On October 1^st, the Best of Thunder Beach Custom Bike Show will be held at Pier Park.  Registration will begin at 10:00am, judging is scheduled for 12:00pm, and the awards presentation will be at 5:00pm.  There is $15,000 in prize money and gift certificates available to winners.

Classes for judging are American Mild, American Wild, Metric Wild, Sportbike Mild, Sportbike Wild, Manufactured Custom, Radical, Bobber, Bagger Mild, Bagger Wild, Trike Mild, Trike Wild, Vintage Stock, Vintage Modified, and Rat.

Description of the different judging classes

• American: a cruiser using imperial sizes for nuts and bolts
• Metric: a cruiser using metric nuts and bolts rather than imperial sizes
• Sportbike: a motorcycle designed for optimal speed and handling characteristics, often with expensive bodywork
• Manufactured Custom: a motorcycle ordered straight from the manufacturer customized to wants and needs of the owners
• Radical: a motorcycle typically classified as a chopper, with high handlebars
• Bobber: a motorcycle with cut down fenders to appear shorter
• Bagger: a motorcycle equipped with saddlebags and other touring amenities
• Trike: a three-wheeled motorcycle that has not be dramatically customized
• Vintage: a motorcycle at least 20 years old
• Rat: a bike made from several machines and kept on the road using as cheap as possible and painted matt black

Motorcyclists and non-enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the bike show at Pier Park, looking at customization and fine engineering!  Drive safe!

The most biker-friendly free rally in the USA is coming to the beaches of Panama City this week: September 28^th - October 2^nd.  Complete with parties, beauty pageant’s, live music, entertainment, a memorial parade, and thousands of gorgeous motorcycles, this is sure to be a weekend to remember.  Here is a look at some of the events scheduled for this fall’s Thunder Beach!

Kick-Start Party at the Shores of Panama

Starting with the Kick-start Party at the Shores of Panama at 6pm on the 28^th, Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally will be in PCB.  The Kick-start party will feature live music from Geneva, and at 7pm the preliminary round of the Miss Thunderbeach 2011 Autumn Rally beauty contest will begin.  There will be a Kick-start After Party at 9pm at Pineapple Willy’s, including free snacks – while they last.  There will be live music from Jacobs, Brock and Brews.

Miss Thunder Beach 2011 Autumn Rally

Throughout the week, ladies 18 and up, will have the opportunity to compete for a $5,000 prize and the title of Miss Thunder Beach 2011 Autumn Rally.  The first preliminary will be held at the Kick-Start Part at 7:00pm on September 28^th at Shores of Panama.  The Second round will be held Thursday, September 29^th, at 7:00pm at HammerHead Fred’s.  The winner and runner’s-up will be announced at the end of the final round, Friday the 30^th at Hooters at 7:00pm.  There will also be a Ms. Thunder Beach competition, Saturday October 1^st at the Shoppes at Edgewater.

Poker Runs and The SGT Kevin Kight Memorial Bike Parade

There will be three poker runs: Thursday at Pineapple Willy’s, Friday at Rock’it Lanes, and Saturday at Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar.  Registration for each poker run will be at 12 pm on its respective day.  On Saturday October 1^st at 10:00am, the SGT Kevin Kight Memorial Bike Parade will begin at the Southwest corner of R. Jackson Blvd and Middle Beach Road.  The parade will benefit Cops for Kids, and any canned food donations will be given to local food banks.

The Best of Thunder Beach Custom Bike Show

Also on October 1^st, will be the Best of Thunder Beach Custom Bike Show held in Pier Park.  Registration will begin at 10:00am, judging is scheduled for 12:00pm, and the aware presentation will be at 5:00pm.  Classes for judging are American Mild, American Wild, Metric Wild, Sportbike Mild, Sportbike Wild, Manufactured Custom, Radical, Bobber, Bagger Mild, Bagger Wild, Trike Mild, Trike Wild, Vintage Stock, Vintage Modified, and Rat. There is $15,000 in prize money and gift certificates available to winners.

The Nick Lee World Burnout Tour and The Ives Brothers Stunt Show

The Nick Lee World Burnout Tour will be making a few appearances to the rally also; with appearances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 12:30pm and 3:30pm at Frank Brown Park.  The Ives Brothers Stunt Show will be at Frank Brown Park those three days at 12:00pm, 3:00pm, and 6:00pm to entertain the crowds as well.

