Backstage Pass Brings Six Weeks of Free Fall Concerts to Downtown Panama City |
Six Thursday nights of live music return to the Marina Lawn, bringing rock, funk, country, bluegrass, soul and more to the shores of St. Andrews Bay. |
When fall arrives in Panama City, Thursday nights mean live music by the bay. Backstage Pass, one of Panama City’s longest-running concert traditions, returns in 2026 with six consecutive weeks of free outdoor concerts at the Marina Lawn in Downtown Panama City.
Presented by the Bay Arts Alliance, the 2026 series begins Thursday, September 17 and runs every Thursday through October 22. Concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. and continue until approximately 9:00 p.m. Admission is completely free.
When and Where
Dates: Thursdays, September 17–October 22, 2026 Admission: FREE
The Marina Lawn sits between Harrison’s Kitchen & Bar and Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina, providing a waterfront setting overlooking St. Andrews Bay. Guests are encouraged to bring folding chairs or picnic blankets and settle in for an evening outdoors. Downtown restaurants, cafés and bars are also within easy walking distance, making the concert series an easy addition to dinner or an evening downtown.
2026 Backstage Pass Concert Lineup
This year’s schedule offers a broad mix of musical styles:
September 17 – The Rock Mob
September 24 – Flow Tribe
October 1 – Gage Cowart Band Release Date: “LEAVING YOU BEHIND” October 2, 2026 See: Leaving You Behind Article
October 8 – J and the Causeways
October 15 – Goodbye to Sunshine
October 22 – Cat Ridgeway and the Tourists
A Panama City Music Tradition Dating Back 40 Years
Backstage Pass has deep roots in Panama City. The series grew from Concerts in the Park, which began in 1986 through Florida First Federal and late community leader Roger Schadd. Those free summertime concerts continued through 2008.
In 2009, the program became Backstage Pass at the Marina Civic Center, where audiences could actually sit on the stage alongside the musicians. After the Civic Center was damaged by Hurricane Michael, the concert series found a new home outdoors on the Marina Lawn.
Today, Backstage Pass continues that tradition with six weeks of free music and one of Downtown Panama City’s best waterfront settings.
Bring a chair, gather some friends, grab dinner downtown and enjoy another fall of live music along St. Andrews Bay.
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50 Comments
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Who books these acts? Props for mixing up the genres.
Never heard Cat Ridgeway live, looking forward to discovering something new.
Best part is it’s free. Music’s for everybody!
Six straight Thursdays out? My fall calendar is set.
Shout out to volunteers who make these run, you’re the best.
I hope the sound system is better this year, it was hard to hear last fall from the back.
My wife and I make it a date night every year. Harrison’s for dinner then the show.
We bring a big quilt and snacks. Kids love to run around while the music plays.
Indie rock to bluegrass, that’s quite the lineup. Something for everyone.
Always bring bug spray for the lawn, learned that lesson last year.
Glad to see the tradition going after all these years, even after the hurricane.
Hope the sound is good this year, sometimes outdoors is tricky!
Love mixing dinner with music, lots of options downtown.
Could’ve used a reggae show in the lineup, but bluegrass night will be neat.
Kinda bummed there's no reggae band this year, but the line up still looks good.
Dream pop AND punk on the same night? That'll be interesting.
Got my lawn chair ready already!
Last time there was hardly any parking left by 7… get there early folks!
6 weeks of free concerts is a huge win for locals. Makes me glad to live here.
J and the Causeways always get people on their feet. Looking forward to October 8!
Is parking tough on these nights? Haven’t been in a couple years.
Pro tip: get dinner at Harrison’s before the show then you can just stroll out to the music.
Glad it's on Thursdays, makes it easier to get downtown before the weekend crowd.
Thanks Bay Arts Alliance for keeping this going for the community!
Hope they have food trucks again this year, makes it easier with the kids.
Thanks Bay Arts Alliance for keeping this tradition free for everyone. So important.
Never heard of Goodbye to Sunshine before but bluegrass will be a nice change.
I wish they'd throw in a jazz night again like they did back in 2018.
J and the Causeways are gonna bring the groove this year. The lineup looks solid.
Can you bring your own drinks or does security mind?
Wish it started earlier for kids, 7pm can be a late night for families.
Really excited to hear Cat Ridgeway again! She was great last time.
Wild to think they've been doing this since the 80s. My parents used to take me as a kid.
Anyone know if dogs are allowed on the lawn during concerts?
Will Flow Tribe play their brass section? Saw them once and it was wild.
I remember when this was at the old Civic Center. Marina Lawn's even better honestly.
It's nice that you can grab some food nearby, then just walk over for the show.
Just hoping for good weather this time. Last year we got rained out twice!
Bluegrass night sounds fun. Guess I'm bringing the banjo crowd!
So glad they kept it free all these years.
I always love these concerts on the lawn. Can't wait to see Rock Mob!
Downtown finally having something every Thursday makes it feel alive.
I miss sitting up on stage like at the old civic center, but this is a pretty spot too.
Bringing my kids to the Gage Cowart show. He’s really good live.
Wish they would bring in a jazz night again one year. Still looks fun though.
Never miss a Backstage Pass show, we walk down from Hotel Indigo.
Bluegrass on October 15 sounds like a good change. Love that variety.
Flow Tribe is on the lineup? That’s awesome. Funk night!
Glad these are back, the Marina Lawn setting is so nice by sunset.
Can’t wait to see Rock Mob again, they always bring the energy!