How A Food & Wine Festival Is Helping To Shift The Narrative Of A Former Spring Break Destination
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A reputation, once established, can be a tough thing to shake and takes hard work and–most importantly–time to change. The Panama City Beach I first visited three years ago and have gotten to know through repeat visits has never felt like the raucous Spring Break destination it used to be, though the memories of that time are kept alive by those that knew it back then and (for the most part) haven’t returned since their college days. But visit the destination now and there are tourists to be found year-round, and while the spring and summer are still peak season the vibe is much more family-friendly.
Dan Rowe, CEO of Visit Panama City Beach, told me about some of the destination’s most popular events that bring in visitors of all ages year-round, including “UNwineD in the spring, our Real. Fun. Fourth. Independence Day celebration, Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam during Labor Day weekend and our New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop.”
UNwineD, an annual culinary festival that brings together regional chefs and top winemakers, craft brewers and distillers, came back for its fourth year this spring (March 22-23). This year’s festivities began on Friday night with a kickoff party presented in partnership with Southern Living, which added an extra level of prestige to the festival. The exclusive, sold-out event (capped at 300 tickets) with a garden party vibe featured chef-curated bites, craft cocktails and live music.
Highlights included spoonfuls of olive oil-poached Gulf shrimp with a cucumber and radish salad by Kevin Gillespie, an Atlanta-based chef and owner of Gunshow, Revival and Cold Beer (forthcoming); and cocktails by Mercedes O'Brien, cocktail director at Gunshow and Cold Beer. These included Cosmic 75 (Chloe Prosecco, pisco, lemon juice, passion fruit syrup, crème de cacao, Aztec chocolate bitters), an avocado margarita (Dulce Vida blanco tequila, lime juice, Cocchi Americano, pápalo and tomatillo syrup, Ancho Reyes, avocado, jalapeño) and a toasted Old Fashioned (American Born bourbon whiskey, burnt sugar syrup, bitters).
The main event, The Grand Afternoon Tasting, drew a crowd of 1300 people (continuing UNwineD’s sold-out streak) representing 31 different states. Attendees wandered from booth to booth sampling craft beer, wine and spirits from around the world plus eats prepared by leading Northwest Florida chefs.
Among the local talent represented at The Grand Afternoon Tasting was Firefly, a Panama City Beach fine dining favorite that has only recently reopened following repairs post-Hurricane Michael (a Category 5 hurricane that struck the area in October 2018). For the event, Firefly prepared their grilled octopus dish with preserved lemon, pickled chili vinaigrette and local herb salad. The restaurant is helmed by executive chef Derek Langford, a family man who is passionate about the town he lives in and showcases the kinds of experiences to be had in PCB: soaking up the sun and natural beauty of the area, enjoying tasty bites ranging from burgers and shakes to upscale seafood-forward fare, and (of course) quality family time.
The Grand Afternoon Tasting was followed by a Concert in the Park (Aaron Bessant Park, to be exact) which featured live musical performances from Johnnyswim and Brandi Carlile, who had won three Grammy awards the month prior. Locals and visitors alike parked their lawn chairs and blankets on the green in front of the amphitheater for a chilled-out concert ending with a particularly gorgeous sunset that lit up the sky in blazing pinks and oranges.
“Panama City Beach introduced its UNwineD culinary festival in 2016 in order to change the perception of the destination’s target audience during March and attract a much more mature demographic of visitors,” Rowe said. “Since its first year, UNwineD has elevated its culinary talent and musical acts, [however] this March UNwineD served a much broader purpose: to show both returning and new guests that the destination is thriving just a few short months after Hurricane Michael, and welcoming spring with a revitalized energy and determination to help our Bay County neighbors.”
