Ring in the new year at Panama City Beach's New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop

PANAMA CITY BEACH — It’s the final stretch of 2022, and one end-of-the-year tradition will help bring in the new year in Panama City Beach.

On Saturday evening, streets will be closed off in Pier Park for the Panama City Beach 13th annual New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop. The free and family-friendly event boasts an end-of-the-year celebration with live music, fireworks and more.

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Hosted by Visit Panama City Beach, the event has seen more than 30,000 visitors in the past years and is one of the city’s largest street festivals of the year.

“We are very excited to have visitors and the community come and help us bring in the new year,” said Rachel Banks, public relations manager for Visit Panama City Beach. “It will be a fun time, so we hope everyone has the chance to come out to celebrate.”

The celebration begins at 5:35 p.m. with a free concert from the Barry Fish Band on the stage at Pier Park. Festivities continue around Pier Park with shopping, food vendors and activities for children.

The tradition will continue its two Beach Ball Drop countdowns. In addition to the traditional midnight ball drop, there's an 8 p.m. drop to cater to those with earlier bedtimes.

“We usually have two countdowns for those who want to bring their kids out and get them home before it’s too late,” Banks said. “And we want to give everyone the opportunity to come and kick off the new year with us.”

About 8 p.m., guests should make their way to South Pier Park Drive to countdown the Kid’s Beach Ball Drop, where 10,000 inflated beach balls are dropped onto the crowd, followed by a firework show from the Russell-Fields Pier.

More live music will hit the stage through the night. Attendees can enjoy performances from The Will Thompson Band at 8:15 p.m. and The Great Grand Finale at 10 p.m., who are performing on the main stage in front of the Celebration Tower.

Closer to midnight, The Celebration Tower becomes the epicenter of the festivities as the crowd prepares for the final countdown. The tower first debuted in 2016 and is 10 feet taller than the pole in Times Square in Manhattan. On top sits a nearly 10-foot-wide illuminated beach ball that will descend 80 feet from the tower in the last 10 seconds of the year.

Following the last ball drop, a second round of fireworks will erupt from the Russell-Fields City Pier to ring in the new year and wrap up the celebrations.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Beach to kick off annual New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop