EVENT Score: 7.8
Event Information
| Event | Scrapin’ the Coast 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 26–28, 2026 |
| Venue | Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center |
| Address | 2350 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MS 39531 |
| Admission | Saturday: $25 • Sunday: $20 • Children 10 & Under: Free |
| Public Hours | Friday: Registration & Vendor Setup • Saturday: Gates Open 8:00 a.m. • Sunday: Gates Open 8:00 a.m. |
| Featured Events | Drive-Through Judging • Stereo Competition • Hydraulic Hop Off • Burnout Exhibition • Cornhole Tournament • Awards Ceremony • Vendor Marketplace |
| Vehicles on Display | Custom Trucks • Mini Trucks • Lifted Trucks • Lowriders • Cars • Jeeps • Motorcycles • ATVs • Side-by-Sides |
Every October, thousands of classic cars cruise Beach Boulevard during Cruisin’ the Coast, celebrating America’s automotive past. Three months earlier, however, the Mississippi Coast hosts a completely different kind of automotive spectacle. Instead of restored Chevrolets, vintage Fords, and chrome from the 1950s, the spotlight belongs to slammed mini trucks, lifted pickups, custom motorcycles, Jeeps, ATVs, lowriders, and some of the most creative custom vehicle builds in the country. Welcome to Scrapin’ the Coast.
Since debuting in 2002, Scrapin’ the Coast has grown from a regional gathering of custom truck enthusiasts into one of the premier custom vehicle events in the South. For one weekend each June, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center transforms into a competitive showcase where builders spend months, and in many cases years, preparing their vehicles for judging. Throughout the weekend, spectators can watch drive through judging, custom vehicle competitions, stereo competitions, hydraulic hop off contests, burnout exhibitions, vendor showcases, and an awards ceremony recognizing the weekend’s top builds. The atmosphere feels remarkably similar to a major sporting event. Every truck, car, motorcycle, and ATV represents a competitor. Owners polish every detail before rolling into the judging lanes, while thousands of fans line the show grounds to debate their favorite builds and photograph the craftsmanship. Like athletes preparing for championship weekend, competitors arrive hoping to leave Biloxi with hardware, bragging rights, and recognition among one of the largest custom vehicle communities in the country.
Entry & Access
Score: 8/10
One of Scrapin’ the Coast’s biggest strengths is just how easy it is to reach. The Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center sits directly on U.S. Highway 90 (Beach Boulevard), one of the main east-west corridors along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Whether you’re driving in from New Orleans, Mobile, Hattiesburg, or the Florida Panhandle, finding the venue is straightforward, with clear highway signage and multiple routes leading to the Coliseum.
The event officially kicks off Friday, which is primarily reserved for participant registration, vendor setup, and evening activities. The public show opens in full on the weekend, with gates opening at 8:00 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is the marquee day of the weekend, featuring drive-through judging, stereo competitions, the hydraulic hop off competition, vendors, DJs, and many of the event’s featured attractions. Sunday opens at 8:00 a.m. as well and offers a slightly more relaxed atmosphere, highlighted by the stereo competition finals and the afternoon awards ceremony as competitors learn who takes home the weekend’s top honors.
Unlike many large festivals that require satellite parking or lengthy shuttle rides, the Coliseum offers plenty of on-site parking surrounding the facility. While traffic can become congested during peak arrival times on Saturday morning and early afternoon, especially as competitors continue to roll in, parking is rarely a major obstacle thanks to the size of the complex. The venue was built to accommodate major concerts, sporting events, and conventions, and its expansive parking lots handle the steady flow of both show vehicles and spectators throughout the weekend.
Once inside, the event is easy to navigate. Scrapin’ the Coast utilizes both the indoor convention center and the expansive outdoor grounds surrounding the Coliseum, creating a natural flow between exhibit halls, vendor areas, competition spaces, and outdoor displays. Wide walkways make it easy to move between hundreds of custom vehicles while stopping to admire craftsmanship, visit with owners, browse vendor booths, or grab photos. The indoor exhibits also provide a welcome break from the summer heat before heading back outside to catch the weekend’s featured competitions.
Event Quest Tip: Plan to arrive between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. You’ll beat the largest crowds, have easier access to parking, and get the best opportunity to photograph the vehicles before spectators fill the aisles. It’s also the best time to explore the indoor displays before spending the afternoon watching the stereo competition, hydraulic hop off, and other featured events.
Value
Score: 8/10
For a weekend event that brings this much energy to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Scrapin’ the Coast offers strong value. Spectator admission is $25 on Friday and Saturday and $20 on Sunday, with children 10 and under admitted free. That is a fair price considering visitors are not just walking through a small parking lot car meet. They are getting access to one of the South’s largest custom truck, car, and bike shows, spread across both the indoor Coliseum space and the outdoor show grounds.
