Will 2025 Cruisin’ The Coast be the biggest ever? What the early numbers say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Cruisin’ The Coast 2025 early registrations exceed 2024 by around 200 vehicles.
- The eight-day event draws attendees from 41 states and multiple foreign countries.
- Cruisin’ remains Mississippi’s largest event, boosting tourism and local economy.
Cruisin’ The Coast started in 1996 with 374 registered vehicles and the idea to bring vacationers back to South Mississippi during the still balmy days of early October.
Casino and local business leaders fought to keep the event going through storms, recessions and the pandemic and grew it into the largest event in Mississippi.
For the sixth year in a row, Cruisin’ is crowned by USA Today readers as the No. 1 car show in the country for 2025, driving ahead of 19 other nominees.
New events are planned for this 29th year and registrations are running ahead of last year, said Woody Bailey, executive director of Cruisin’ The Coast.
Early online and mail-in registration ended on Aug. 15, and will begin again during the eight-day celebration, from Oct. 5-12.
So far cruisers are coming from 41 states, Canada, England and Australia. Bailey said those who come from overseas generally have a vehicle in the United States.
Last year, a cruiser came from New Zealand. “The guy flew in to Waco, Texas, and then drove his ‘57 Chevy from Waco to here,” Bailey said.
Will the record be broken?
For the 25th anniversary in 2021, Cruisin’ attracted 9,469 registered vehicles from 45 states and Canada. That shattered the previous record by more than 1,000 as people who had been stuck at home during Covid were eager to travel again. The economic impact, just from out-of-state visitors, was $36.1 million.
The record was broken again in 2023, when 10,070 registered vehicles from 45 states, Canada, Germany and England came to “America’s Largest Block Party.”
That number still stands, since registration in 2024 topped off at 9,961 cruisers, 109 short of the record.
Bailey said early registrations are about 200 ahead of last year. In addition to about 8,450 pre-registered, another 1,200 to 1,600 vehicles typically are registered during Cruisin’ week, he said.
Magic formula
Bailey credits the success of Cruisin’ The Coast to “the chemistry of Highway 90 and the beaches” along with the friendliness of the people of South Mississippi.
Two weeks out, hotel rooms are still available in Biloxi and across the Coast, an online search shows. Generally the hotels and vacation rentals will be filled, campers will be parked on private property near the beach and restaurants, shops and attractions will have one of the best weeks of the year. Gas prices may inch up along the beach, but still are some of the lowest in the country.
Bailey said he had no idea in 1996 that Cruisin’ The Coast would grow this big.
“It’s pretty amazing that it has,” he said. They still have an old sign in the warehouse that says they reached their goal of 6,000 registered vehicles.
They used to think 5,000 or 6,000 vehicles was all the staff and army of volunteers could handle, he said, but the event spread out to Waveland and Pascagoula. All 12 cities, three counties, many schools and businesses host events.
“We’ve been able to utilize all the real estate that we have,” he said, and it’s working out well.
This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
