Panama City Beach

Panama City Mardi Gras

Celebrate the beginning of the Lenten season with traditional Mardi Gras festivities with foods, music, parades and fun for all.

The Krewe of Massalina is throwing away thousands of dollars on its Mardi Gras parade, which promises to be bigger than ever with giveaways of thousands of dollars in gift certificates for ocal businesses, including merchants and restaurants.

The festival is Feb. 3 and 4, with a block party the first day starting at 6 p.m. and events continuing the next with more than 50 vendors and two stages of music.

During opening events Feb. 3, the Krewe will hold a block party at McKenzie Park, with a shrimp boil and music by Harbour Gypsies, featuring local musicians Danny Wills, Tom Collins, Sammy Hayes and Allen Walker. Events continue at noon Feb. 4 and the parade starts at 3 p.m. Feb. 4.

This year's theme is Celebration of the Native Tribes, and the North Bay Clan of the Muscogee Creek Tribe will participate in the parade with dance and drums and perform at the festival.

During the parade, participants will throw out plastic capsules filled with $3,000 worth of gift certificates or raffle tickets. Gift certificates include amounts from $1 to $50, rounds of golf and other items and raffle tickets can be redeemed during an 8 p.m. drawing at the stage. The ticket and plastic capsule must be turned in to win in order to cut down on litter.

The headliner is Tony Vega's Big Band, which will perform from 3-8 p.m., followed by Nothing Short of Pure, which will perform from 8-10 p.m.

Visit www.kreweofmassalina.com or call (850) 913-8383.