The value is strongest on Saturday. That is the day when the event feels the most like a championship weekend. Gates open to the public at 8 a.m., with drive-through judging, stereo competition, DJs, vendor areas and the hop off/hydraulic competition all part of the schedule. By the afternoon, the event has the feel of a motorsports festival. Owners are still polishing details, spectators are moving from row to row, stereo competitors are testing sound systems, and the hydraulic competition gives the crowd a true showtime moment.
What separates Scrapin’ the Coast from a normal car show is the competitive structure. The vehicles are not just there to be admired. They are being judged. Builders are competing for awards, recognition, and bragging rights in front of thousands of automotive enthusiasts. The stereo competition adds another layer, turning sound systems into their own form of competition. The hop off and hydraulic contest brings a crowd reaction element, almost like a dunk contest or skills challenge. Even the drive-through judging gives the weekend a sports feel, with each vehicle rolling through like a competitor entering the arena.
That is where the event really earns its value. A casual visitor can enjoy the paint, wheels, stance, lifted trucks, slammed builds, motorcycles, Jeeps, ATVs, and vendor booths. But the more time you spend there, the more you start to notice the details that separate one build from another. Custom interiors, suspension setups, audio installs, fabrication work, lighting, wraps, paint, engine bays, and wheel choices all become part of the competition. It is a sport of craftsmanship, presentation, creativity, and patience.
The crowd size also helps justify the price. Scrapin’ the Coast regularly draws thousands of automotive enthusiasts to Biloxi, and that large turnout gives the event the atmosphere of a major Gulf Coast weekend rather than a niche hobby gathering. Coastal Mississippi promotes it as one of the largest custom truck and car shows in the South, and the event has clearly become a summer anchor for Biloxi’s automotive scene.
Sunday is slightly cheaper at $20 and has a different rhythm. It is not quite as packed with activity as Saturday, but it still offers value for visitors who want a more relaxed experience. Gates open at 8 a.m., stereo competition continues until 2 p.m., and the awards presentation begins at 3 p.m. If Saturday is the regular season, Sunday is championship day. That is when the weekend’s top builds are recognized and the hardware is handed out.
The only reason this section does not score a perfect 10 is because some visitors who are not into custom vehicles may not immediately understand the competition side of the event. If someone walks in expecting a traditional festival, the value may depend on how much time they are willing to spend learning what they are looking at. But for car fans, truck fans, photographers, families, and anyone interested in Gulf Coast sports culture, Scrapin’ the Coast gives you a lot for the price.
Eats & Drinks
Score: 5/10
From a sports-event perspective, the food setup feels more like a stadium or arena event than a street festival. You can grab something on-site, cool off inside, get a drink, and head back out to the show grounds. It works well enough if you are spending several hours walking between the indoor displays, outdoor rows, stereo competition, hydraulic hop off, and vendor areas.
The stronger food play, however, is using Biloxi itself. One of the advantages of Scrapin’ the Coast is that the Coliseum sits right on Beach Boulevard, surrounded by seafood restaurants, casino dining, beach bars, and casual Coast staples. Instead of treating the on-site food as the main attraction, make it part of a larger Biloxi game day. Eat before the show, walk the event for several hours, then finish the evening with seafood, po’boys, oysters, or a casino meal.
That approach fits the event better anyway. Scrapin’ the Coast is hot, loud, crowded, and spread out. A quick concession meal can get you through the day, but the best visitor experience is pairing the show with a real Gulf Coast meal before or after. In that sense, the event benefits from its location more than its on-site food offerings.
Neighborhood
Score: 10/10
If there is one category where Scrapin’ the Coast earns a perfect score, it is the neighborhood. Few event venues in the Southeast can match the location of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Sitting directly on Beach Boulevard (U.S. Highway 90), the Coliseum places visitors in the heart of Mississippi’s tourism corridor, surrounded by beaches, restaurants, casinos, shopping, family attractions, and entertainment. Even if Scrapin’ the Coast wasn’t taking place, there would still be enough to fill an entire weekend on the Coast.
The first thing you’ll notice after walking out of the Coliseum is the Gulf of America. Across the street, visitors have immediate access to Biloxi Beach, the longest man beach in the country. It is not uncommon to see visitors leave the show for a while, walk across Highway 90, and relax on the beach before heading back inside. If you’re looking for a break from the crowds or simply want to enjoy the scenery, the beach is only a two-minute walk from the front entrance.