Amongst other things, this morning’s TDC meeting included some spirited discussion on the viability of a Fall Motorcycle Rally.  The spring rally, according to organizers, gets better every year.  But the growth of the Fall rally has been stunted because of the date of the event.

Last year, Thunder Beach organizers were vying for the Columbus Day weekend to hold their fall event.  This is a weekend, that historically, included family-related events such as the Panama City Beach Seafood Wine and Music Festival.  The TDC did not support the date change, thus it didn’t happen.

This is the argument for Columbus Day Weekend

Here are the dates of the large Fall motorcycle rallys:

• The weekend of September 23rd is the Reno Street Vibrations rally.
• The weekend of September 30th is the Las Vegas BikeFest AND the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally.
• The weekend of October 8th is Columbus Day weekend with no large motorcycle rally events on the national calendar.
• The weekend of October 15th is Biketoberfest in Daytona

Joe Biggs, the Thunder Beach organizer argues that currently, where Thunder Beach falls in the schedule, it heavily competes with other events for vendors.  This is, in my opinion a very valid point as there is a clear gap, that if the Panama City Beach event could be moved back just one week, vendors could travel from Reno, to Las Vegas, to Panama City Beach, to Daytona.  They are coming down here anyway.

Biggs said that if the fall event can’t be moved, it’s still not going away, but if it could be moved to Columbus Day weekend, it could be as big, if not larger, than the spring rally.

The argument against Columbus Day weekend

“Columbus Day weekend has always been that last shot for families to come down to the beach, and we all know that families and bikers don’t mix,” said board member Gary Walsingham.

“We’ve all tried to get families down here in the fall and we’ve never been able to get it to work,” retorted past board chair Marty McDaniel and owner of Oaseas Resorts, “but we have an obligation to grow business in the fall and this is the best way to do it.”

Oaseas Resorts is the onsite property management company for Shores of Panama, a large venue sponsor for Thunder Beach.

Came for $100k, left with $40k

McDaniel made a motion to grant $100k to Thunder Beach to help promote the fall event, an amount never before given to an event as sponsorship dollars.  The motion was seconded by member Ken Nelson, but was voted no by everyone except McDaniel, Patronis, and Nelson.

Board member Andy Phillips followed that failing vote with a motion to grant Thunder Beach $40,000 to be used towards marketing.  This vote went through with all voting in agreement with the exception of Mayor Oberst.

My opinion, take it for what it’s worth

I have had a rocky history with Thunder Beach.  But, I’ve always recognized it for bringing people to our beach and generating tourist dollars during the shoulder season.  I’ve always recognized it as very successful, while still maintaining a constant level of annoyance with the traffic, noise and sometimes rude behavior.

With that said, I think a move to Columbus Day weekend would be great for the event AND the area.  Even with the Panama City Beach Seafood Wine and Music Festival, I still don’t think that weekend has ever been a large draw for out of town visitors.

I could be wrong.  Please prove me wrong if I am as I’m going off of personal experience and not a stack of reports.

But, if we have a chance to elevate this event to bring in more people, which I strongly feel that we do in this case, I say we do it.  Although Biggs has made no comment to this effect, if he was to move the fall event elsewhere, or the whole event elsewhere, businesses would definitely miss Thunder Beach.  Putting ourselves in a situation where we could lose a fantastic event that draws thousands (even if no one can agree to the real number) of out of towners is a mistake.

What are your thoughts?  I know historically, our readers have had a love/hate relationship with Thunder Beach.  What do you think, should it be moved?

Thunder Beach Productions, Inc. (TBP) held the 11^th annual Spring Thunder Beach Bike Rally. Riders from across the country traveled to Panama City Beach to take part in the most biker-friendly free rally in the U.S. The vendor sponsored event attracted cheerful, playful and bizarre characters from all walks of life.

Local businesses welcomed the high-spirited riders with open arms. Restaurants served the comrades on wheels with concerts, beauty pageants, and karaoke that was wildly entertaining. Frank Brown Park was the main site of the rally, where sponsors of the event catered to the cyclist’s every need. The roaring motorcycles covered local businesses throughout the 27 plus miles of premier beaches.

