Cruzin’ Clinton Car Show returns for 17th year

By Sherry Lucas    

Cool and classic cars and trucks go out for a spin and a grin on Saturday, September 19, as the 2026 rendition of the Cruzin’ Clinton Car Show and Parade gets back into gear.

Grab a look at these beauties and charmers during the parade, which strikes out from Clinton Plaza onto Clinton Boulevard at 9 a.m., and see even more cars and trucks at the car show on Olde Towne’s brick streets from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Usually, between forty and sixty vehicles join the event’s parade portion, with day-of-event onsite registration ($25 per vehicle) possible at the Clinton Plaza gathering point.

The recent parade route change that has vehicles pass through Brookdale Clinton assisted living facility has been a positive one, said Pete Tyer, who organizes and directs cars for the parade.

“The parade now has purpose for me,” Tyer said, giving Brookdale residents the chance to enjoy the sight.

The Cruzin’ Clinton Car Show typically features one hundred to one hundred twenty vehicles parked in Olde Towne for show and tell.

Seventy vehicles had pre-registered by press time, an all-time high at this point, noted Main Street Clinton Assistant Director Ashley Hammack. “We typically gain another fifty or so onsite, so we are looking for this year’s show to have a record number of participants!”

“It’s a great opportunity for those who just really are enthusiasts about cars to bring their vehicles out and share that camaraderie with other people in the car community,” car show organizer Tison Reno said. “And it’s a great chance to see cars you don’t typically see on the road.

“The cool thing about this car show is that it’s open to all vehicles,” Reno said, so the range can extend from cars manufactured back in the 1930s and 1940s, all the way up to newer model muscle cars. It can include anything from old trucks found in a barn and spruced up, to racy old hot rods, to pristine and beautiful head-turners, to really big engines in really tiny cars. He recalled a Daytona Coupe replica that stood out at a previous show.

Now in its 17th year, Cruzin’ Clinton continues to strongly pull in vehicle owners from central Mississippi, with a majority from Clinton and Madison.

“Just about any event for people who share a common interest is going to be a hit,” Hammack said, “and car shows appeal even more, because participants get to show off their ‘babies!’”

She means, of course, their vehicles, but her wording isn’t too far off. In some cases, owners consider beloved, long-owned cars and trucks practically members of the family, with their own character and quirks.

Reno noticed a bit of a trend in recent years of old work trucks from the ’60s and ’70s in the show, their patina of age preserved, as well as the little dents and bit of rust that are part of their history.

“All those dings and dents tell a story of that vehicle. A lot of these trucks are part of families for decades.”

He spoke fondly of his late father-in-law’s 1976 Chevy C10 pickup — work truck for his medical sales, high school vehicle for his daughter (Tison’s wife) Allison, then family farm workhorse.

“Now we have a chance for our boys to ride it in the pastures at the farm,” Reno said. “There are so many memories and stories associated with that truck.…I’m taking the opportunity to preserve that vehicle, so our family can continue to enjoy it.

“Every vehicle has got a story,” he said, and practically every owner loves talking about theirs. Just ask. Participants love talking about customizing their rides, preserving their appeal and sharing that journey with the next generation as they pass along their passion for cars and trucks, Reno said, “Just like my father did with me.”

Catch the car show’s awards ceremony around 1 p.m. The stash of trophies includes seven special awards (such as Mayor’s Award, Grand Marshal Award and People’s Choice), eight sponsor awards, Top 25 and Best in Show.

Two new awards this year are an MC Alumnus Award, in conjunction with the school’s 200th anniversary and awarded to an alum parking within the designated MC parking block, and an America 250 Patriotic Award for the car with the best patriotic decorations.

“Participants take great pride in their vehicle(s), and we are pleased to be able to recognize them with these awards,” Hammack said.