For visitors who enjoy walking, the Biloxi Boardwalk begins just east of the Coliseum behind Sharkheads. The wooden boardwalk winds along the beachfront and provides access to several restaurants while offering some of the best views of the Mississippi Sound. It’s a relaxing way to end the day after spending hours walking the show grounds.
Within just a few minutes of the Coliseum, you’ll find several popular seafood restaurants that have become staples of the Mississippi Coast dining scene. Shaggy’s Biloxi Beach, Snapper’s Seafood, The Reef, Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, and Sal & Mookie’s are all nearby and make excellent choices before or after the event. Whether you’re looking for fresh Gulf seafood, oysters, burgers, pizza, or a cold drink overlooking the water, you won’t have to travel far.
One thing visitors may notice is that there isn’t a casino within easy walking distance of the Coliseum. Fortunately, that’s hardly a disadvantage. Within roughly a 3 to 4 mile drive, you’ll find eight casino resorts, each offering its own personality and entertainment options. The elegant Beau Rivage Resort & Casino remains one of the Gulf Coast’s signature destinations, while the music-themed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi offers a livelier atmosphere. Visitors can also choose from Golden Nugget Biloxi, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, IP Casino Resort Spa, Palace Casino Resort, Treasure Bay Casino, and Boomtown Casino Biloxi. Whether you’re interested in gaming, fine dining, nightlife, or simply exploring the resorts, Biloxi provides far more options than most event destinations.
Families attending Scrapin’ the Coast will also find plenty to keep children entertained after leaving the show. Just a short drive from the Coliseum is Big Play Entertainment Center, featuring go-karts, miniature golf, arcade games, bumper cars, laser tag, and bowling. Another favorite is Margaritaville Resort Biloxi, home to one of the Gulf Coast’s largest indoor family entertainment centers. Its amusement area includes ropes courses, climbing attractions, arcade games, rides, escape rooms, and other family-friendly activities, making it easy to turn Scrapin’ the Coast into a full weekend vacation.
Downtown Biloxi is also only a few minutes away and is worth exploring once the show winds down. The district continues to grow as one of the Coast’s premier dining and entertainment areas. Local favorites such as The Fillin’ Station, Ground Zero Blues Club, Patio 44, and Half Shell Oyster House give visitors a wide variety of dining options, while the surrounding streets offer breweries, live music, historic buildings, and a vibrant nightlife scene that complements the daytime atmosphere at Scrapin’ the Coast.
If shopping is on your itinerary, Edgewater Mall sits roughly one mile west of the Coliseum and is the largest enclosed shopping mall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Along with national retailers, visitors will find additional restaurants, coffee shops, and places to cool off during the heat of a late June afternoon.
Simply put, Scrapin’ the Coast benefits from one of the best event locations anywhere along the Gulf Coast. Within a five-minute drive, visitors can relax on the beach, enjoy fresh seafood, visit casinos, explore downtown Biloxi, shop at the mall, or entertain the family at one of several attractions. It’s the type of neighborhood that encourages visitors to make a weekend out of the event rather than simply driving in for the day.
Tips & Takeaways
Score: 8/10
If you’re visiting Scrapin’ the Coast for the first time, think of it as a sporting event rather than just a car show. Arrive early, wear comfortable shoes, and plan to spend several hours exploring. Between the indoor exhibits, outdoor show field, vendor marketplace, stereo competition, hydraulic hop off, and hundreds of custom vehicles, there is far more to see than most first-time visitors expect.
Saturday is the best day to attend. It features the largest crowds, drive-through judging, stereo competitions, vendors, and many of the weekend’s signature events. Sunday offers a more relaxed atmosphere and concludes with the awards ceremony, making it a great option for those wanting to see the top builds recognized.
Late June on the Mississippi Coast can be hot and humid, so bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and stay hydrated. The air-conditioned convention center provides a welcome break from the heat before heading back outside.
Even if you’re not a hardcore car enthusiast, take time to watch the competitions. Seeing the judging process, stereo competition, and hydraulic hop off helps you appreciate the craftsmanship, creativity, and countless hours invested in each build. That’s what gives Scrapin’ the Coast its unique sports-like atmosphere.
Final Takeaway
Scrapin’ the Coast has become to custom trucks and modified vehicles what Cruisin’ the Coast is to classic automobiles. While Cruisin’ celebrates automotive history, Scrapin’ showcases today’s custom car culture through competition, craftsmanship, and creativity. Combined with Biloxi’s beaches, restaurants, casinos, and attractions, it has become one of the premier summer weekends on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Event Quest Tip: Make it a full weekend. Spend Saturday at Scrapin’ the Coast, then explore Biloxi’s beaches, seafood restaurants, casinos, and downtown. The event is outstanding on its own, but pairing it with everything the Coast has to offer makes for an unforgettable getaway.
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