This was truly a rally to be remembered, and one that has shown consistent growth since its first rally was organized in spring of 2000. For all of us who can’t wait until next spring to participate in the rally again, TBP also holds a yearly autumn bike rally in September right here in Panama City Beach. For more information visit their website at http://thunderbeachproductions.com

The little universe of Pier Park offers everything from larger chain stores, to little Mom-n-Pops quirky shops.

If we factor in the  live music, diverse dining opportunities, optional drinks and some mighty fine people-watching spots, we’ve got ourselves a  bona fide, must-see destination situation.

Now that we’ve officially launched ourselves in to 2011, it’s time  to update our social calendars with Pier Parks upcoming events scheduled through out the year.

Quick Reference Of Events

February 12 & 13, Sat and Sun:

Panama City Beach’s Strawberry Festival, 10am-10pm

Aaron Bessant Park (In Pier Park)

March 4 & 5, Friday & Sat:

Mardi Gras Street Festival, 5pm (Fri)

Mardi Gras Street Festival, 10am-10pm (Sat)

Parade at 2pm, Children’s Parade at 10am (Sat)

March 26, Saturday:

A United by Blue Beach Clean-Up City Pier, 10am-1pm

April 10, Sunday:

Beach Bridal Show, 12pm-4pm (in the Promo Area)

April 13, Wednesday:

Seabreeze Jazz Festival & Dinner Cruise

April 14-17, Thurs-Sunday:

Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Details TBA (Thurs)

Seabreeze Jazz Festival (Fri, 5pm) Aaron Bessant Park

Seabreeze Jazz Festival (Sat, 9am) Aaron Bessant Park

Seabreeze Jazz Festival (Sun, 9am) Aaron Bessant Park

April 20-23, Weds-Sat:

Gulf Coast Horse Show and Music Festival (Frank Brown Park)

April 22 & 23, Fri & Sat:

Emerald Coast Corvette Club Car Show, 4pm (Fri & Sat)

Easter Egg Scramble, Sat at 12pm

April 27-30,  Weds-Sat:

Thunder Beach Spring Ralley

Thunder Beach Bike Show (Sat)

Big Band Parade, 5pm (Sat) Pier Park Drive

July 4, Monday:

Star Spangled Spectacular Celebration, 5pm-10pm

September 29-30 & Oct 1, Thurs-Sat:

Thunder Beach Fall Rally

October 15, Saturday:

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk (8am) Aaron Bessant Park

October 21 -22, Fri & Sat:

Mirror Maze Of  Terror, 7pm

October 28-29, Fri & Sat:

Mirror Maze Of Terror, 7pm

Boo At The Beach, 10am (Sat)

October 31, Monday:

Malloween Trick or Treating, 6pm-7pm

November 5, Sat:

Woodlawn Church Fall Family Festival, Aaron Bessant Park

November 25, Friday:

Santa Arrives! 9am

Tree Lighting, 6pm

At Tuesday’s TDC meeting, the big guns of Thunder Beach approached the board asking to move their Autumn Rally to Columbus Day Weekend.

Currently, the rally is held on the first weekend in October. Reason for wanting to change the date were stated as follows:

1. Ability to confirm more Vendors presence
2. More Vendors = more attendants
3. More Attendants = boost in Panama City Beach’s economy

While the TDC acknowledges the potential boost in revenue, the board did have multiple concerns over allowing the date change to take place:

1. The Seafood Festival currently holds the date for Columbus Day Weekend
2. The festival is scheduled to coincide with the Fall Break schedules of kids
3. Families may not want to visit while Thunder Beach is happening
4. The businesses that don’t prosper from Thunder Beach, would suffer from the loss of families opting not to come

Joe and Rich, both stated clear, concise reasons for wanting to move the Autumn Rally date, with the main point of interest being that with the date change, Thunder Beach would be able to solidify more vendors, which in turn brings more bikers, which of course, heightens revenue for merchants, lodging and as a whole- the majority of businesses in the Panama City Beach area. They cited that by changing the date to Columbus Day weekend, it frees up scheduling conflicts with vendors and events on a national scale.

Currently, the Autumn Rally is scheduled right after the popular West Coast event, Street Vibrations in Reno, NV and right before Daytona’s Biketoberfest. If you consider the national scheduling of these events, it puts the vendors in a position of having to choose which event they can commit to, and since the Autumn event falls smack in the middle of two major rallys, Vendors are opting to by-pass Thunder Beach. Leaving our Panama City Beach event with few vendors, and less appeal for the event’s two-wheeled enthusiast.

