PANAMA CITY BEACH — Luke Bryan is singing his Spring Break swan song in Panama City Beach this week.
The country star held the first of his two final free concerts Wednesday afternoon at Spinnaker Beach Club with an audience of thousands. The final concert will be today.
One of the country’s top money-making concert performers, Bryan has been holding free Spring Break concerts in Panama City Beach for 11 years. He has announced 2015 will be his final free Spring Break concerts.
--- SOCIAL: FANS REACT TO THE CONCERT IN TWEETS AND PHOTOS»»
--- PHOTOS: MORE FROM THE CONCERT IN OUR FREE GALLERY»»
--- VIDEO: SPINNAKER WELCOMES LUKE BRYAN»»
“I believe last year we had a total of 80,000 here the first and probably 75 to 80 the second day,” said Nikki Hilbert, special events coordinator at Spinnaker.
Hilbert expected similar numbers with this year’s concerts. Although Spinnaker could allow only 3,500 people into the building for safety, anyone could gather and listen on the beach. Fire department officials were on hand to enforce capacity limits, but were still allowing people in at 4 p.m. when the concert started and the line still stretched into the parking lot.
“This line has been pretty long. We came last year to Luke Bryan and we got here at like 7 a.m. so the line wasn’t too bad,” said Mauricio Rojas, who came from the University of Texas at Arlington. “It was a fun concert last time and it should be a fun concert this time as well.”
Other concert-goers felt a personal connection with Bryan.
“We’re excited to see Luke Bryan. He’s also a Sig,” said Zachary Nixon, a Sigma Chi fraternity brother from Baylor University. Nixon met two other fraternity brothers, Jack Sinko and Bruce Cartwright, from Hillsdale College, while in Panama City Beach. The three were at the concert together.
“Brotherhood bonds us — a thousand miles apart, we’re still united,” Sinko said.
Locals came out to hear the concert too.
“I’m pretty excited, but I’ll be pretty upset if I don’t get in,” said Betsy Beesting, a Panama City native who currently attends Florida State University in Tallahassee.
--- PHOTOS: MORE FROM THE CONCERT IN OUR FREE GALLERY»»
--- SOCIAL: FANS REACT TO THE CONCERT IN TWEETS AND PHOTOS»»
--- VIDEO: BRYAN'S SPRING BREAKDOWN MUSIC VIDEO WITH SHOTS FROM PREVIOUS CONCERTS»»
“This is his last show; he’s making it big for them. He’s already come out today and did a little teaser for everybody. He’s really excited about his last show and he’s going to make it good for all these kids,” Hilbert said.
Bryan will perform one last time today at 4 p.m. at Spinnaker. Hilbert advised that people planning to go to Thursday’s concert should get in line as early as possible if they do not have a Spinnaker VIP card. Spinnaker does not allow any coolers or outside alcohol into the venue or on the beach for the concert and they do check IDs.
Want To Go?
- What: Luke Bryan’s concert
- When: 4 p.m. Thursday
- Where: Spinnaker Beach Club, 8795 Thomas Drive
- Cost: Free