The Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City Beach combines the top national smooth jazz artists with a full weekend of fun, sun, great beaches, and good times. This four-day jazz sensation attracts visitors from all over the globe and includes an impressive lineup of award-winning jazz legends.
The Seabreeze Jazz Festival was named "One Of The Top 50 Most Popular Music Festivals in the USA for 2024" by Music Festival Wizard. It is the only smooth jazz festival nationally on the list. Each year this impressive festival is the most greatly anticipated smooth jazz festival in the United States. This year’s festival is set for April 23-27, 2025.
Jazz Festival Origins
The Seabreeze Jazz Festival was started by WSBZ FM 106.3, a smooth jazz internet radio station based in Miramar Beach, Florida. The first event was held at Seaside in 1999. The festival has also been held at Watercolor, Gulf Place on 30A, and Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach in previous years, now making its home at Aaron Bessant Park in Panama City Beach. The festival attracts attendees from all 50 states and six countries and in 2025 will be celebrating 26 years of smooth jazz. A large portion of attendees come from the Atlanta metro area, central Florida, and middle Atlantic states such as North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
The festival has expanded substantially with the first year having only 400 attendees to today selling out with 8,000 attendees, making it the largest smooth jazz festival in the United States. Tickets to the festival are a hot commodity with all the main stage performances selling out four weeks before the lineup is even announced. The event organizers want to keep the event relatively small and the current venue is working well. The Festival offers a list of certified resellers so that those who missed out on tickets can find a safe place to search for them.
Seabreeze Jazz is an Award-Winning Festival
The Seabreeze Jazz Festival has won numerous awards through the years and continues to be lauded. The festival was recently nominated as Best Jazz Festival at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards. Seabreeze Jazz Festival was named a "Top 10 Jazz Festival in the USA '' by JazzIZ Magazine.
Seabreeze Jazz was recently awarded eight Sunsational Awards for 2024 from the Florida Festivals and Events Association. The Seabreeze Jazz Festival was also named "One Of The Top 50 Most Popular Music Festivals in the USA for 2024" by Music Festival Wizard. Seabreeze Jazz Fest was the only smooth jazz event on the national list.
Bringing Smooth Jazz Fans Together
“This event is great to produce because it brings smooth jazz fans and listeners together with the live performers they love,” says organizer Mark Carter, general manager of WSBZ FM.
“In 2024, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival featured the world's #1 Instrumentalist Kenny G, which was very exciting. Panama City Beach is the ideal venue for the festival with great shopping and dining directly across the street from the amphitheater, plus great attractions, gorgeous beaches, and a slew of beachfront condos right near the venue,” Carter said.
Main Stage and Additional Seabreeze Jazz Events
Mainstage performances are located at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater in Pier Park. In addition to the mainstage acts, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival offers a dinner and lunch cruise. The cruises include a jazz performance and are held aboard the Solaris Dinner Yacht on Wednesday, April 23rd, and Thursday, April 24th. The cruises depart from The Lighthouse Marina in Panama City Beach.
For additional fun and loaded with entertainment, nightly after-parties are held each of the four nights of the show. The nightly after-parties are held at Pompano Joe's at Pier Park. For the event schedule check out the Seabreeze Jazz Festival’s website.
2025 Seabreeze Jazz Festival Lineup
With over 30 performances each year, this is a jazz experience you’ll want to savor. For the first time, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival hosts the acclaimed 1970s band War on Saturday, April 26th. War is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their iconic hit "Why Can't We Be Friends." Other hits by the band include “Low Rider” and “The Cisco Kid.” Other headliners and acts for 2025 include Boney James, Brian Culbertson, Norman Brown, Geral Albright, Avery Sunshine, Najee, Damien Escobar and more.
You won't want to miss the after-party performances with artists like the top Billboard-charting saxophonist Mike Phillips, performing at the Seabreeze After Party set for Friday, April 25th at 11:30 pm. Even if you can’t get tickets to the main shows, the After Parties are a great way to still enjoy the fun.
See the entire 2025 lineup at Seabreeze Jazz Festival's Website.
Rain or Shine, Food Vendors and More
Keep in mind the event will take place rain or shine, so you will want to plan accordingly. You are allowed to bring a lawn chair, one small clear bag, and an umbrella, and smiles and good vibes are encouraged.
Food vendors on site provide various food options including local seafood, Italian, world-class BBQ, gluten-free, low-salt, healthy food options, and more.
The festival requires wristbands that offer unlimited entry and re-entry to the festival. This is a cashless event, with charges going on your wristband, linked to your credit card.
Parking for Seabreeze Jazz Festival
General admission parking is free at the adjacent Pier Park lot. General admission handicap parking is available on a first-come basis in front of the general admission main entrance. All reserve ticket holders, gold, premium, and ultimate jazz tables, will park in their designated parking lot near the reserved entrances.
Seabreeze Jazz Festival Accommodations
Panhandle Getaways is the Official Condo and Vacation Rental Sponsor of the Seabreeze Jazz Festival and has the most accommodations in Panama City Beach. They have hundreds of condos and private home rentals near the Festival and have been the most trusted local vacation rental company for the past 30+ years. Book Now with Panhandle Getaways.