The idea behind moving the date to Columbus Day, is an interesting one. Thunder Beach is a solid event for the economy, participants have typically proven to be well-behaved, respectful and money spending. However, as Mayor Gayle Oberst thoughtfully pointed out, Panama City Beach is composed of both Businesses and Families.

The coveted Columbus Day Weekend currently plays host to the family friendly Seafood Festival. It’s a time when parents can capitalize on kid’s schools Fall Break time, and possibly squeeze in one last outing before buckling down for the coming winter.

That’s the type of welcoming environment the TDC is worried about losing, with the question being if they moved the Seafood Festival (to allow Thunder Beach use of Columbus Day Weekend) would the city be potentially setting themselves up to lose its family friendly fall tourism nitch? The two events are typically polar opposites of each other, with families choosing to vacation or visit PCB when it’s not packed with Bikers, essentially making it unlikely the two events could share the same weekend.

Overall, the TDC volleyed back and forth with Thunder Beach, both sides able to see the potential of hosting the rally during the long weekend, yet the TDC Board values the family friendly events the city host through out the Fall.

In the end, the Tourist Development Council didn’t support moving the date of the rally.  Concerns of families being deterred from coming during the “fall-break” week and the prospects of the Seafood Festival becoming a stable stake for the fall tourism season reinforced that decision. For now, the dates will stay the same.

What are your thoughts on this?

Photo of Pat Travers by Jeannie Cooper.

The Thunder Beach Autumn Motorcycle Rally is here, this weekend is the weekend to enjoy the weather, ride your bike, be safe and enjoy some awesome entertainment.

We’ve taken the time to get the entire weekend’s schedule published right here on PCBdaily.com.  There’s tons going on this weekend all up and down Panama City Beach.  Check after the break for the full breakdown.

September 30, Thursday

• 9 am – 6 pm – Bikini Bike Wash – Laketown Wharf
• 9 am – 9 pm – DJ Wizard – Bay Point Marriott
• 9 am – 9 pm – Old Skool Road Show – Bay Point Marriott
• 10 am – 6 pm – DJ Daric “The Hitman” Daniels – Frank Brown Park
• 10 am – 6 pm – DJ Bobby Lee – Edgewater Main Stage
• 10 am – 2 pm – Live Music w/ The Tony Vegas Group – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 12 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 12 pm – Poker Ru – Sign up at 12 pm; 1st bike out at 12:30 pm, Last bike out at 1p, Last bike in at final stop by 4:30pm
  • Prizes at 5pm
  • Sponsored by the Shriners
  • Registration / 1st card stop: Sharky’s
  • 2nd card stop: Hammerhead Fred’s
  • 3rd card stop: The Red Door Saloon
  • 4th card stop: Sandpiper Beacon
  • 5th card stop: Captain Anderson’s
• 12 pm – 4 pm – Live Music w/Terry Brock & Kevin Jacobs – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 12:30 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Frank Brown Park
• 1 pm – “Sizzle” Fashion Show – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 2 pm – 6 pm – Live Music w/ The Steve Wiggins Band – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 2 pm – 6 pm- Live Music w/ The Slammers – Bay Point Marriott
• 3 pm – Show Me Your “Tats” Tattoo Contest (Male & Female) – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 3 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 3:30 – pm Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Frank Brown Park
• 4 pm – Live Music w/ 325 Express – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 4 pm – 7 pm – Shriner’s Ride-in Custom Bike Show – Bay Point Marriott
  • Sponsored by the Shaddai Temple
  • 10 classes & Peoples Choice Prize of $500
  • Registration: 4 pm to 6 pm
  • Celebrity Judging: 6 pm
  • Trophy Presentation: 6:45 pm
• 5 pm – In It To Win It / Random Skill Contest – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 6 pm – 10 pm – Live Music w/ New Fangled Theory – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 7 pm – 9 pm – Official Thunder Beach VIP Party – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 7 pm – Live Music w/ Ketch 22 – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 7 p -  Miss Thunder Beach 2nd Preliminary – Sharky’s
• 7 pm – 9 pm – “The Sauce Boss” Bill Wharton and His Gumbo Show – Bay Point Marriott
  • He cooks a huge pot of his famous gumbo while his band plays killer blues
• 8 pm – 9 pm – Live Music w/Boyd Magnum – Spinnaker Beach Club & Paradise Grill
• 8 pm – 9 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
• 8 pm – till – Live Music w/ Unzung Heroes – Ms. Newby’s
• 8 pm – 11 pm – Live Music w/ Holdcell – Rock’ It Lanes
• 9 pm – 11 pm – Live Music w/Geneva – Sharky’s
• 9 pm – 11 pm – Live Music w/ Blackberry Smoke – Spinnaker Beach Club & Paradise Grill
• 9 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/ Joshua Adams & The 8 Balls – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
• 9 pm – 11 pm – Live Music w/ Rick Derringer (Free for Bikers) – Club LaVela
• 11 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/ Boyd Magnum – Spinnaker Beach Club & Paradise Grill
• Midnight – till – Live Music w/ 325 Express – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort

