Turkey leftovers can wait. Panama City Beach has a holiday weekend worth putting on the calendar, with two evenings of music and festivities at Aaron Bessant Park. Here is the useful version of the plan, without turning your getaway into a spreadsheet with luggage.
Event dates: November 27–28, 2026. These are festival dates, not a statement of Poinciana Palms availability. Check your chosen stay dates through our booking options before making plans around them.
Checked October 31, 2026. Event times below are local to Panama City Beach. Programs and access arrangements can change; confirm with the organizer before setting out.
The dates and place to save
The official Beach Home for the Holidays page lists Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28, at Aaron Bessant Park. The city’s 2026 events calendar independently lists the same dates and gives the park address as 500 West Park Drive.
Save that destination before you leave. Decide which performance matters most to your group, then work backward from it. An unhurried meal and a little arrival margin usually make better companions than a cross-town dash with someone asking whether you remembered their jacket.
Friday: ballet, tree lighting and The Band Perry
The organizer currently lists campfires, s’mores and Santa Village from 3:30 p.m. Friday’s schedule then includes:
- 5:15 p.m.: Panama City Ballet’s Nutcracker performance.
- 5:55 p.m.: tree lighting.
- 6 p.m.: The Band Perry on the park stage.
- 7:30 p.m.: fireworks at City Pier.
There is still an unannounced afternoon program slot. Treat the published highlights as your planning anchors rather than assuming every minute is finalized.
For families, choose the evening’s must-see moment together before arriving. If the tree lighting is the priority, build your meal and rest break around that. If live music is the draw, decide in advance whether everyone wants to stay for fireworks. A good plan gives the youngest or most tired traveler a graceful exit.
Saturday: a different reason to come back
Saturday’s activities also begin at 3:30 p.m., with the Panama City Symphony and Panama City Ballet at 6 p.m. An earlier performance slot remains unannounced. The organizer’s concert description mentions fireworks, but the reviewed Saturday timetable does not give a fireworks time. Check for an update rather than borrowing Friday’s timing.
You do not need to attend both evenings to have a good weekend. Choose the program that suits your group, or keep both evenings open. Leave daytime flexible enough for a slow breakfast, a beach outing or simply a second cup of coffee.
Five details to check before leaving
The reviewed official event page does not settle every practical question. Before packing for the park, check the latest organizer information for:
- Admission and activity charges. Do not assume every activity or refreshment is included.
- Parking and road access. Confirm event arrangements rather than relying on an ordinary-day parking plan.
- Chairs, bags and outside food. Bring only what the event’s current rules allow.
- Pets and accessibility arrangements. Confirm the event-specific provisions that matter to your party.
- Weather changes or cancellations. Recheck on the day, even if your itinerary has been settled for weeks.
Our practical packing suggestions are simple: a charged phone, comfortable shoes and an extra layer chosen for the actual forecast. Agree on a meeting point and a departure plan. Keep essential medication and other personal necessities accessible, and ask the organizer about any relevant entry requirements beforehand.
Make the rest of the weekend easy
Give yourself one main outing per day instead of treating Thanksgiving weekend like a scavenger hunt. For the hours before the music, our simpler beach-day guide covers public access, flags and packing. If the forecast calls for another approach, keep our rainy-day ideas handy. An alternate plan is much nicer when you choose it before everybody is standing outside looking disappointed.
Planning a stay? Book a stay at Poinciana Palms through our direct-booking website, or use our Airbnb listing if that is your preference. Check current dates, rates and booking terms in your chosen channel. Questions about the stay? Email bookings@poinciana-palms.com.
Choose the evening you are excited about, leave space around it, and let the weekend do the rest.
Planning-note review dates: November 20 and November 26, 2026. This preview covers the November 27–28 event only; after November 28, treat it as an archived 2026 guide, not an upcoming-event listing.