Calling all Pirates! Come relive the tale of Dominique Youx on Panama City Beach this Columbus Day weekend!
Legend has it, Dominique Youx and his Krewe of trusty pirates lived here many years ago and loved this area so much that he shared his treasures with all those who lived here. All was well until other pirates learned of this great treasure and attempted to come rob the town! Dominique Youx, his Krewe, and all the townsfolk banded together and battled the nasty pirates until they were driven off. Now, every year Panama City Beach holds a giant celebration in his honor with parades, fireworks, and of course doubloons.
When and Where
- Friday, October 11th at Pier Park. Festivities begin at 5pm
- Saturday, October 12th at Pier Park. Festivities begin at 8am
- Sunday, October 13th at Capt. Anderson’s Marina in Grand Lagoon. Festivities here will begin at Noon.
This event is free to the public, so if you’re looking for free things to do in Panama City Beach on Columbus Day weekend, this is just the thing for you!
Pirate Invasion!
While there will be so much to do during this event, you absolutely cannot miss the Pirate invasion!
Make sure to find yourself a good spot near the beach around 2:30pm on Saturday so you and your family can get a good view of the pirates invading Panama City Beach from the gulf. Children of all ages will be delighted while watching the townsfolk fight off the pirates alongside Dominique Youx and his Krewe. At 5pm, the victory parade will start.
The parade route begins on Front Beach Road and will run up Pier Park Drive, winding around the park and finishing on Powell Adams Road. A map of the parade route will be available at the festival so you can choose your spot ahead of time.
On Sunday, the festivities move to The Grand Lagoon on Thomas Drive. Those nasty pirates thought they could sneak in through the lagoon, but our heroes were smart and saw them coming! At 2pm, Dominique Youx and all the townsfolk will be waiting at the Marina to fight them off once and for all!
Plan to stay for the firework show each night after the event. Dominique Youx was quite fond of fireworks and would often set them off nightly and we plan to honor that tradition with a show every single night of the festival. It’s like the Fourth of July three nights straight!
Instagram Scavenger Hunt
While visiting Panama City Beach, keep your eyes peeled for the chance to win your very own treasure! The game is simple. First, follow @grandlagoonpcb and @visit_pcb. When you see a picture of something from one of the below categories, snag a picture and upload it to Instagram with the tags #GrandLagoon and #RealFunBeach along with the category hashtag.
Winners will be announced on Sunday at 3:15 on the Main Stage. There will be a winner for each category-and there are seven categories by the way! So, keep your eyes peeled. Your picture could make you a winner!
Instagram categories:
- #SunsetRitual- What’s a trip to Panama City Beach without a beautiful sunset picture?
- #MermaidSighting and/or #PirateSighting- There are sure to be plenty of pirates and mermaids abound. Don’t get caught up in the excitement so much that you forget to snap that picture!
- #Aquanaut- This tag is for anytime you see aquatic amusement, whether it’s fishing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, you name it!
- #SomethingNew- Use this hashtag anytime you discover something you’ve never seen before while in Grand Lagoon.
- #Wildlife- While you’re in Grand Lagoon, take a look around you. Wildlife is everywhere. The natural landscape is one of Panama City Beach’s many charms.
- #BeachPCB- Any picture of the beach that shows why you love Panama City Beaches
- #OystersandPearls- Together or apart, all pictures will be accepted
Happy Hunting!
Detailed Schedule of Events:
Friday, October 11 (Pier Park)
- 5:00pm- Festival Village & Little Pirates Fun Zone Open
(In front of The Grand Theater) - 5:30pm- Kids Parade (Begins/Ends at The Back Porch)
- 6:15pm- Opening Ceremonies & Treasure Drop (Center Stage. Located on Pier Park Drive between Sea Monkey Drive and Longboard Way.)
- 6:30pm- Pirate Crawl/ Second Line Parade
(South to North, ends in front of Dave and Buster’s) - 8:00pm- Live Music: Top Rock Junkies
(Celebration Stage located in front of Dave and Buster’s) - 9:15pm- Fireworks (Russell-Fields City Pier)
Saturday, October 12 (Pier Park)
- 8:00am- Pirates of the High Seas Fest 5k Run/Walk (Frank Brown Park)
- 12:00pm- Festival Village & Little Pirates Fun Zone Open
(In front of The Grand Theatre) - 12:00pm- Live Music: Tusk, the Music of Fleetwood Mac
(Celebration Stage in front of Dave and Buster’s) - 1:30pm- Commodore Mayhem Magic Show
(Celebration Stage in front of Dave and Buster’s) - 2:30pm- Pirate Invasion (Pier Stage by Margaritaville)
- 3:30pm- Live Music: Tom Mason & the Blue Buccaneers
(Celebration Stage in front of Dave and Buster’s) - 5:00pm- Main Parade (Pier Park Route)
- 7:00pm- Live Music: Caribbean Chillers
(Celebration Stage in front of Dave and Buster’s) - 8:30pm- Fireworks (Russell-Fields City Pier)
Sunday, October 13 (Grand Lagoon)
- 12:00pm- Festival Village Opens
(Capt. Anderson’s Marina Parking Area, 5550 N. Lagoon Drive) - 12:00pm- Kids Fishing Clinic (Marina Dock)
- 12:00pm- Live Music: Tom Mason & the Blue Buccaneers (Main Stage)
- 1:15pm- Storytelling: The Legend of Dominique Youx (Main Stage)
- 2:00pm- Pirate Battle-Flotilla Drives out the Pirates
(Grand Lagoon/Marinas) - 3:15pm- Treasure Hunt Announcement (Main Stage)
- 3:15pm- Commodore Mayhem Magic Show (Capt. Anderson’s Stage)
- 5:00pm- Pirate Pet Parade (Capt. Anderson’s Stage)
- 6:00pm- Live Music
- 7:15pm- Fireworks (Grand Lagoon)
Where to Stay
I cannot stress how much fun you will have at this Panama City Beach pirate festival. It would only make sense to book a condo right by the event! Both Calypso Resort and Sterling Breeze Resort are just minutes away from Pier Park. That means no stressing about finding a parking space or remembering where your car is, because you can literally walk to the event right from your room! Plus, both resorts offer luxurious amenities and both are just mere steps away from the beautiful white, sandy beaches of Panama City Beach!