October 1, Friday

• 9 am – 6 pm – Bikini Bike Wash – Laketown Wharf
• 9 am – 9 pm – DJ Wizard – Bay Point Marriott
• 9 am – 9 pm – Old Skool Road Show – Bay Point Marriott
• 9 am – 6 pm – DJ Bobby Lee – Edgewater Main Stage
• 10 am – 6 pm – DJ Daric “The Hitman” Daniels – Frank Brown Park
• 10 am – 2 pm – Live Music w/ New Fangled Theory – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 12 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 12 pm – Poker Run – Sign up at 12 pm; 1st bike out at 12:30 pm, Last bike out at 1 pm, Last bike in at final stop by 4:30 pm
  • Prizes at 5pm
  • Sponsored by the Defenders MC
  • Registration / 1st card stop: Pineapple Willy’s
  • 2nd card stop: Hooter’s
  • 3rd card stop: Spinnaker Beach Club
  • 4th card stop: Coyote Ugly
  • 5th card stop: Bay Point Marriott
• 12 pm – 4 pm – Live Music w/ Terry Brock & Kevin Jacobs – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 12 pm – 4 pm – Live Music w/ The Steve Wiggins Band – Bay Point Marriott
• 12:30 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Frank Brown Park
• 1 pm – “Sizzle” Fashion Show – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 1 pm – 5 pm – Live Music w/ The Slammers – Rock’ It Lanes
• 2 pm – 6 pm – Live Music w/ Holdcell – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 3 pm – Show Me Your “Tats” Tattoo Contest (Male & Female) – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 3 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 3 pm – Old School Bike Show – Ms. Newby’s
• 3:30 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Frank Brown Park
• 4 pm – Live Music w/ Ketch 22 – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 4 pm – 8 pm – Live Music w/ Clay Musgrave – Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar
• 4 pm – 8 pm – Live Music w/ Jessie Jones – Barefoot Beach Club
• 5 pm In It To Win It / Random Skill Contest – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 5 pm – 8 pm Live Music w/Ben Olson – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
  • Nashville Recording Artist
• 5 pm – 7 pm – Live Music w/ King Cotton – Bay Point Marriott
• 6 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 7 pm – 9 pm – Live Music w/ Edgar Winter (Free for Bikers) – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 7 pm – 8 pm – Miss Thunder Beach Pageant Finale – Bay Point Marriott
• 7 pm – 11 pm – Live Music w/ ELI – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 8 pm – Live Music w/ Ben Olson – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
  • Nashville Recording Artist
• 8 pm – 9 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
• 8 pm – 11pm – Live Music w/ The Hendrix Experience – Rock’ It Lanes
  • Jimi Hendrix Tribute
• 8 pm – 9:30 pm – Live Music w/ King Cotton – Bay Point Marriott
• 8 pm – till – Live Music w/ Chris Hicks – Ms. Newby’s
• 9 pm – Live Music w/ Alter Eagles – Club LaVela
  • Eagles Tribute
• 9 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/ Joshua Adams &The 8 Balls – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
• 10 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/ Geneva – Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar
• 10 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/ Triggerproof – Spinnaker Beach Club & Paradise Grill
• Midnight – till – Live Music w/ Ketch 22 – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort

