Panama City Beach loves the monthly winter residents that call PCB home during the cold seasons. Affectionately known as snowbirds, they flock from colder northern states to spend a few months in the warm Florida sunshine.
Panama City Beach attracts snowbirds for our beautiful beaches above all else. We’re not the warmest destination in terms of temperature, but we are affordable and surrounded by natural beauty and southern hospitality.
Resorts and hotels like the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort offer attractive monthly rates that are a small fraction of the typical average daily rate during the Summer. While the majority of snowbirds used to be from Canada, recent years have brought more guests from the midwest.
Panama City Beach has a few fun and entertaining events to make our snowbirds feel welcomed and appreciated. After all, they help support the local economy during a time of the year many are not planning beach vacations.
So here are some key dates to mark your calendars with.
Snowbird Appreciation Days
The tourism board of Visit Panama City Beach hosts appreciation days in the Lyndell Building at the Panama City Beach Senior Center. It’s centrally located, making it a sensible location.
These days are a great way to reunite guests who may have met each other during previous vacations. They also offer an ideal way to socialize and make new friends. The snowbird community may stay in touch with each other throughout the year via email, or social media. But there’s something very special about catching up again in person and making new memories.
These appreciation days are also the best time/place to buy tickets for the bigger planned events. These include the Homecoming, Senior Prom and Grand Finale dances/socials. If you’ve been to any of these in the past, you’ll know that local businesses line up to get their product / service in front of you. They all compete to offer the lowest rates and biggest discounts, making it well worth the visit alone.
If none of that sounds appealing, you can always enjoy the free coffee and doughnuts.
Snowbird Homecoming Dance
The Panama City Beach snowbird homecoming dance is a must-try event. Whether it’s your first or 21st, these are one of the highlights of the winter resident calendar. The homecoming location and theme may change from year to year, but the fun and good times remain the same.
Panama City Beach Mardi Gras & Music Festival
If your dates extend into early February, then you won’t want to miss this lively celebration. While we may not have a Bourbon street, we do have emerald green waters and sugar white sand. This usually happens at the same time as the mardi grad beach parade, so it can get a little crowded and busy. It’s lively, can get loud and there will be lots of beads!
Senior Prom for Panama City Beach Snowbirds
The snowbird senior prom is probably one of the biggest events on the winter resident calendar. It’s a tradition that’s been taking place for years now, and growing steadily year by year as guests bring new friends. Each year a new prom king and queen are announced, and there’s always a fun theme to make things even more exciting.
The date and venue can change each year.
Snowbird Grand Finale
This is easily the most bittersweet event of the season. It’s always fun, and a great social event, but it’s typically marking the end of a great winter break at the beach. The grand finale is a time to wrap up the vacation with a bang, and exchange contact information with all the new friends you’ve made.
