Last updated on October 5th, 2023 at 05:10 pm
Scrapin the Coast, Jeepin the Coast, and Cruzin the Coast all have two things in common. Love custom and classic cars and trucks plus the beach. These annual events are all part of the best car & truck show schedule on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Adding to the passion for all things that move is the Gulf Coast Big Rig Truck Show also held each year on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
You need to set your calendar and make sure you are here for one or all of these shows. No doubt about it, these shows are the best of the best in the United States.
In addition to the above, an occasional monster truck event will take place at the Coliseum which is ground zero for many of the auto and truck shows held on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The shows are all different in their presentation but most have free parking, food trucks, and cool cars and trucks.
The entire Mississippi Gulf Coast participates
The general public can see these vehicles driving around the Mississippi Gulf Coast on U.S. 90 which is Beach Blvd. There is an entry fee for some shows at the coliseum, you can check the links provided below for up-to-date details on their events.
Each year, the small cities all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast cooperate to allow tens of thousands of people to visit and see their favorite vehicles. I say vehicles because to mention cars and trucks does not do justice to other things that move through the use of liquid energy. The shows draw an eclectic group of participating vehicles. Year after year the number of people registering their vehicles for these events seems to grow as does the size of the viewing public.
If you are looking for a family-friendly event with good food and live music, you will have come to the right place regardless of what show you attend. Let’s get into the shows and describe what they are all about:
Jeeping the Coast
Jeeps are very popular on the Mississippi Gulf Coast so it’s no wonder why the Coast was chosen for this annual event. Unlike the name “Scrapin” above which can mean anything, it’s pretty clear what “Jeepin” means. All things Jeep is part of this annual event which is well attended both by participants and guests. Last year hit an attendance record that will probably be exceeded this year. You can tell by all of the smiles that people who come to watch have a good time.
Set your calendars for May 31 through June 4 2023 to attend this family-friendly event. Family-friendly is a theme for all of the Coast events. Many participants bring their entire families with them to ride around in their vehicles. Spectators bring their chairs and food and then plant themselves along the highway to watch the vehicles drive by.
All of the shows have one thing in common, there are areas of the Gulf Coast where they gather alongside the highway so people can stop by and see them up front and personally.
Jeeping the Coast Schedule
May 31 – 5:00 Kickoff Party Amplified Designs -200 Davis Ave Pass Christian- 5:00-8:00PM Live Entertainment Aaron Foret
June 1 – 6:00 PM – Thankful Thursday w/C4AC: Party at Sully’s, – Live Music Ryan Foret & Foret Traditions – Sully’s 1316 30th Ave, Gulfport – 8:30 PM Light and Sound Competition – Sullys – 10:00 PM After party with live entertainment – Tripletails, 113 s Beach, Bay St Louis
June 2 – 9:00-6:00 PM, Vendor Village – Jeep Central- 10:30, Poker Run begins – 10:00-2:00 PM JTC Beach Crawl (Cruise the sand beaches of Long Beach) – 2:00-4:00 PM Show & Shine Jeep Show – Jeep Central – 7:00-10:00 PM – Friday Night Concert at Jeep Central – 8:30 Firework Show on beach – Jeep Central – 10:00 PM After party live entertainment – Tripletails Bay St Louis
June 3 – 9:30-7:00 PM – Vendor Village – 10:00-2:00 PM JTC Beach Crawl – Trainman Ave, Hwy 90 in Long Beach – Block Party Beach Central – 6:00 PM – Jeep only parade Town Green – 7:30-10:00 PM – Concert in the streets – Jeep Central
June 4 – 9:30-10:00 AM – See-ya-later party – Anitas Bar 828 US-90, Bay St Louis – 9:30 AM – Sunday non-denominal church service Oaks on Long Beach Town Green, 301 Jeff Davis Ave, Long Beach
Scrapin the Coast
This is the second of the auto and truck shows of the year. The 2023 show is held from June 23 through June 25. The Mississippi Coliseum in Biloxi is ground central for the show. Vehicle registration is available in late December of the prior year. What is Scrapin’ the Coast? Good question, I searched the internet to find a good explanation and found little except for registration information. Since I have seen many of the participating vehicles in past years let me describe them to you.
