Slang for the shores of the Great Lakes, specifically Lake Michigan and more specifically Chicago; also known locally to Chicagoans as The Lakefront. The term Third Coast has its origins in Midwestern annoyance at East and West Coast attitudes (namely, the ones that forget there's an entire country out there in the heartland between sea coasts that doesn't need New York or L.A. in order to continue to exist).
1. Prominent Third Coast authors include mystery writer Sara Paretsky, lawyer turned novelist Scott Turow, and poet Marc Smith, originator of the infamous poetry slams at the Green Mill Lounge.
2. Dude, I'm headed down Lake Shore Drive for the Third Coast Festival. You coming?
2. Dude, I'm headed down Lake Shore Drive for the Third Coast Festival. You coming?
by mrtraska April 22, 2006
Third Coast is a term to describe the highly urbanized stretch of U.S. cities and large towns along the Great Lakes shoreline. This area is generally considered to be bordered by Southeast Wisconsin on the West and Upstate New York on the East.
It is referred to as the Third Coast because politically and socially, it aligns more with coastal states than the rest of so-called "Middle America." It also shares a lot of physical similarities (such as beaches) which are commonly thought to only exist on the coasts.
Recently, residents of Chicago have tried to claim their city alone is synonymous with Third Coast. However, it actually refers to the entire Great Lakes region as there are a number of entities in the business and entertainment world outside of Chicago (especially in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio) that identify themselves as "Third Coast."
Some of the major cities in this region are Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
(Please note that similar to how Philadelphia is considered East Coast even though it's not actually on the ocean, a city does not actually have to be on the Great Lakes to be considered part of the Third Coast.)
See Also: North Coast
It is referred to as the Third Coast because politically and socially, it aligns more with coastal states than the rest of so-called "Middle America." It also shares a lot of physical similarities (such as beaches) which are commonly thought to only exist on the coasts.
Recently, residents of Chicago have tried to claim their city alone is synonymous with Third Coast. However, it actually refers to the entire Great Lakes region as there are a number of entities in the business and entertainment world outside of Chicago (especially in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio) that identify themselves as "Third Coast."
Some of the major cities in this region are Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
(Please note that similar to how Philadelphia is considered East Coast even though it's not actually on the ocean, a city does not actually have to be on the Great Lakes to be considered part of the Third Coast.)
See Also: North Coast
by illwauk October 13, 2007
The Great Lakes/North Coast region.
The section of the Midwest and NE thats within roughly 60 miles of the Great Lakes.
Includes: Michigan, North Ohio, NW Indiana, NE Illinois, East Wisconsin, NW Pennsylvania, and West New York. Chicago/Gary, Cleveland/Akron/Youngstown, Detroit, Buffalo, Milwaukee, Toledo, Erie, etc.
The section of the Midwest and NE thats within roughly 60 miles of the Great Lakes.
Includes: Michigan, North Ohio, NW Indiana, NE Illinois, East Wisconsin, NW Pennsylvania, and West New York. Chicago/Gary, Cleveland/Akron/Youngstown, Detroit, Buffalo, Milwaukee, Toledo, Erie, etc.
by thirdcoasteye May 21, 2010
The Gulf coast. Originally used to refer to the Texas coast and sometimes Texas in general, it now has expanded to generally mean the entire American region bordering the Gulf of Mexico.
While the term has been used for several decades in business names and catch phrases, the recent attention that Southern Hip Hop music has garnered has brought it into the limelight.
While the term has been used for several decades in business names and catch phrases, the recent attention that Southern Hip Hop music has garnered has brought it into the limelight.
"The South is hip-hop's Third Coast, the final element making up the genre's worldwide holy trinity."
by JayJay Jackson April 22, 2006
After a decades of east coast/west coast rap domination, third coast artists are becoming the hottest thing in hip-hop
by Nick Victim April 21, 2004
Apellation describing the state and cultural region centered on Houston, Texas including Central and East Texas and Southern Louisiana used in several different contexts (film, hip hop and other music, left activism, etc).
This term is claimed by several other regions as well (Chicago, Western Michigan, the Southeast), but it properly refers to Texas.
This term is claimed by several other regions as well (Chicago, Western Michigan, the Southeast), but it properly refers to Texas.
Richard Linklater and Wes Anderson put the third coast on the indy film map.
Chopped and screwed, third coast style.
Chopped and screwed, third coast style.
by dacoit April 29, 2006
by jersey kid February 10, 2008