They may be shouting, ”laissez les bons temps rouler!” in New Orleans, but the party is also underway on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Peter recently sat down with the locals in Biloxi, Mississippi, to learn about the events that define this Gulf Coast city, from Mardi Gras traditions to cruising classic cars to power boat racing.
Peter Greenberg: Tell me what’s different about Mardi Gras here than you’d find in New Orleans?
Woody Bailey: It’s one of the safest Mardi Gras that there is. Mobile and New Orleans have outstanding Mardi Gras and most people think about New Orleans, but Biloxi has a tremendous event. People don’t know much about it and we need to get that word out there.
PG: What makes it different other than that it’s safer?
WB: It’s the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the hospitality. The red carpet is always out here for folks on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and for Mardi Gras it’s not an exception.
PG: Are the floats different here?
WB: Floats are somewhat similar.
PG: And you’ve got the king cake.
WB: Oh, we got the king cakes all over the place.
PG: And what happens when you get the baby?
WB: You’re in charge of getting the next king cake.
PG: That’s the problem. So nobody really wants to get that baby cause now you’re buying.
WB: Right. Well it’s still a little fun to hunt for the baby while you’re sifting through the cake.
PG: The thing about Mardi Gras is you’ve got 23 different parades going on.
WB: Yes, yes we do. There are lots of things going on. People can come here for the weekend and stay from Mardi Gras to Fat Tuesday and just have a great time. It’s easy to get around, the crowds are manageable, the parade comes right by the Beau Rivage—what more could you ask?
PG: Let’s go beyond Mardi Gras for a second because when you wanted to talk classic cars, you’ve got something called Cruisin’ the Coast.
WB: We do. We started that event in 1996. Our Sweet 16 is coming up for us in October.
PG: I talk about the Barrett Jackson classic car show in Arizona, but this is different.
WB: This is an event where you get to use your car. A lot of people go to a car event and they sit in a field and they auction them off, but here we cruise the coast. We have a 26-mile beach front area that you cruise up and down and you go to certain events. These cars don’t stay on a trailer, they’re out actively running up and down the coast. We had about 5,484 vehicles registered last year and that was almost our record year.
PG: What does it take to register a car? It’s got to be a really cool car to ride in this thing?
WB: Well, we’re 25 years old or older so that’s the only requirement.
PG: So if it’s running it shows up?
WB: That’s correct and running is important like I say cause we have events for you to do. That’s why it’s so unique.
PG: If the only requirement is to be 25 years or older, you’ve got to tell me what’s the ugliest car that showed up at this event last year?
WB: Some unique cars show up. One year we had this old truck —it was an old rust bucket and this guy’s a crab fisherman—and he won the flame-throwing competition. You never know who’s going to show up.
PG: Excuse me, what is the flame-throwing competition?
WB: Who can shoot out the best flames from their exhaust pipes. Some vehicles are equipped with spark plugs that are ignited when the exhaust gas comes out and they shoot out flames.
PG: So the fire department is involved?
WB: The fire department is there. We did it on grass this past year and we did catch some grass on fire a little bit.We had the fire extinguishers there so there was no problem.
PG: If that’s not your speed then you have boat racing.
WB: Exactly. We have Smokin’ the Lake and Smokin’ the Sound power boat races.
PG: No flames coming out of those, I hope.
WB: Uh, sometimes. We’ve got one boat that has a few flames out of his exhaust sometimes, but for the most part we try to keep the flames away from the boats, that don’t work too well. Fire and water don’t mix very well, but Smokin’ the Sound is an offshore power boat race that’s coming up the weekend of April 26-29, and the Smokin’ the Sound Poker Run. Then we have a poker run. Our barrier islands are very dear to my heart and our poker run showcases those islands. The next weekend is Smokin’ the Lake, which is a drag-boat race.
PG: So, basically, if you like flames and speed and old cars that just show up and start belching…
WB: …We got it
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