Club La Vela welcomesThunder Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Club La Vela celebrated its 25th anniversary last week with one of its most extravagant parties ever, and the party continues this weekend with Thunder Beach.
   
“This is the first year that the club has become an official venue for Thunder Beach, and compared to last year, the vendors have quadrupled,” said Chris Pitts, the club’s marketing and entertainment director.
   
The club, described as the largest of its kind in the country, hyped up its Saturday birthday by sending out more than 10,000 invititations. “Back in the ’90s, when the club expanded and doublesized, it really did become the largest nightclub in the USA with a square footage of 100,000, accommodating 6,000 people,” Pitts said.
   
More than 2,500 party-goers celebrated on the big night with complimentary cocktails, a variety of champagnes and beer that kept the night rolling.
   
“People who came to the grand opening of LaVela in 1984 showed up for the anniversary celebration,” Pitts said. “Others who would frequent the club back in the day from the East Coast to as far as Texas showed up on this special occasion. They remembered coming to this club while they were growing up in the local area and have moved away, but remembered their party moments at La Vela which brought them back.”
   
This weekend will provide another chance to party with thousands:
   
Tonight during Thunder Beach, Club La Vela will host MotherShip, a Led Zeppelin tribute band. On Saturday night, La Vela will welcome Hells Bells, the tribute to AC/DC. All concerts are at 8 p.m.
   
On Saturday at 2 p.m., the club will feature the Ms. Thunder Beach bikini contest on its pool stage overhanging the tropical pool. In affiliation with Thunder Beach, La Vela welcomes all bikers with free entry to this daytime event and from 7-9 p.m. in the club.
   
On Oct. 3, Club La Vela will recreate Studio 54, one of Manhattan’s most famous clubs, in Panama City Beach. For this occasion, the entire club will be transformed into Studio 54 with themed costume dancers, confetti cannons and music from the ’70s and ’80s.