Destination Panama City is pleased to announce “Downtown After Dark,” an outdoor, family-friendly event featuring popular country artist Drake White, on Friday, May 27 at the Destination Panama City Visitor’s Center on the #LovePC lawn. Local favorite Will Thompson will be the opening act. $10 General Admission tickets are available on the ticket portal. Tickets are limited and required for entry; so be sure to get them as soon as possible.

Tickets are available here.

All concert attendees must bring their own chair. No outside food or drink is allowed inside concert area. Non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. We encourage you to make dinner plans before or after the event at any of our fine local Panama City restaurants.

Proceeds from concert ticket sales will benefit a current ecological project that will bring either a deployment of artificial snorkeling reefs or a living shoreline installation, which will be located in St. Andrew Bay just off the shoreline behind the new Destination Panama City welcome center. The reefs will be accessible for locals and visitors alike to enjoy – no special equipment required. The project is expected to be completed by Summer 2023.

To listen to Drake White ’s music is to fully experience the soul and rhythm of his upbringing in the Appalachian foothills of Northeastern Alabama. The undeniable sound of his soulful voice has whipped concert audiences across the country into a frenzy as Drake and his band, The Big Fire, raise the roof and summon spirits to life onstage. It’s equal parts Baptist tent revival and amped-up southern rock festival. As you watch Drake crank the energy level up higher and higher throughout the night, you feel as if you’d walked in on a live gospel album backed up by all-stars from The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Of course those acts hit musical pay dirt recording in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in the late ‘60s and ‘70s, a little over two hours west of Drake’s tiny hometown of Hokes Bluff.

At 18 years old, Will Thompson sold everything he owned and took out a loan to buy recording equipment to fully realize the music he had been writing on his guitar. Locking himself away for months at a time he honed his skills as a producer, songwriter, singer. By the time Will got everything he wanted in the form of a record contract from his all time musical idol, he walked away from it all feeling like he wasn’t making the music he wanted to. After being haunted by the love he tried to leave behind, he knew it was time to return to his lifelong family calling in writing and recording songs. Will Thompson is recording/producing/writing and currently working on a new music, a mix of rock-country-funk sound that showcases stadium-ready songwriting and soulful production at every turn.

Schedule of Events:

Gates Open at 4:00 PM

Will Thompon Band at 5:00-6:30 PM

Drake White at 7:00 PM

FAQ’S

What to Know:

• Location – Destination Panama City Visitors Center
  • 101 W Beach Drive, Panama City, FL 32401
  • ALL seating is “first come, first serve”. There are no assigned seats.
  • Entry Gate is located on the East side of the Destination Panama City building at the LovePC sign.
  • This is an outdoor event and some areas have soft and sandy terrain which may be difficult to navigate. Please plan accordingly.
  • Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic Beverages will be available for purchase, there will not be food vendors.
• Time
  • Gates open at 4:00 pm.
  • Opening Act, the Will Thompson Band, begins at 5:00 pm. Headliner, Drake White & the Big Fire, begins at 7:00 pm.
• Parking – Park in the following areas designated for VIP (by permit only) & Public Parking (see map below):
  • South of McKenzie Park
  • Rear of Martin Theater
  • Dirt lot at West Beach & Mercer
  • Street Parking (W Beach Drive will not be blocked off & will be available for parking)
  • Handicap Parking is available “first come first serve” at each of these lots

What to Bring:

• Bring Tickets via electronic device or printed copy if wristband has not been picked up early at History Class Brewing Company (EVERY Attendee MUST have a ticket!).
• Bring I.D.
• Bring your own chairs & blankets (Event seating is not provided).
• Bring cash.
• Note – ALL bags will be checked by security upon entry.

What NOT to bring/do:

• Outside food or drink is NOT allowed past the gate (this includes water bottles).
• No pets allowed.
• No illegal substances.
• No coolers.
• No glass.
• No weapons, knives, or firearms.
• No video recording or professional cameras are allowed through the gate.