PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., DATE – Consistently ranked among the country’s best beach ball drops by USA TODAY 10Best, Visit Panama City Beach invites visitors and residents to ring in the New Year at its annual New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop presented by Coca-Cola on December 31. The celebration promises fun for all ages with live music, fireworks and expanded family-friendly programming at both Pier Park and Aaron Bessant Park. There will be two simultaneous 8:00 p.m. beach ball drops at Pier Park Drive and Aaron Bessant Park, where families can enjoy free kids' activities.

"One of Panama City Beach’s most anticipated events, New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop brings together families, residents, and visitors for an unforgettable celebration," says Dan Rowe, President and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach. "With a fantastic lineup of live entertainment, exciting ball drops, and family fun at Aaron Bessant Park, we’re thrilled to offer the most kid-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration you’ll find anywhere.”

“Nationally recognized for good reason, our Beach Ball Drop is one of the year’s most highly anticipated and beloved events, an authentic reflection of what Real. Fun. Beach. is all about,” says Dan Rowe, President and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach. “Designed with all ages in mind, there’s truly no better place to ring in 2026, especially for families seeking an experience that's both lively and kid-friendly.”

At Aaron Bessant Park, the Kids FUN Zone opens at 4 p.m., offering families a variety of free activities leading up to the early ball drop, from slides and obstacle courses to bungee trampolines and video games. At 8 p.m., families with young children, or those excited to celebrate early, can experience the iconic beach ball drop at both Aaron Bessant Park and Pier Park Drive, complete with a spectacular fireworks display and the release of 15,000 beach balls.

As midnight approaches, live music continues at Pier Park as revelers anticipate the countdown to 2026 and the lowering of a larger-than-life LED-lit beach ball on Panama City Beach’s Celebration Tower. Standing over 80 feet tall—ten feet taller than the pole on One Times Square in Manhattan—the tower provides a dramatic backdrop for the second round of fireworks launched over the Gulf at Russell-Fields Pier to ring in the New Year.

Please see below for a full schedule of events:

 

New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop | Wednesday, December 31, 2025

  • Gates Open at 4 p.m. (Aaron Bessant Park and Pier Park Drive)
  • DJ DT Performs at 4:30 p.m. (Aaron Bessant Park Stage)
  • Cover to Cover Performs at 5:30 p.m. (Celebration Tower Stage)
  • The Life Atlantic Performs at 6:30 p.m. (Aaron Bessant Park Stage)
  • Kids’ Beach Ball Drop and Fireworks at 8 p.m. (Aaron Bessant Park and Pier Park Drive)
  • Life Atlantic DJ Performs at 8:20 p.m. (Aaron Bessant Park Stage)
  • The Blinding Lights Performs at 8:20 p.m. (Celebration Tower Stage)
  • The Will Thompson Band Performs at 10 p.m. (Celebration Tower Stage)
  • Countdown Begins at 11:57 p.m. (Pier Park Drive)
  • Midnight Beach Ball Drop and Fireworks (Celebration Tower and Russell-Fields City Pier)

 

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/40qQlZ1. For images of this event, visit https://bit.ly/40qp7Sk.