Beach Loving Music Fans From Around the Globe Converge on Panama City Beach for the 10th Annual Gulf Coast Jam Extravaganza

by Will Estell on March 25th, 2022

If you’re a fan of country music, and America’s favorite beaches, then you probably already know about Gulf Coast Jam. What started as a medium size outdoor music festival ten years ago has now grown into one of the top-ten country music festivals in the entire country. With attendance topping the 30,000 mark for the headlining shows last year, this year’s festival is proving to be even more popular –with some ticket packages already sold out, and remaining passes for the full weekend of fun going fast.

Having attended, and covered the festival editorially for four years now, I can assure you it does not, and will not, disappoint. I’ve seen everyone from Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, and Florida Georgia Line to Riley Green, Big & Rich, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Kid Rock play to Gulf Coast Jam’s growing crowds of music lovers — and every single year the shows get better while the crowds get bigger. And if great music isn’t enough… did I mention it all happens in the heart of Panama City Beach?

This year’s festival takes place June 2-5 at Panama City Beach’s Frank Brown Park, where the fun starts in the early afternoon hours and goes well into the night. As the sun goes down and the crowds grow you can not only hear, but feel, the excitement in the warm Gulf Coast air.

For the spring of 2022 Gulf Coast Jam’s headliners encompass some of country’s biggest duos, including long-time hitmakers, Brooks & Dunn who will headline the night of June 5th. The festival will be one of the last venues that headliners Florida Georgia Line will perform at (having recently announced they are taking a break), taking the stage on June 4th to rock tens of thousands of attendees. The newly minted ACM Group of the Year, Old Dominion will headline on June 3rd. Are you starting to see how big this spectacular festival of music and fun really is?

BeachGuide’s Will Estell with Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line

Gulf Coast Jam’s Executive Producer, Rendy Lovelady tells us , “Florida Georgia Line are not only one of the most-requested acts we’ve ever had at Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, but both Brian and Tyler are fixtures on the Florida Panhandle.” Lovelady goes on to say, “We can pretty much guarantee a party when they play Panama City Beach!”

Walker Hayes, one of the headliners for this year’s Gulf Coast Jam

As if the top-notch array of festival headliners isn’t enough bang for your buck, the 10TH Anniversary Gulf Coast Jam features a smorgasbord of entertainment that includes some of the biggest names in music, every single night. For the first time in the festival’s history this includes a bonus kickoff show featuring Brett Young on Thursday June 2nd , free to all three-day weekend ticket holders.

Sunday artists include Corey Smith, along with Scotty McCreery, Tracy Lawrence, Confederate Railroad, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Elvie Shane.

Thursday night’s lineup also includes Jameson Rodgers, Niko Moon and Casi Joy. While Friday night brings to the big stage: Tyler Rich, Jordan Davis, Gary Allan, Randy Rogers Band, Presley & Taylor, Ryan Griffin, and Tigerlily. Saturday features well-knowns, Chris Janson, Maddie & Tae, Darryl Worley, Frankie Ballard, Steve Moakler, Nate Barnes, and Chandler Flint. Finally the culmination of the entire festival weekend will start Sunday, and includes one of my personal favorites, Georgia’s own, Corey Smith, along with Scotty McCreery, Tracy Lawrence, Confederate Railroad, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Elvie Shane.

Across my many years in media, and having attended and covered concerts by a wide array of artists — including other outdoor music festivals — the one thing I am always in awe of is that even with today’s ever-increasing ticket pricing for single concerts, somehow the producers and team of Gulf Coast Jam still find a way to offer such a remarkable package as to allow a concert goer to see in excess of twenty well-known artists, over four days, on a single stage, and still manage to make it so affordable compared to many venues and festivals. I mean where else can you experience all of this music, first-hand, on a $159 general admission weekend pass?

Brad Paisley

Festival COO, and Panama City Beach Mayor, Mark Sheldon, agrees that the price has a lot to do with how popular Gulf Coast Jam continues to be, stating, “Four days of fun, sun and great music – you just can’t beat that!”

My friend, Craig Campbell, of Campbell Entertainment Group in Nashville, has played an instrumental role in orchestrating various behind the scenes aspects of Gulf Coast Jam since its first year, and has told me, firsthand, that the talent alone runs well into the multi-millions each year. Not surprising considering the level of artistry the festival continues to secure.

Campbell went on to explain, “it’s actually because of our great sponsorship by Pepsi, as well as the generous support of Panama City Beach, Jim Beam, Bud Light, and our many other valued sponsors and festival partners that the promotors are able to continually make this one of the most affordable music festivals in the country, year-after-year. That’s one of the aspects that Rendy and Mark are most proud of. Bringing great music to Panama City Beach and making it attainable to most everyone.

Tickets and Lodging for Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam

In addition to weekend passes, Thursday-only tickets are available starting at just $29 for general
admission. This is the first time the festival has offered a one-day pass, and everyone who purchases a three-day ticket will automatically get the fourth night free as a 10th anniversary bonus.

Four-day Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam passes are still available at the time of this article, but hurry, as prices are set to increase on April 1st . General Admission passes are currently $159.00 for the full four day weekend, with special college student passes only $139.00, and Military, First Responder/Medical Personnel passes just $129.00.

For those who want a little something special, Gulf Coast Jam offers VIP Pit and Super VIP passes at
$459.00 and $659.00, respectively. And, trust me they are worth every penny for that kind of stage
view. There are also a very limited number of Side Stage passes available for $1,150.00. All passes are available at www.GulfCoastJam.com, while they last.

For additional information you can follow Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam on Facebook and Instagram. However, the best way to get in on all the action is simply to grab your tickets, along with your significant other, and music-loving friends, find your ideal accommodations through BeachGuide magazine and Beachguide.com, and catch all the fun of the 10th Anniversary Gulf Coast Jam in person, June 2-5.

Visit our Panama City Beach vacation rentals to book the best hotels, condos, and beach houses in the area.

WRITERS BIO:

Will Estell is a writer and editor, with over 400 published articles in various publications, as well as
numerous online articles in an array of genres. Before coming on board as Editor-In-Chief of Beach
Guide, he was instrumental in founding eleven magazine titles from concept to fruition, for other
publishing companies and his own partnerships. Will is a father of three who splits his time between Destin and Navarre, along with his wife, ABC news anchor, Laura Hussey. When he’s not writing, creating or consulting he enjoys attending live musical events, hanging out with friends and long weekend days, with tall beers, on the beach.