When the last note rang from the speakers hanging high above the beautiful sugar white sand at M.B. Miller Pier in Panama City Beach, the second annual SandJam Fest had hosted headliners Kings of Leon, Third Eye Blind and Young the Giant and 26 additional acts over three days on two massive stages set directly on the beach. Add beautiful, clear skies and warm sunshine with the Gulf of Mexico as a backdrop, and the event drew close to 30,000 music lovers – a 30% increase over last year’s inaugural Festival.
“So many people put in thousands of hours planning and working to bring in the right talent and create the right atmosphere to draw people to our amazing area,” said SandJam Executive Producer Rendy Lovelady. “We weren’t sure six months ago if we could pull this off, but we felt like we had to make it happen for Panama City Beach and the entire panhandle. We just don’t have words right now for how well everything came together to present an amazing event.”
The M.B. Miller Pier parking lot was transformed into a midway offering food, drink, clothing and craft vendors, creating a community for attendees to eat, drink, shop and chill between acts. Attendees took advantage of several additions this year, including the Military Appreciation Tent, yoga and mimosas on the beach, an impressive two-story VIP area complete with hammocks, fire pits and wine tastings and the SandJam Happy Hour with buy one/get one specials Pepsi products, Aquafina water, Corona USA, Corona Premier and Modelo.
A week prior to the start the festival, directors gave out hundreds of general admission passes at “Can Jam for Sand Jam,” a three-day event that offered two SandJam tickets in exchange for two canned or non-perishable food items. Some citizens brought entire grocery carts filled with food. Enough food was gathered to fill three local food pantries.
“The weather, the music and the people were absolutely amazing,” said SandJam COO Mark Sheldon. “But even more important for us was bringing the panhandle community together. We live here, work here and play here and Can Jam was another way we felt we could help – not just by gathering much needed food but also by loving on our people and giving them an opportunity to come to SandJam, leave their cares at the gate and enjoy some great music.”
Organizers have committed to donate $10 from every paid ticket from SandJam and the upcoming Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam to panhandle hurricane relief. Total numbers will be released following the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, which will be held in Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach August 30-September 1, 2019.
Last July, the Bay County Commission, The Panama City Beach Tourism Development Council and SandJam organizers committed to bring the festival back to the same location for at least the next three years. Organizers have announced SandJam Fest will return to M.B. Miller Pier April 24-26, 2020.
Tickets for SandJam 2020 are already on sale at incredible savings at www.sandjamfest.com. Three-day General Admission passes are $109, Military Admission is $99, and VIP are $299.
For photos and information about this year’s event, visit www.sandjamfest.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
All photos credit: Brian Butler/PlayitLoud Media Group unless otherwise noted.
