25th Cruisin’ The Coast shattered the attendance record. Will it be bigger next year?
Sunday was the last day of cruisers parked under the trees at Centennial Plaza, and they were raving about the experience that brought them to South Mississippi for the 25th Cruisin’ The Coast.
George and Mary Lynn Roberts came from Metairie, Louisiana, in their 1988 Corvette, and he said this year’s anniversary event was his favorite.
“24 years of practice to get here. They’ve given the best I’ve ever seen,” he said.
But was it too big? “No way,” he said. He likes driving U.S. 90 at a slow pace so he can see all the cars.
They stayed at Island View Casino and filled out the economic impact questionnaire given to all Cruisers. “We spent a lot of money,” he joked.
“A lot of people from all over the country enjoyed being here,” said Cruisin’ Executive Director Woody Bailey.
He thought they might break the record for number of registered vehicles this anniversary year, Bailey said, but he had no idea the record would be smashed.
The final tally was 9,496 registered cars from 45 states. The five Cruisers who registered from Canada weren’t able to attend because of COVID-19 regulations issues getting back across the border, he said.
The previous record was 8,444 vehicles from 44 states in 2019, before the coronavirus, bringing 1,052 more registered cars this year.
Bailey said he was “excited and pleased with the way the whole week took place.” Everyone was having a great time, he said, the weather cooperated after rain showers on the opening days.
“Very sad about the incidents that occurred during the event,” he said.
One spectator died when he was hit by a classic car while crossing the widest part of U.S. 90 near casino row in East Biloxi. Another spectator was shot when people in two non-cruiser vehicles had a shoot-out on 90 in Biloxi. Bailey said he and the Cruiser community are thinking of the victims and their families.
This year the week-long event had a free Motown Celebration complete with cake and fireworks Saturday night at Hollywood Gulf Coast casino in Bay St. Louis, which Bailey said drew some of the traffic away from the busiest areas in Biloxi. A concert that was rained out early in the week was held in downtown Gulfport on Saturday, taking more of the crowd.
They may schedule a big event for the last night of next year’s Cruisin’ Oct. 2-9, he said.
Will be getting a lot of emails from people, “good and bad,” he said.
He’s got 40 miles along the Coast to work with, he said, and will continue to look for ways to spread out the events.
“I come every year,” said Don Jacks from Laurel. He drives a 1939 Packard and said while doesn’t think Cruisin’ has gotten too big, he doesn’t like the kids burning out. If they hit his car, he said, it’s irreplaceable.
“No, it’s not too big yet,” said Robert Husman of Latimer, who drove his 2001 VW Beetle 500 miles along the Coast last week and also volunteered at the Autocross at the Coast Coliseum and at the D’Iberville site.
Those who bought cars this year paid higher prices for their ride.
“We knew that when we purchased the raffle vehicle for Make-A-Wish,” Bailey said. It was won by a man from Mississippi.
“Classic cars have dramatically gone up in price,”
Next year’s raffle car is a gold ‘69 Camaro Rally Sport named “Honey.”
