Cruisin’ The Coast tops 10,000 registered vehicles, then smashes event record
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- Cruisin’ The Coast passed 10,000 registered vehicles, exceeding 2024’s 9,961 total.
- Event sits within 70 vehicles of the 2023 record 10,070 with peak festival days ahead.
- Organizers eye 2026 30th anniversary while out‑of‑state visitors drive a $36.1M impact.
Anyone driving near the beach this week knows there are lots of antique and classic cars in South Mississippi for Cruisin’ The Coast and it’s now a record year.
On Thursday morning, the count of registered vehicles cleared 10,000 and was just 70 shy of the record.
Only a few hours later, the record of 10,070 set in 2023 was smashed.
“We’re at 10,158 right now,” executive director Woody Bailey said at 3 p.m. “It’s great to get to 10,000. We’re exceedingly happy to break a record,” he said. “It’s quite an accomplishment, I would say.”
The count likely will keep climbing with the biggest days of Cruisin’ The Coast still to come this weekend.
Last year’s total of registered cars dipped a bit to 9,961 and a record this year seemed a stretch when the eight-day event started with a rainy Sunday that shortened or canceled some of the events. It picked up the pace once the sun came out in time Monday for the Long Beach Parade and since then roads and venues are packed with shiny cars and crowds of spectators.
Bailey hinted at a record year when the early registration ended Aug. 15 up 200 cars from the previous year.
He and his staff already are planning for the 30th anniversary year in 2026, he said.
Cruisin’ The Coast started in 1996 with 374 registered cars and the idea of filling hotel rooms, restaurants and casinois while the weather still is beautiful in South Mississippi.
The event overcame recessions, hurricanes, an oil spill and the pandemic to become “America’s Largest Block Party” and draw people from nearly every state and some from abroad. At last count, Cruisin’ week has a $36.1 million economic impact just from out-of-state visitors.
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 1:17 PM.
