Cruisin’ the Coast voted best car show in the U.S. for 7th consecutive year

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) — For the seventh consecutive year, Cruisin’ the Coast (CTC) has been voted the best car event in the nation, CTC Executive Director Woody Bailey announced Wednesday.

Considered “America’s Largest Block Party,” CTC came out on top of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2026 during a monthlong social media public vote. A total of 20 car events were nominated by USA TODAY editors and industry experts.

[ See more Cruisin' the Coast content ]

Classic cars packed downtown Moss Point for Cruisin' The River City (WLOX)

Downtown Ocean Springs is filled with the sound of engines revving, oldies music drifting through the air, and crowds of smiling faces as Cruisin’ the Coast 2025 kicks into high gear. (wlox)

“When voting began, our participants, fans and followers quickly put us on top, where we stayed for a good portion of the competition,” Bailey said. “Our participants and spectators come back year after year because of the hospitality found along our Mississippi Gulf Coast and keep voting us number one. They tell our story the best and spread the word about CTC across the country. But winning this award is a real testament to the hard work put in by our staff, support of our sponsors and the thousands of hours put in by hundreds of volunteers who make Cruisin’ the event it has become.”

Other prestigious car show events in the running included Back to the 50s Weekend, Triple Crown of Rodding, the Amelia Concours d’Elegance, NSRA Street Rod Nationals, Hot August Nights and the Woodward Dream Cruise.

“We are flattered each year to be nominated alongside these great events,” said Bailey. “But to come out on top reassures us that we provide an event that is enjoyed by our participants.”

[ 2025: Cruisin’ the Coast named best car show in the U.S. ]

For 10 years, the event has gained momentum, and many say this is the place to be for all things Crusin’. (WLOX)

For the thousands of cruisers converging on the Coast, the classic cars are still everything. (WLOX)

CTC began in 1996, with 374 vehicles participating in the four-day event. The 2025 event was eight days long and registered a record-breaking 10,334 vehicles from 41 states, Australia, Canada, England and Germany.

This year’s event, scheduled for October 4-11, currently has more than 4,500 registered vehicles from 39 states, Australia, Canada, England and New Zealand.

See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.

Cruisin’ the Coast voted best car show in the U.S. for 7th consecutive year

Homepage

Things to Do