Take a new or vintage car or truck and reimagine it. Start by lowering it to the ground with hydraulics and build-up. This is why they call it Scraping the Coast. These cars and trucks have very unique art, paint, and custom bodies. I love how each is a work of art, not just the painting but the customization of every part of the original car or truck. You can see these vehicles in the parking lot at the Coliseum and inside the building as well.
Beach Blvd is the place to view the cars and trucks
You will also be able to see them driving all around the Gulf coast close to Beach Blvd which runs along the beach for many miles. Often a cluster of vehicles will be parked at the beach or in a lot just off Beach Blvd where the public can see them up close. Bring earplugs for some as they can make some noise. Don’t be surprised if a few start at the green light and lay rubber for a few yards. The Utube video above gives you an excellent overview of the show.
Lots of people attend this show so book your accommodation early. Try ChristiesGulfBeachRentals.com for a vacation rental property large enough to accommodate your vehicles and trailers.
Scrapin the Coast brings in lots of people from all over the country for this annual event. If you love custom pick-up trucks, and cars you should be here for this event. These vehicles have tens of thousands of dollars in custom work including devices to lower them to the ground. This is why they can “scrape” although you don’t see that because they spend as much time under their vehicles as they do up top.
If you are sitting along the highway, you can see these terriffic vehicles drive by all day. This show brings out locals who have custom cars but don’t register them. I see lots of sports cars as well. Everyone has a good time, family fun.
July 4th Celebrations Mississippi Gulf Coast
In between the big shows is July 4th. This is a great time on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Cities and others plan firework displays, music, food, and much more all along the Coast.
Check out this article that lists all of the activities on the Coast for the July 4th Weekend.
Gulf Coast Big Rig Truck Show
July 21-July 23 2023 be prepared to be surprised by all of this great hardware. The Mississippi Coast Convention Center is where it’s at. Drop by to see some of the most amazing customized big rigs in the country. I have been fortunate to see the convoy of tractors on U.S. 90 in front of the beach for the past two years.
At least one of the trucks had a locomotive horn that probably chased away the fish. Admission is $15, free with military ID and children under 13 are free with an adult ticket. These giant tractors will be on display for all to see. You can meet with the owners and ask questions about their trucks and what they are used for. Most of these are working trucks.
There are three main events. The truck convoy, Chrome on the Coast Competition, and the exhibitions. For more information about the show click here on the show’s website.
As you can see, people gather all along the highway to view the trucks in their convoy. This is what happens for all of the car and truck shows. The Utube video above is from 2021 but it gives you an idea of what to expect in 2023. These tractors are worth several hundred thousand dollars and sometimes much more.
The tractors are owned by people who use them to make a living and take time to improve the look of this and other shows. In addition to the tons of chrome, I love the sleepers. You have to see the inside of some of these mobile homes to believe them. Plan to see the convoy and visit the convention center to see these magnificent creations up close.
Cruzin the Coast
All of the car and truck shows are great. Cruzin the coast brings in classic vehicles. Most but not all of these vehicles are close to their original state. Large groupings of the 1950s and 1960s muscle cars are the core of this show. Lots of baby boomers get to see cars their parents drove when knew and they drove as older teenagers or when they were in their early 20s. Many baby boomers never had the chance to buy their childhood dream car but here they are all on display.
This show is the biggest on the coast and it deserves its blog article which is updated yearly as soon as the next year’s schedule is available. Check it out here and come back for updates on all of the shows as their schedules are published we will add them.
This year’s event is held from October 1 through October 8th, 2023. Click the photo above later as the event schedule is not yet available but will be soon. I did not include a Youtube video in this article because you can go to the blog article on Cruzin the Coast and read more about it.
Accommodations
Consider staying at a vacation home when you come to see these great trucks, cars, or pick-up trucks. Christie’s Gulf Beach Rentals has a large number of accommodations from houses with yards and room to park your trailers to townhomes and condos. Some sleep 6 and others sleep up to 13. These events bring in lots of people from all over the country so book early if you want a selection.
Some of Christie’s properties permit pets with advance approval. Some have fire pits and bbqs. Click on Christie’s name above to visit their site and make reservations on the website. Cruzin the Coast is the most difficult event to find accommodations if you wait too long. Many attendees reserve a full year in advance.
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