Cruisin’ the Coast, the internationally-distinguished car show held each year on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, has received both statewide and national recognition.
The highly anticipated event was recently tabbed by USA Today readers as the nation’s best car show. Additionally, Cruisin’ the Coast was recognized as the “Best Event in the State” at the Pinnacle Awards back in mid-April.
Woody Bailey, the event’s executive director, attributes much of the success seen on a yearly basis to the hospitality of residents on the Coast as well as the beautiful landscape that visitors are able to witness while attending the car show.
“You can drive up and down our beachfront, and see the beach and see the water. A lot of places up and down the whole United States’ coastline, you very seldom can see that because of condos, hotels, developments, and that sort of thing,” Bailey said on The Ricky Mathews Show. “Our area is really unique and it lends itself to making this event really work well.”
Other distinguishing factors that make the event so popular are the resort-style casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the live music performances — including the Beach Boys’ concerts in 2022 — and a collaborative effort among all coastal cities to ensure that the car show is a success.
This past fall, Cruisin’ The Coast welcomed its largest-ever registration with 9,618 cars. The 2023 rendition of America’s No. 1 car show is set for Oct. 1-8, 2023.
