by K.G. McAnally, Staff Writer
BAY ST.LOUIS (GG) — On Wednesday, December 31st, 2025, thousands watched the 6th annual Oyster Drop at midnight at 200 North Beach Restaurant and Bar in Bay-style. The festivities began at 6:00pm, with traffic closed to the general public by 5:00pm to allow for event set up and deliveries. The celebration continued until 1:00am, with a huge crowd of locals and welcome visitors ringing in the New Year.
Entertainment stated with a DJ followed by Category 6 at 7:30pm and The Chee Weez performed before the fireworks show started at midnight.
As in years past, the event was free to the public presented by Hancock Whitney and the city of Bay St. Louis. Event parking and VIP packages were available and offered access to exclusive balcony views of the oyster drop and fireworks, as well as heavy hors d’oeurves, bottomless champagne, and New Year’s Eve swag.
Since 2019 the Oyster Drop has become a Bay St. Louis tradition, with the first drop attracting a crowd of a few hundred people. 2025’s celebration boasted a much bigger turnout, with more than 4,000 people in attendance.
The oyster was originally commissioned by Jim McPhaille and designed by local artist, Steve Barney. It was positioned on the steps and operated by a hand crank. It now proudly sits atop the restaurant roof with automatic operation that notoriously malfunctioned as in previous years. This year, Joel Geiger from Lewis Geiger Designs repainted the original oyster for the much anticipated New Year’s Eve celebration.
2025 marked the first year that event organizers offered Oyster Drop merchandise, with a tent that prominently featured the commemorative t-shirts. New Year’s Eve celebrations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are a tradition for many. Thousands chose the attend the Oyster Drop, a unique celebration in Bay St. Louis.
(Photos by K.G. McAnally/The Gazebo Gazette)
