Annual Vicari Auto Auction kicks off with one extra day for memorabilia items
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - From classic vehicles to vintage memorabilia, the Vicari Auto Auction is a car lover’s dream place to shop.
The four-day auction kicked off Wednesday inside the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center. New this year, they added one extra day designated strictly for memorabilia items.
“We are not a one-size-fits-all. We have something for everybody here,” Deal Doc Steve Williams said. “Signs, Coca-Cola machines, oil cans, you name it.”
About 300 classic items hit the auction block Wednesday.
“We’re selling about one every minute or two, so it’s about eight or nine hours full of nothing but memorabilia, just one item after the other,” Williams said.
The Vicari auction has been a part of Cruisin’ the Coast for 24 years and has sold tens of thousands of cars to buyers across several continents. Each year, millions are spent at the auction.
It was one of Cruisin’s first major sponsors.
“Literally, it’s like a family,” Williams said. “It doesn’t matter what walk of life or what demographic or what eco-situation you may be in. When you come together for Cruisin’ the Coast, everybody is of like-mind. Everybody loves classic cars, and they love to just get together.”
Seller Kevin Steelman is joining the show for his seventh year. From Blanchard, Okla., three of his antique vehicles are up for auction, including a 1972 convertible Ford Mustang.
“It’s definitely busy, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s fun for the whole family,” he said. “There’s a lot more cars here this year than last year.”
Sandra Wilkey and David Wilkey from east Tennessee are also selling a couple of classic cars: a 1955 Thunderbird and a ‘78 convertible Volkswagen.
“If you like something, just buy it. It’s a short life,” David said.
The two have been cruising for about 23 years.
“As we get older, we want to see the younger generation still care about our cars,” Sandra said. “So, this is kind of one way to draw attention to the craft, you know, and just taking care of old cars and restoring them and keeping them alive.”
The bidding will start Thursday for about 500 to 600 antique vehicles and will continue until Saturday.
Keesler Federal Credit Union is on-site for assistance with bidding, and you can also join in online.
Click here to see a full schedule of events for this year’s Cruisin’ the Coast!
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