The festival features noted jazz artists playing a variety of jazz styles including mainstream, classic, Dixieland, and Latin.

Fest ‘09 headliners include J.B. Scott/Lisa Kelly Swinging All-Stars (Jacksonville); Longineu Parsons Quintet (Tallahassee); Jazz vocalist Giacomo Gates (New York City, NY); and Victor Payano Quartet (Orlando).

Admission is free.

A stage:
10:30- Blue Eclipse
11:10- Element 55
11:50- Storage 24
12:30- Aerias
1:10- Mid Summer Classic

B stage:
10:50- Steel Fading
11:30- Dead Ringers Guild
12:10- Red Hour
12:50- Shadow Life
1:30- Mara Dona

Hunt’s Oyster Bar

Hunt’s Oyster Bar serves up the best oysters in Bay County, PERIOD. Whether it’s done raw, Cajun style, sautéed or any other manner, there is simply no better place. But beyond the tasty oyster dishes and seafood, Hunt’s embodies the soul of Panama City. Within its walls lies a long history of the city and any day you visit you’re likely to see family generations all enjoying the oyster eating tradition together. The service at Hunt’s is southern and hospitable and the vibe is one you’ll be talking about long after you leave.

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Black Angus

Black Angus Restaurant is known for doing one thing and doing it very, very well; S-T-E-A-K. Black Angus is a Panama City staple, famous for its award-winning prime rib, but loved for its amazing service and atmosphere. And if you haven’t fallen head-over heels for the steak, toes will curl for the savory seafood that ranges from deep gulf tuna to the luscious fish crabmeat imperial.

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Tom’s Hot Dogs

If you were to head to Tom’s Monday-Friday anywhere around lunch time, chances are you’ll be waiting behind just about half the city’s residents all anxious to get their hands on the best hot dog in all of NW Florida. Tom’s sauce is so world famous and their chili-pies are so epic you may never even try the soups and the burgers. In fact, the hot dogs and chili dogs are so spellbinding most don’t even know they serve anything else.

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Mori Japanese Steakhouse

If you’re in the mood for good sushi or hibachi, there are a number of beachside places that might suffice, but few will provide the style at atmosphere as Mori. Great food, authentic settings and an intimacy you won’t find anywhere else in Panama City. Mori, in a short time, has become a favorite amongst Panama City locals.

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Downtown Panama City

Downtown Panama City is truly the core of PC culture. Sitting on the bayside Marina, as you walk the downtown area you smell the sea air and find yourself eased by the original fisherman town spirit. Downtown is littered with art museums like local artist Paul Brent’s gallery and the famous Visual Arts Center. Locally owned restaurants like “The Place,” which has been in business for decades, welcome you to sample the Panama City flavor. Antique stores at every turn, music, book shops, farmers market and, of course, the huge civic center, downtown Panama City is the perfect place for a cross-bridge outing.

Honorable Mentions: Chef Imondi’s, Martin Theatre, The Skate Factory, Sweetbay Wetlands and Oakland Terrace Park

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Gliding gracefully across the protected St. Andrews Bay, Captain Rick Ackerman pilots  the Betsy Ann Riverboat through the calm intercoastal waterway that weaves through Bay County, Florida.  With just over 40 people on board, its Murder Mystery Dinner Cruise night, and one unsuspecting victim will suffer a pretend fate none so desirable.

The cruise leaves the dock just before sunset and weaves its way past the Port Panama City towards the St. Andrews Marina.  Providing the weather’s good, which it almost always is, the sunset is guaranteed to be nearly perfect.  With a smooth gradient from orange to deep blue, if you’re lucky, the clouds will put on a remarkable show of color changes.  First dinner, then the mystery begins.

On the menu is sweet barbeque to include soft dinner rolls, creamy cole slaw, baked beans and tender and juicy pulled pork with the perfect amount of sweet sauce.  There’s usually enough for seconds.  The lovely Tara serves drinks at the bar, which is not included in the dinner cruise price, so bring your cash.

Reservations are made ahead of time, but you pay at the door when you board the boat.  Upon check in, if you’ve elected to participate, you’ll receive two envelopes, Instructions A and Instructions B.  These are to be held in the strictest confidence, not to be shared with anyone.  Captain Nancy is a ‘professional’ at pairing you with the correct character whose names range from Harry High-Stakes to Mitch Maverick to Montgomery Money; there are 20 characters in all.  When you make your reservation, the theme is announced and you are encouraged to dress the part.  For this cruise, the theme was western as was apparent with participants adorned in cowboy hats, boots and big belt buckles.

The first set of instructions given, Instructions A, include details as to the history of your character and what you are to do as your character in order to ‘play’ your role.  These instructions include specific types of interactions with other characters that – behind the scenes – all work together to slowly unfold and build up to the murder.  When the shots ring off, the ‘victim’ falls to the ground and his body taped to remind the others where the crime took place.  Then a series of narratives are read that have clues hidden in them, so pay attention, this is how you solve the mystery.

Instructions B include a second set of instructions that again detail specific interactions with other characters that will ultimately lead to someone solving the murder mystery.  The whole production ends in filling out a “Who Dunnit?” tally card that is counted by the director of the whole operation, Captain Nancy.  In addition to voting on who you think committed the murder, participants are given the chance to vote on who was the best dressed, who put on the best performance, and who was able to swindle the best play money.  At the end, those that received the most votes in each category won prizes that range from a free trip on the Betsy Ann, free SwampVette Rides or tickets to the Comedy Zone, which is also held on the Betsy Ann.

The Betsy Ann is also home to other events too.  The Captain and his crew offer services for weddings, corporate meetings, private parties of all sorts, birthday parties and can even be rented out for just $800 depending on the season and current event schedule.  Most Friday nights there is a dinner cruise leaving the dock on the Betsy Ann.

Prices: $34.95 for adults and $24.95 for children (3-11)

Website: www.betsyannriverboat.net

Phone: 850-233-7487

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