01-03-2025
PCB Scottish Festival hosts first ever 2-day event
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – For the first time ever, the Panama City Beach Scottish Festival has expanded to two days.
It started Friday night and goes through Saturday.
Event goers can expect to see axe throwing, live music, a petting zoo, traditional Scottish food, and the fan-favorite Highland Games this year.
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It began Friday with the first Calling of the Clans ceremony. The ceremony allows attendees to show their pride for their ancestors and family names while sharing their love for Scottish culture and tradition.
'It was calling them in just as kind of a joyful celebration to kick off the games and to have our families and clans here with us. To do that, they got a chance to do their clan cry and their war chant. And it was really something to see. I really enjoyed it,' PCB Scottish Festival Committee Member Bill McCurdy said.
This is the 31st Scottish festival, and it hasn't always been in Panama City Beach. Before 2016, the festival was held at the Grace Presbyterian Church in Panama City.
'It was hard because I didn't want to leave the church, but the, the first of all, just outgrowth outgrew the grounds and it was hemorrhaging money. So we had to make a choice. So we moved over here to the courts. The church is always invited to come in and participate, and we don't charge them a vendor fee,' McCurdy said.
Saturday's schedule is jam-packed; gates will open at 9 a.m., and live music will start at 10 a.m.
The opening ceremony will be at noon, followed by live music throughout the day, but the most popular activity will be the Highland Games.
'It's individuals. They come over to the class, they compete, and they come from all over the country. And they're all competing, you know, for points… the best of the day, they get the big sword, the big claymore, and they get to walk around and get bragging rights,' McCurdy said.
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He says the representatives of the different families are also a big attraction.
'These guys are very knowledgeable. They know about their families. They know the history of Scotland. They know the histories of their clans and their families, their tartans, what it all means to them. And some of them, it means a whole lot,' McCurdy added.
The festival will wrap up Saturday at around 5:30 p.m.
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