One of Panama City’s most familiar streets is getting statewide recognition, and now Bay County residents have an opportunity to help bring home the title. 

Harrison Avenue in Historic Downtown Panama City has been selected as one of four finalists for the 2026 Great Places in Florida People’s Choice Award, presented by the American Planning Association Florida Chapter, better known as APA Florida.

This year’s theme is “Great People-Focused Places,” recognizing Florida spaces that create connections between people and their communities, preserve local identity and culture, and provide places where people genuinely want to gather and belong.

For anyone who has spent time in Downtown Panama City, it is easy to understand why Harrison Avenue made the list.

Twenty-five years after the September 11 terrorist attacks changed the nation forever, the City of Panama City will bring the community together for a solemn morning of remembrance.

The 25th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ceremony will be held Friday, September 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at the Panama City Marina. The public is invited to attend and join local leaders, military personnel, first responders and community members in honoring the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

The ceremony is being presented by the City of Panama City in partnership with Bay County, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and Tyndall Air Force Base. Organizers say the observance will also recognize the countless families, first responders, service members and communities whose lives were forever affected by the attacks and their aftermath.

A Quarter-Century of Remembrance

September 11, 2026 marks exactly 25 years since the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Virginia and United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania.

Veterans experiencing homelessness or facing the possibility of losing stable housing will have an opportunity to connect with important resources during the 19th Annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down in Panama City.

The event will be held Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Central Panhandle Fair in Bay County, located at 2230 E. 15th Street in Panama City. The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs lists the event as a partnership involving the VA and the Bay County Veterans Council.

A Helping Hand for Veterans in Need

A Veterans Stand Down is designed to bring multiple services together in one convenient location so veterans do not have to navigate a complicated network of agencies on their own. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Stand Down events across the country commonly provide food, clothing, health screenings, benefits assistance and referrals for housing, employment, mental health care and other services. 

There are plenty of places around Bay County to grab seafood, but few put you quite as close to the heart of Downtown Panama City’s waterfront as Harrison's Kitchen & Bar. Located at 5 Harrison Avenue, beside the Panama City Marina, Harrison’s combines Southern coastal cooking with sweeping views across St. Andrews Bay. 

The restaurant describes its style simply as “casual Southern coastal cuisine,” and that is a pretty good summary of what diners can expect: familiar Southern flavors mixed with seafood influences that feel right at home along Florida’s Gulf Coast. 

A Waterfront Setting Made for Panama City

Part of Harrison’s appeal begins before the food reaches the table. Large windows bring the bay into the dining room, while covered and open-air patio seating gives guests the opportunity to enjoy the breeze and waterfront scenery outside.

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

Historic St. Andrews will be sounding a little more tropical on Saturday, September 19, when the Little Village Conch Shell Festival 2026 returns to Panama City for its fifth year.

The all-day celebration runs from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Little Village, 2808 W. 12th Street in Panama City, bringing together live local music, food, children’s activities and, of course, plenty of conch shell blowing. The festival is held in honor of Cap’n Scuba and celebrates the fun, laid-back coastal community that has long defined Little Village and St. Andrews. 

The Cap’n Scuba Memorial Conch Shell Blowing Contest

The centerpiece of the festival is the Cap’n Scuba Memorial Conch Shell Blowing Contest, scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

The contest is open to all ages, giving festivalgoers the chance to put their conch-blowing skills to the test for prizes and bragging rights. For anyone who has never tried blowing a conch shell before, organizers are also planning on-the-spot conch shell blowing lessons during the event.

Tucked inside Little Village in Historic St. Andrews, FINNS Island Style Grub is the kind of place that feels unmistakably Panama City: casual, colorful, outdoorsy and centered around fresh Gulf Coast flavor.

FINNS has built its reputation around a simple philosophy, keep it small, fresh and simple. The restaurant says it uses no fryers and no microwaves, relying instead on a grill and oven while sticking to its longtime motto, “Keeping It Fresh.”

For Panhandle Fork foodies looking for a relaxed meal with plenty of local character, the St. Andrews location offers more than just something to eat. You can grab tacos or a burrito, settle into the open-air surroundings at Little Village, browse locally made and fair-trade merchandise, listen to live music and enjoy the waterfront atmosphere all in one stop.

From a Panama City Beach Taco Stand to St. Andrews