Things to Do
Bring a chair and a blanket. Most of the year, somebody is playing a free show in a park near you.
Panama City Beach Parks & Recreation puts on free Thursday-night concerts at the Aaron Bessant Park amphitheater, 500 West Park Drive, next to Pier Park. The 2026 series ran June 4 to August 6, 7 to 9pm. Lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, food and pets are welcome. Next year's lineup goes up on the city's Summer Concert Series page.
The Bay Arts Alliance runs Backstage Pass, six free Thursday concerts on the Marina Lawn at 7 Harrison Avenue, between Harrison's Kitchen & Bar and Hotel Indigo, right on St. Andrew Bay. Shows start at 7pm. The 2026 series runs September 17 to October 22:
The series grew out of the Concerts in the Park shows that started in 1986. Details: Destination Panama City.
McKenzie Park, downtown at Park Street and Oak Avenue, hosts one-off music events like Juneteenth and Bluegrass by the Bay rather than a weekly series. In St. Andrews, Play Music on the Porch Day fills porches and streets with local musicians one afternoon each summer. For dates, check the Downtown Improvement Board calendar.
Lynn Haven holds free Friday concerts from 6 to 8pm at Sharon Sheffield Park, 901 Ohio Avenue, with food trucks: a spring series (April 10 to May 1 in 2026) and a fall series. Lineups are posted in the city's news.
Bay County Parks & Recreation moves its free series around the county parks, with food trucks at every show. The 2026 run went from April 18 at Under the Oaks Park (5843 E. Highway 98) to September 19 at M.B. Miller County Pier. Next season's dates: Bay County calendar, or call 850-248-8730.
Seaside hosts Sounds of Seaside, free shows at the amphitheater in Central Square, with dates posted into the fall and winter. Seaside events. Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach also run summer concerts on their greens; check alysbeach.com and rosemarybeach.com for the current season.
Schedules from each city, Bay County, the Bay Arts Alliance and the town sites, checked Oct 13, 2026. Shows can move for weather, so check the link before you go.