Gulf Coast Jam 2024 at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach, Florida on May 30, 2024 – Sun, Jun 2, 2024

June 4, 2024
International Festivals, International Music News
by Samantha Kerrigan Photographer/Writer

Picture this: it’s been a rough week at work and the only thing getting you through is the four-day weekend up ahead featuring your favorite country music stars, sunshine, and a cool sea breeze on the coast of beautiful Panama City, Florida. Sound familiar? That’s because we’re talking about the 2024 Gulf Coast Jam presented by Jim Beam! Don’t worry if you didn’t get a chance to experience the one-of-a-kind country music festival, All Music Magazine is here to give you the low down on why you NEED to join us next year. If you stick around ‘til the end, check out some honorable mentions at Gulf Coast Jam.

Talk about a lineup! Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, and Parker McCollum headlined this year’s Country on the Coast event. With supporting acts like Billy Currington, Russell Dickerson, Nate Smith, Flatland Cavalry, and more to fire up the crowd during the daytime. Needless to say, last night we all let the liquor talk!

May 30:
Parker McCollum 8:15 pm
Flatland Cavalry 6:15 pm
Corey Kent 4:45 pm
Sadie Bass 3:30 pm
Jim Beam Welcome Sessions Winner

Midnight South 2:30 pm

So let’s cut to the chase… Thursday, May 30th in the early morning, fans began loading into Frank Brown Park ready to kick off their long weekend of country music. We gave honor to legends Jimmy Buffett and Toby Keith, sang along to the tunes of Sadie Bass, Corey Kent, and Flatland Cavalry, and just before Parker McCollum took the stage we witnessed an epic drone show announcing the first headliner of the 2025 Gulf Coast Jam: Lainey Wilson!

May 31:
Jelly Roll 10:15 pm
Russell Dickerson 8:15 pm
Chase Matthew 6:45 pm
Kidd G 5:30 pm
Heartland 4:30 pm
Shelby Darrall 3:30 pm

The heat was turned up a notch for day two (literally!) as our openers set the scene for the evening’s events. In a last-minute decision, Chase Matthew, popular for his song “County Line,” stepped back during his set to play the drums while his tour manager and band member took center stage to perform for the crowd. Friday was truly all about unique experiences, as 39 Air Force recruits were sworn in, in front of all 30,000 people. The night ended with Jelly Roll introducing us to his momma followed by an unforgettable performance.

June 1:
Cody Johnson 10:15 pm
Billy Currington 8:15 pm
Priscilla Block 6:45 pm
Austin Snell 5:30 pm
Peytan Porter 4:30 pm
Chandler Flint 3:30 pm

We weren’t as lucky with the weather for day Three, unfortunately causing a weather delay. Although we missed out on a few performers the GCJ team put in their overtime to bring the stage back to life. Now if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to shotgun a beer with an artist you’ll have to check out a Priscilla Block show! After a high-energy set, Priscilla took center stage to give her thanks and shotgun a beer with the crowd. Billy Currington kept the energy up with all his chart-topping hits, but I’m not sure who had the crowd singing along more, him or Cody Johnson! I must add, If you’ve never seen a Cody Johnson show, here’s your sign to buy the tickets. I can certainly say he gained at least one more fan.

June 2:
Morgan Wallen 10:15 pm
Nate Smith 8:15 pm
Shane Smith & The Saints 6:45 pm
John Morgan 5:30 pm
Deana Carter 4:30 pm
Jim Beam Welcome Sessions Winner 3:30 pm

Finally, the long-awaited day 4 had finally arrived. Gage Cowart, Deana Carter, John Morgan, Shane Smith & The Saints, and Nate Smith amped up the crowd for the one and only Morgan Wallen. From “Last Night” to “Chasin’ You” and every hit in between, including his unreleased song “Lies, Lies, Lies,” Wallen left the crowd speechless from the nonstop sing-a-longs. All in all, it was a jam-packed night that was absolutely worth the wait! But just like all good things, this too had to come to an end.

In summary, if you love making new friends with your seat neighbors, getting your favorite artist’s autograph, listening to unreleased music and having a damn good time, then Gulf Coast Jam is the place to be! And with that, I say: long live cowgirls, cowboys, and country music! ‘Til next year Gulf Coast Jam.

Honorable mentions:

If you’re the type who likes to keep it lowkey, you can find an ample amount of activities in the back of the festival including cornhole, life-size chess, and plenty of photo ops.
Need a place to chill? You can find the Jim Beam tent as well as a few other areas to cool down during the summer heat.

Forgot your cowboy hat? No problem! There’s a whole shopping section dedicated to finding the perfect fit for each and every fan.
Looking for a concert with a view? Check out the Gulf Coast Jam Ferris wheel!
And if you’re wondering, the food at Gulf Coast Jam never disappoints. Thankfully there are plenty of sections that sell more than just the basic chicken tenders and fries. From chicken and noodles to fried ravioli, they’ve got it all.