Signature festivals lead the way, from the 30th Cruisin' the Coast to the 48th Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival
BILOXI, Miss., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As summer winds down, Coastal Mississippi invites travelers to experience one of its vibrant and most celebrated seasons yet. From Labor Day weekend through November, the destination's 62 miles of white-sand shorelines will host a lineup of milestone anniversaries, live music, and long-standing community traditions.
Fall 2026 Biggest Events in Coastal Mississippi:
- 7th Annual Booker Fest (Sept. 4–6, 100 Men Hall, Bay St. Louis): Bay St. Louis' own Labor Day Weekend music festival celebrates the legacy of New Orleans R&B legend James Booker, who learned piano in the Bay, with a lineup of regional and national musicians, food, and more at the historic venue.
- Artwalk Downtown Ocean Springs (Sept. 5, downtown Ocean Springs): This decades-old Labor Day Weekend tradition transforms downtown Ocean Springs into an open-air gallery, with local businesses partnering with artists to showcase original paintings, pottery, and mixed-media work.
- 8th Annual Biloxi Box Set Music Festival (Sept. 10–12, South Beach Hotel & Suites, Biloxi): This beachfront "trop rock" festival draws Jimmy Buffett–inspired fans for three days of live music on the sand. This year's proceeds support Gulf Coast veterans in honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
- Biloxi Seafood Festival (Sept. 12, Biloxi): The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce's biggest fundraiser marks its 45th year on the Biloxi Town Green. This daylong celebration features a gumbo cook-off, live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, Kids Village, and more.
- 35th Annual Gulf Coast Blues Festival (Sept. 12, Good Deeds Community Center, Gulfport): Marking 35 years, this afternoon festival celebrates blues and Southern soul music with live performances, local food vendors, and community love.
- Hobie 16 International Championship (Sept. 12-25, Ocean Springs): The 2026 Hobie 16 World Championship brings hundreds of world's top catamaran sailors to Ocean Springs for two weeks of competition. The event will showcase elite racing, international camaraderie, and the natural beauty of Coastal Mississippi's waterways.
- 17th Annual Mississippi Songwriters Festival (Sept. 18–21, Ocean Springs & Gautier): A four-day celebration of original music bringing roughly 200 singer-songwriters from Mississippi, Nashville, and beyond to venues across both cities. All performances are free.
- Banana Ball in Coastal Mississippi (Sept. 25-26, Keesler Federal Park, Biloxi): The Loco Beach Coconuts and the Firefighters are bringing the fast-paced chaos of Banana Ball to Coastal Mississippi for a two-game series. Fans will experience nonstop entertainment with trick plays, dancing, crowd interactions, and more.
- Cruisin' the Coast (Oct. 4–11, Coastal Mississippi): America's Largest Block Party celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. More than 10,000 registered classic, antique, and hot rod vehicles cruise a 30-mile stretch of Highway 90 through Biloxi, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, Ocean Springs, D'Iberville, Pass Christian, and Pascagoula. Started in 1996 with just 374 cars, it's grown into Mississippi's largest special event and is voted #1 by USA Today readers for Best Car Show Competition.
- 40th Annual Fall Muster (Oct. 16–18, Beauvoir, Biloxi): One of the South's most established living history events returns to Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home & Presidential Library, for its 40th year. The weekend features Civil War–era battle reenactments, living history encampments, and a dedicated school day for students.
- 10th Annual Gulf Coast Equality Fest (Oct. 17, The Great Lawn at Harrah's Gulf Coast, Biloxi): Hosted by Gulf Coast Equality, the 10th edition carries the theme "A Decade of Diversity," marking ten years of the free, family-friendly celebration. Attendees can expect live music, drag performances, local vendors, food, and more.
- Jackson County MS Blue Ribbon Fair, Celebrating America's 250 (Oct. 18–25, Pascagoula Fairgrounds): One of the region's oldest traditions, the Blue Ribbon Fair has run for more than a century and returns for a weeklong run featuring midway rides, livestock shows, church and civic food booths, and Old Settlers Day.
- Kroctoberfest '26 (October 23, Salvation Army Kroc Center, Biloxi): This free, family-friendly fall tradition brings trunk-or-treating, a costume contest, live music, food trucks, and community vendors to the Kroc Center's campus, drawing hundreds of Gulf Coast families each year.
- Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival (Nov. 7–8, Ocean Springs): Mississippi's largest fine arts festival hits its 48th annual showing in downtown Ocean Springs. More than 400 artists, craft, and food booths draw up to 150,000 attendees over the two-day weekend, honoring Shearwater Pottery founder Peter Anderson.
- Bud & Burgers in the Bay (Nov. 8, Historic Hancock County Courthouse, Bay St. Louis): Paired with Port Air Space Day, this burger cook-off pits local grilling teams against each other for top honors and People's Choice bragging rights, with proceeds benefiting community causes and a side of space-exploration programming tied to the Stennis Space Center.
- Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival (Nov. 14-15, Harrison County Fairgrounds, Gulfport): Presented by the Highlands and Islands Association of Celtic Gatherings, this year's theme, "USA: 250 Years of Celtic Heritage," celebrates the lasting influence of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and Celtic cultures on the history and traditions of America. The two-day, family-friendly festival features Highland athletics, Celtic music, dancing, food vendors, artisans, and more.
"Fall is one of our favorite times to welcome both new and returning visitors to Coastal Mississippi," said Judy Young, CEO of Coastal Mississippi. "As the weather cools down, our events calendar heats up, creating incredible energy across the Coast. From beautiful days outdoors to festivals, food, music, and one-of-a-kind experiences, fall is the perfect time to discover, or rediscover, all the wonders of Coastal Mississippi."
For more information on the countless ways to explore Coastal Mississippi this fall, or to plan a trip today, please visit CoastalMississippi.com or follow @PlayCoastalMS on social media.
About Coastal Mississippi: Coastal Mississippi is the organization charged with promoting South Mississippi as a tourism and convention destination worldwide. Its mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure, convention, sports, and business travelers to the area. It is dedicated to maximizing the travel and tourism industry for South Mississippi. Visit CoastalMississippi.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Coastal Mississippi
