented fun, please see this article.  We hope you have a great ending to 2011 and an even better beginning to 2012!

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!”

While “Fun for the Holidays” looked like something that everyone was going to be excited about, the reality was not what anyone had pictured.  The amount of lights was wan in comparison to what was described prior to the events opening, although the forest of Christmas Trees was as plentiful and in tune with music as had been promised.  Many were expecting the pier to be lit up with lights showing the story of “Christmas Under the Sea,” and not a film projected onto the sand.  You wouldn’t know there was a video being projected onto the sand until you were on the pier, but once there you’d see the creative devices showing the film on either side.

However, many children seemed to have fun at the event.  Several comments had been heard about the “ice skating” rink which was setup, even being compared with ‘plastic covered in baby oil.’  No one seemed impressed with the attempt to create an ice skating environment by the beach. Shortly after Thanksgiving the entry price was lowered, most likely due to lack of community participation.

It seems that the event has still been found lacking in the eyes of the community.  The event has added extended dates- lasting till December 30th now and has extended the ‘ice skating’ hours, Thursday- Saturday from 10am-5pm and 6pm-10pm and Sunday from 12pm-4pm.  They have also added more light displays; a Snowmen Cove with 6-foot snowmen, Santas Galore in Action, a Nativity Scene, and more!  They will be rotating out vendors each night, as well as having carolers and a fire pit (with complimentary s’mores supplies).  From December 15th-17th and 22nd-23rd, Mike Jones will be selling and signing his book, Salvaged Santa.  He will also be accepting donations for the Salvage Toy Program.

New Additions for Children:

• Visit with Santa including a gift bag sponsored by Gulf World Marine Park
• Photograph with Santa and photo download
• Holiday face painting
• Caricature drawings
• Christmas sand art project (Children 18 and under)
• Flip, Flop and Snowflake coloring station
• Reindeer food recipe-making station
• One additional free item each night.  Always a surprise!

Will these changes and new additions be enough to salvage “Fun for the Holidays” or is it too little too late?

Many have already expressed excitement for the annual Seabreeze Jazz Fesitval coming April 18th-22nd, 2012.  The festival has offered a short-term sale on tickets!  Make sure to buy yours before December 15th, 2011 and you’ll save up to $100!

If you buy a weekend pass or a four-day pass, you will receive the second pass at half-price!  Order your tickets online before December 15th and make sure to enter the promotional code “Holiday 2011.”  They are sending tickets out via Priority Mail, ensuring arrival before Christmas!

Laketown Wharf is hosting a weekend of Christmas fun December 9th-11th.  Complete with live entertainment, children’s activities, photo’s with Santa, local vendors, food and beverage, silent auction, and holiday themed laser light show.  All proceeds from the events will go to the Anchorage Children’s Home and National Military Family Association.

December 9th, 2011

The event will last from 4:00pm-10:00pm.

4:00pm-6:00pm, Live music from Travis Dean featuring Half Past 10

4:00pm- 8:00pm, Children’s activities and photo’s with Santa

6:00pm- 7:00pm, Live Music from Kevin Jacobs

8:00pm, Christmas Light Show

December 10th, 1011

Laketown’s Christmas event will be held from 12:00pm-10:00pm.

12:00pm-8:00pm, Silent Auction

12:00pm-8:00pm, Children’s activities and photo’s with Santa

1:00pm, Santa will arrive in a fire truck

2:00pm-4:00pm, Live Music from Kevin Jacobs

4:00pm-7:00pm, Life Music from Travis Dean featuring Half Past 10

6:30pm, Tree Lighting

8:00pm, Christmas Light Show

Winners from the Silent Auction will be announced immediately following the light show.

December 11th, 2011

The final day of Christmas at Laketown will be held from 12:00pm-4:00pm.

12:00pm-8:00pm, Children’s activities and photo’s with Santa

12:00pm-1:00pm, Live Music from Kevin Jacobs

1:00pm-3:00pm, Life Music from Travis Dean featuring Half Past 10

8:00pm, Christmas Light Show

Have a great weekend a Laketown Wharf and celebrating the Christmas season!