LONG BEACH, Miss.—In early October each year the Mississippi Gulf Coast appears as though it’s been transported back in time. Thousands of vintage cars of a bygone era with shiny bright colors drive throughout the towns and cities that line the coast.
This year’s 30th-annual Cruisin’ The Coast began on Oct. 4 and runs through Oct. 11, though some individual events for this weekend have been preemptively cancelled as a cautionary measure, due to Hurricane Isaias’ approach. Still, hundreds of thousands have participated in events this week designed for vintage car enthusiasts held across multiple coastal counties.
Cruisin’ The Coast is the largest car show in Mississippi, and USA Today has named it as the best in the country for seven years in a row.
Executive Director Woody Bailey said the idea for Cruisin’ The Coast was sparked by an effort to bring visitors to the coast and boost the local economy into the fall season. Bailey and a group of others in the tourism industry on the coast got together in 1995 with the goal of finding a way to extend the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s tourism season past Labor Day weekend through a large event. They settled on a car show and thus launched Crusin’ the Coast in 1996.
In its first year, participants registered 374 cars for Crusin’ the Coast. That number has now grown to more than 10,000 car owners who register annually for the event.
As one of Mississippi’s largest events, Cruisin’ The Coast affects the coastal economy. Every five years, organizers have an expert conduct an economic impact study. Dr. Gregory Bradley, a business professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, performed the most recent one in 2021. Economic impact was measured by calculating the total financial effect of Cruisin’ The Coast on the local and state economy through multiple industries. The report notes that impacts were measured in terms of their “effects on business revenue, income, employment, and on state and local government tax revenues.”
His study found that the total economic impact of the 2021 Cruisin’ The Coast event on the State of Mississippi was approximately $36.1 million, with local impact on the Gulf Coast being $33.1 million of the total statewide impact. This total increased from the $28.6 million estimated in 2016.
The study also found that the most affected sectors of the Mississippi Gulf Coast were food services and drinking places; hotels, including casino hotels; amusement parks, arcades and the gambling industry; and retail stores.
A new study will be conducted later this year, assessing data from this week’s event.
Bailey said the restaurant and hotel businesses are the primary beneficiaries of the event. Each year the event also raises money through a car giveaway raffle to make a donation to Make-A-Wish.
“The whole reason this event is happening is because the event helps so many people,” Bailey said. “From (helping) a waitress at a restaurant to a housekeeper at a hotel, those are the things I like seeing.”
Bailey said his team estimates the annual week-long event brings between 100,000 to 125,000 out-of-town visitors to the coast across 42 states and five countries. Thousands of locals in the community also participate in the car show’s events.
Many of the show’s festivities are centered around Harrison County, but there are activities all along the coast spanning Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties as well across 12 cities. The show has parades, events to showcase vehicles, seafood sampling, celebrity appearances, live music and more.
‘Unlike Anything You Can See’
The week kicked off with a parade in Long Beach, Mississippi, where hundreds of cars drove through the streets throwing beads, stuffed animals and other prizes to children and spectators.
Terry Theriot and his family drove from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, to Long Beach to participate in the Kick-Off Parade with their vintage car. He said it’s his 14th year attending Cruisin’ The Coast.
His first Cruisin the Coast he attended with his corvette, but when he realized the show required cars to be vintage, he purchased his current vehicle, a 1954 Chevy Bel Air. The whole family dressed in 1950s attire to match the car. Theriot said that he’s been coming to Cruisin’ The Coast ever since and that nothing will stop him from attending each year.
“I planned this trip no matter what. I’ve come during hurricanes, whatever,” Theriot said. “Even though the weather was supposed to be not too good for this whole trip, but look at the people—they’re not going to stop.”
Theriot said the family-oriented focus of Cruisin’ The Coast is what makes it truly special because it sparks a love of old cars for the younger generations.
Cruisin’ The Coast Grand Marshal Courtney Hansen led the parade, which kicked off at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, riding in a red 1969 mustang convertible. Hansen is a television host, producer, author and car enthusiast best known for her role as co-host on the Discovery Channel’s “Overhaulin’” and her hit shows “Ride of you Life” and “The Ride That Got Away.”
Throughout the week, she appeared for multiple celebrity appearances and autograph signings. Hansen, for whom this year marks her second time serving as the event’s grand marshal, said she loves seeing all the new cars and having the opportunity to meet new people who share a passion for the automotive industry.
“I think it’s special because it embraces all of these towns of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the people are so nice, the food is amazing and the lineup of cars here is unlike anything you can see (elsewhere).”
During the Kick-Off Parade, hundreds of spectators lined the streets cheering as hundreds of old cars rolled through the streets of Long Beach. Children caught candy, beads and stuffed animals and families came together to enjoy the event.
Andrea Hardy attended this year’s Cruisin’ The Coast Kick-Off Parade with her three daughters. She said she was born and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, and her family attends the free community parade every year.
“We love seeing the old-fashioned cars,” Hardy said. “They love to get the candy and the beads, and it’s a fun time to get out.”
For Hardy, the event is special because it allows the community a space to connect with one another and “just have a good time.”
Due to incoming Hurricane Isaias that is expected to hit the Gulf Coast Friday night into Saturday morning, some of the events planned for Friday and Saturday have been canceled.
Cruisin’ The Coast issued a statement on its Facebook Friday morning noting the following changes for this weekend’s planned activities:
- All Crusin’ the Coast venues will close for the day at 3 p.m.
- Friday night’s “Pass in the Night” event in Pass Christian has been canceled.
- The “Sock Hop” event in Ocean Springs has been canceled.
- Friday and Saturday night’s outdoor concerts at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis and the Patriotic Fireworks Show have been canceled.
- All venues will reopen at 9 a.m. Saturday for normal operations with live entertainment beginning at noon.
Here are some additional photos from this year’s car parade on Oct. 5, 2026.
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