There aren’t many things the three counties and 12 cities in South Mississippi agree upon, but the impact of Cruisin’ The Coast is one of them.
All dozen Coast cities will host at least one event during Cruisin’ The Coast car show, which was voted by readers of USA Today as the favorite car show in the U.S. for the fifth year.
Cruisin’ officially runs Sunday to Sunday, Oct. 6-13, but has a bonus day this year.
Grand Slam Jam concert at Keesler Federal Park in downtown Biloxi is on Saturday, Oct. 5, “a day early from our normal start date,” said Woody Bailey, executive director of Cruisin’ The Coast. It’s presented by the Biloxi Shuckers and Ground Zero Blues Club.
The all day concert from noon-10 p.m. brings together high-energy acts like South Mississippi’s own Chapel Hart, along with zydeco, blues and other music styles by Tab Benoit, Amanda Shaw, Taj Farrant, Tim Dugger, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., Bonerama and Leillani Kilgore. Tickets are $65.
Cruisin’ entertainment
“We have shaken up our music line-up and will feature a lot of new, fresh sounds for you.,” Bailey said in his latest newsletter.
The Beach Boys are back at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino and Cruisin’ will salute native son Jimmy Buffett on the last night at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast.
“We’re having a little Parrothead cruisers night,” Bailey said. Buffett was born in Pascagoula and died on Labor Day weekend in 2023.
“We thought we needed to include something special for him this year,” Bailey said.
Also new this year are:
▪ New entertainment, along with favorite acts, are on the Cruisin’ day schedules at cities across the Coast.
▪ The Kentucky Derby and other events have their own bourbon label and this year, so will Cruisin’ The Coast. Pass Christian Bottle Shoppe and Crittenden Distillery at Kiln have teamed up to offer a limited edition, single-barrel bourbon featuring a Cruisin’ The Coast vehicle on the label. Only 300 bottles will be available for sale.
▪ Gulfport Dragway is back as sponsor and will have gasser racing Friday and Saturday nights during Cruisin’.
▪ CTC will have free seminars, sponsored by PPG Paints, featuring award-winning-painter, Charley Hutton. He’ll be at the Coast Coliseum in Biloxi as part of the CTC Swap Meet.
Free shuttles to Cruise Central
One of the biggest changes is at Centennial Plaza on U.S. 90 in Gulfport, which is Cruise Central.
Cruisers will be parked there but spectator parking won’t be available in the adjacent lot like past years.
Instead, spectators will park at Hardy Court Shopping Center at the corner of Pass and Courthouse roads, and free Coast Transit shuttles will transport spectators between there and Cruise Central.
“We’ll have busses running from Monday through Sunday from the east side of the lot at Courthouse Road,” Bailey said. Plans are being finalized, but Bailey said he expects the buses will come in the back entrance and drop off passengers near the fountain. He also expects there to be handicapped parking and transport.
Numbers running a little behind
Last year more than 10,000 registered set a record for the event.
“We are about 250 less than we had last year at this time,” Bailey said, with 8,259 cars signed up before the pre-registration deadline.
Bailey said the numbers are down just a little and he’s not concerned. Last year they noticed on-site registration was higher than usual.
Cruisers are coming from 43 states, Canada and England. “Over 1,100 first timers are already registered,” he said, “a really strong number. That’s about 18% of our registration,” and quite an accomplishment for a 28-year old event to have, he said.
The newcomers and the loyal Cruisers come to drive their cars along Beach Boulevard, to swap stories with other car owners, to parade at Long Beach, participate or watch the flame thrower contest and to Burn “Em Up in The Pass.
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
