BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Hundreds of car fanatics packed the IP Casino in Biloxi on Tuesday night for the 2026 Cruisin’ the Coast flame-throwing Contest.
The event had previously been held at the Island View in Gulfport. The venue change allowed many attendees to experience the event for the first time.
“I just like the way they can toss the flames up in there. I love it,” said attendee Theron Carr.
While spectators responded to the change of venue, organizers said competitors did not turn out in usual numbers.
The event had one participant this year. Organizers said that in the 20 years they have held the event, they typically have six to eight competitors, sometimes more. Organizers said they are not yet sure what caused the drop in competitors.
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Kurt Broussard, a regular at the flame-throwing contest, was the lone flame-thrower this year, giving him as much runway as he needed to show what his car could do.
“I think the car done well tonight. I mean, it done more than I thought it was going to do,” Broussard said.
While the crowd was slightly disheartened by the number of competitors, they were thrilled by Broussard’s performance. Many described the event as amazing.
“He should get the best trophy every year because he’s always the one that shows up. So, it was amazing,” said Jonathan, an attendee.
“That’s great. That makes you feel good. Makes you want to come back again and do the same thing again next year. I will be back with bigger flames,” Broussard said.
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