Fans of Cruisin’ The Coast voted it the best car show in USA Today’s Reader’s Choice awards for the fifth year in a row.
The announcement came Wednesday, with the antique and classic car show topping 19 other events, such as Back to the ‘50s Weekend, Triple Crown of Rodding, NSRA Street Rod Nationals, Grand National Roadster Show and the Woodward Dream Cruise.
“So we won it five straight years now,” said Woody Bailey, executive director of the event known as “America’s Largest Block Party.” The first year it made it into the contest the event came in second.
It’s still a thrill to win after five years, Bailey said. “I think it’s maybe even better that we can maintain this excitement and enthusiasm over Cruisin’ The Coast.”
More 4,065 cars from 41 states, Canada and Great Britain are already registered for the 28th edition of the event, which will run from Oct. 6 to 13 and involves all 12 cities and three counties across South Mississippi.
That’s on pace with last year, when 10,070 vehicles from 45 states, Canada, Germany and England were registered. More than 1,000 of those vehicles were first-timers.
Why Cruisin’ is No. 1
Editors at USA Today chose the 20 nominees and voters chose their favorite.
“When voting began, we came out of the shoot in the No. 2 spot, but our participants, fans and followers quickly put us on top, where we stayed for the balance of the competition,” said Bailey.
USA Today described the appeal of the event: “Cruise between the different venues, each a festival in and of itself, and catch live music, food, merchandise, a car auction, swap meet, parade, and plenty of car talk.”
Here are the reasons Bailey said he believes Cruisin’ The Coast topped the list:
▪ Our participants and spectators spread the word about CTC across the country
▪ The cars are always the stars of the show.” The oldest registered vehicle last year was a 1913 Cadillac cruising car — and there also was a “car” in the shape of a giant shopping cart. “You never know what you’ll see at Cruisin The Coast.”
▪ The show resonates with everyone. “It’s impressive people from all over the country are voting for us,” Bailey said. When CTC was first nominated, it went up against some of the oldest shows and largest population areas of the country, yet fans vote for the show on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
▪ The setting. Drivers get to cruise along U.S. 90 and see the beach and the water.
▪ A great deal of the success is because of to the people all across the Mississippi Gulf Coast who roll out the red carpet for the visitors and local participants
▪ The sponsors and all the volunteers who help run the show. Last year 585 volunteers gave 10,494 hours to the show.
▪ “Everybody understands what this event does for our overall economy,” Bailey said, providing an economic impact of $36 million in 2022 from out of town visitors.
Cruisin’ was started in 1996 by Coast business and casino leaders to extend the tourism season. It had 374 registered vehicles. Bailey said.
Source Agencies