October 2, Saturday

• 9 am – 6 pm – Bikini Bike Wash – Laketown Wharf
• 9 am – 9 pm – DJ Wizard – Bay Point Marriott
• 9 am – 9 pm – Old Skool Road Show – Bay Point Marriott
• 9:30 am – 5 pm – US Rider News Best of Thunder Beach Custom Bike Show – Pier Park
  • Registration: 9am – 12pm
  • Benefits Local Shriner Charities
  • 16 Classes – Professional Judged
  • $10,000 in cash and prizes
  • Contestants Meeting w/Judges: 12:15pm
  • Judging begins: 12:30 pm
  • Awards presented: 4pm
• 10 am – Sgt. Kevin Kight Memorial Bike Parade
  • Sponsored by the Panama City Beach Police
  • Line-up starts at 10 am – SW corner of R. Jackson Blvd. and Middle Beach Rd (across from old Publix parking lot)
  • KSU at 11 am
• 10 am – 6 pm – DJ Daric “The Hitman” Daniels – Frank Brown Park
• 10 am – 6 pm – DJ Bobby Lee – Edgewater Main Stage
• 10 am – 2 pm – Live Music w/ Bittersweet – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 12 pm – 4 pm – Live Music w/ Terry Brock & Kevin Jacobs – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 12 pm – 4 pm – Live Music w/ Holdcell – Bay Point Marriott
• 12 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 12 pm – Poker Run
  • Sign up at 12 pm; 1st bike out at 12:30 pm, Last bike out at 1 pm, Last bike in at final stop by 4:30 pm
  • Prizes at 5 pm
  • Sponsored by the Red Knights & Fire and Iron
  • Registration/1st card stop: Rock ‘it Lanes
  • 2nd card stop: Newby’s Too
  • 3rd card stop: Buffalo Wild Wings
  • 4th card stop: Dirty Dicks Crab House
  • 5th card stop: Uncle Ernies Restaurant
• 12:30 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Frank Brown Park
• 1 pm – “Sizzle” Fashion Show – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 2 pm – Miss LaVela Bikini & Wet T-shirt Contest – Club LaVela Pool Deck
• 2 pm – Ms. Thunder Beach Contest – Rock’ It Lanes
• 2 pm – 6 pm – Live Music w/ King Cotton – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 3 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 3 pm – Show Me Your “Tats” Tattoo Contest (Male & Female) – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 3:30 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Frank Brown Park
• 4 pm to 8 pm – Live Music w/ Dr. Steelgood – Barefoot Beach Club
• 4 pm – 8 pm – Live Music w/Clay Musgrave – Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar
• 4 pm – Live Music w/ Ketch 22 – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 5 pm – In It To Win It / Random Skill Contest – Bay Point Marriott Convention Center
• 5 pm – 9 pm – Live Music w/ New Fangled Theory – Bay Point Marriott
• 5 pm – 8 pm – Live Music w/Ben Orson – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
  • Nashville Recording Artist
• 6 pm – Cody & Kyle Ives Stunt Show – Frank Brown Park
• 7 pm – 9 pm – Live Music w/ Molly Hatchet (Free for Bikers) – Shoppes at Edgewater
• 7 pm – Live Music w/ ELI – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort
• 8 pm – till – Live Music w/ Chris Hicks – Ms. Newby’s
• 8 pm – 11 pm – Live Music w/ Crossroads – Rock’ It Lanes
  • Eric Clapton Tribute
• 8 pm – 9 pm – Nick Lee World Burnout Tour Show – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
• 9 pm – Live Music w/Southern Rock Allstars – Club LaVela
  • FREE for Bikers till 9
• 9 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/The Joshua Adams & The 8 Balls – Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant & Pier Bar
• 10 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/ Geneva – Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar
• 10 pm – 2 am – Live Music w/Triggerproof – Spinnaker Beach Club & Paradise Grill
• Midnight – till – Live Music w/ Ketch 22 – Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort

This fall’s Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally takes place in just a couple more weeks – starting Thursday, September 30^th and wrapping up on Sunday, October 2^nd. As was the case with this year’s spring rally, the Bay Point Marriott Golf Resort & Spa will once again play host to this autumn’s rally, a move that will undoubtedly continue to surprise some. However, if you are a concerned Bay Point resident or local and you didn’t get a chance to see the layout for yourself back in May, here’s a couple of things to bear in mind. The venue is contained entirely within the grounds and convention rooms of the Marriott itself and does not take place anywhere else in Bay Point. Bikes enter and exit the venue at the Marriott entrance only and so there is no motorcycle traffic throughout the residential area. And being a newer venue and a few miles off the beach, there is no overcrowding or excessive noise. In fact in my humble opinion, the event was well organized and actually seems like a really great spot for bikers to get away from the crowds and enjoy a wide variety of vendors, custom bike shows, live music and entertainment.

