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
Time: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Location: Marina Lawn, 7 Harrison Avenue, Downtown Panama City

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 – Rock Mob
Genre: '80s Rock / Classic Rock Tribute
Rock Mob kicks off the season with a high-energy show built around recognizable rock favorites and arena-rock classics. The group describes itself as a premier '80s tribute band and is known for songs associated with artists including Van Halen and other rock favorites.

September 24 – Flow Tribe
Genre: New Orleans Funk, Soul, R&B, Blues & Rock
New Orleans-based Flow Tribe blends funk, soul, blues, rock and R&B into a lively Crescent City sound designed to get the crowd moving. The band has been performing together since 2004 and describes its music as a melting pot of New Orleans influences.

October 1 – Gage Cowart Band
Genre: Country / Red Dirt / Southern Rock
Alabama native Gage Cowart brings a mix of traditional country storytelling, Southern rock energy and Red Dirt influences. Cowart has become a busy touring artist throughout the Southeast, performing more than 150 shows annually.

October 8 – J and the Causeways
Genre: Modern Soul / Funk / R&B
J and the Causeways deliver a groove-heavy mix of modern soul, funk and R&B. Panama City Beach’s Parks & Recreation Department also featured the band in its 2026 Summer Concert Series under those genres.

October 15 – Goodbye to Sunshine
Genre: Bluegrass
The sound shifts toward strings and roots music when Goodbye to Sunshine takes the stage. The group is billed as a bluegrass act, bringing a distinctly different flavor to the six-week series.

October 22 – Cat Ridgeway and the Tourists
Genre: Indie Rock / Punk / Folk / Dream Pop
The series closes with Orlando singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cat Ridgeway and her touring band, The Tourists. Ridgeway’s music combines energetic indie rock and punk with touches of folk and dream pop, creating an eclectic finale for the season.

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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