PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – For many, Panama City Beach is a paradise destination. But what draws even more visitors to the area is the wide range of sports and special events hosted throughout the year.

Visit Panama City Beach recently held its 17th annual Sports and Special Events Workshop at the Embassy Suites, with an impressive turnout. What began 17 years ago with only 7 or 8 attendees has grown to include 32 vendors and more than 100 participants this year.

The event brought together sports directors, special event coordinators, and local business owners to discuss and plan events for the coming year. So far, over 150 events are scheduled for 2025, including the Scottish Festival, UnWined, and the Seabreeze Jazz Festival.

One of the biggest contributors to this success is the Publix Sports Park, which has opened new opportunities for hosting major events.

“We are five years into the Publix Sports Park, and now we host about 60 to 70 events there,” said Chris O’Brien, Visit Panama City Beach’s Director of Sports Tourism. “Before that, we didn’t have that venue, so it’s allowed us to tap into a market we couldn’t reach before. All of the events we host are reaching capacity, which is great for local businesses and those time periods as well.”

The events have generated a significant economic impact, with over $150 million represented under the roof of the Embassy Suites Conference Room during the workshop.

For a full list of events in Panama City Beach, visit www.VisitPanamaCityBeach.com/events.

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