When I talked about this issue back before the last rally in May my article was met with a great deal of negative feedback, mainly because I think it was hard for people to put “Thunder Beach” and “Bay Point” together, and the pairing was the last thing anyone expected. But after seeing the venue for myself and talking to some of the bikers, I believe that this could be a really good fit, and I’m hoping that this fall, the Bay Point Marriott Resort venue is just as successful and everyone has a great time.

Other Thunder Beach 2010 Fall Rally venues are: Sharkey’s, Pineapple Willy’s, Club La Vela, Shoppes at Edgewater, Laketown Wharf and Frank Brown Park.

***Hot off the Press – While the brand new Harley Davidson store won’t be open in time for this year’s rally – Harley Davidson told us it is expected to open early 2011.***

For more details, go to the official Thunder Beach Website.

I know that a lot of people, myself included, were pretty shocked when we first heard that Bay Point was going to be one of the venues for this year’s Thunder Beach spring rally. The two just didn’t seem go together, and there were many understandable concerns from Bay Point and Panama City Beach residents about the potential noise and disruptions from the large number of motorcycles.

I decided to go check out the new venue for myself and believe it or not, I was actually really impressed with what I saw. The venue is located only at the Marriott Bay Point Golf Resort and Spa – so bikes are unable to enter the actual Bay Point community without either going through the guard gate or knowing the code to the newer barrier at the Reflections resort. Everything to do with Thunder Beach is contained within the front parking area for the hotel and inside the convention rooms. Inside, three or four large areas offer a huge variety of clothing and merchandise, and outside is set-up much the same, reminding me of a marketplace with just lots of really cool stuff available for purchase. There’s a tent where you can listen to live music, and the usual concession items including drinks, food and snacks.

Being a new venue and not being directly on the beach, Thunder Beach at the Marriott is not overrun with bikes, so the vroom vrooms are kept to a minimum and there’s plenty of space to walk around and enjoy the bikes. If you weren’t familiar with Thunder Beach then this would just seem like any other regular event, and certainly not the wild, noisy spectacle many envisioned. Whether the Marriott Bay Point will continue to play host to Thunder Beach remains to be seen, but if the remainder of this year’s spring rally at Bay Point is without complaint or issue then it might actually end up being a pretty good fit after all.

Believe it or not, when Thunder Beach rolls back into Panama City Beach April 29th, the bikes will be heading in a brand new direction – up to the Bay Point Marriott Golf Resort & Spa. The new venue comes as a surprise to some as Bay Point is, by definition, a quiet, elegant community best known for its exclusivity and seclusion. Other Thunder Beach venue locations are consistent with previous years and include Frank Brown Park, the Shoppes at Edgewater, Club La Vela, Sharky’s Restaurant & Tiki Bar, and Pineapple Willy’s, but Bay Point will indeed this year replace the Boardwalk Resort as the sixth venue.

So why Bay Point? Thunderbeachproductions.com says on their website “Given the extensive road construction going on for the next 1 1/2 years directly in front of the Boardwalk Beach Resort, and with no way of knowing the condition of the road during the Spring Rally, Thunder Beach Productions informed Boardwalk’s management that we would not place vendors there, for at least the next four events.  Even though the Boardwalk’s management understood our liability concerns regarding riders’ safety and access to vendors, they chose to place vendors there without the consent/approval of, or even notification to, Thunder Beach.  Because of the Boardwalk’s complete disregard for these concerns, Thunder Beach Productions will not advertise or support in any way the Boardwalk Beach Resort and any activities held there.  Thunder Beach has chosen, instead, to move our venue to the Bay Point Marriott Resort.”

So how is this news being received? After speaking to several Bay Point business owners, the general feeling from that perspective was definitely not a positive one. But perhaps you are a biker or Thunder Beach fan excited to experience the new venue? Or maybe a Bay Point resident with an opinion you would like to share? One thing is for certain though, Thunder Beach is almost here once again – the event starts on Thursday, April 29th and ends on Sunday, May 2nd. Check out www.thunderbeachproductions.com for more details and a Bay Point Thunder Beach schedule of events.