Event will honor Ernie Edwards and his Pig Hip

A free cookout and other activities are set for Ernie and Fran Edwards Route 66 International Appreciation Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Pig Hip restaurant site in Broadwell, Ill., according to a news release from Logan County Tourism.

At 2 p.m., the Illinois Route 66 Preservation Committee will dedicate the restored Pig Hip sign and marker.

Edwards, known for his white chef’s hat and tall tales, owned and operated the Pig Hip on Route 66 in Broadwell for decades. Here’s an interview with Edwards a few months before his death at age 94 in April:

Ernie Edwards became one of the first inductees into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 1990. The Pig Hip restaurant opened in 1937 and closed in 1991 when Edwards retired. The restaurant was converted into a museum until it burned down in 2007.

He and his wife, Frances, will be honored on what would have been his 95th birthday.

During the celebration, the Railsplitter Antique Auto Club of Lincoln also will display classic cars. Visitors can also sign the Route 66 car hood provided by the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway and the Illinois Office of Tourism.

At 3 p.m., tours will be held at The Mill in Lincoln, Ill., a Route 66 preservation project inspired by Edwards to save it from destruction.

Those who plan to participate are asked to RSVP. Reservations may be made by calling the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County at 217-732-8687 or at the bureau’s Facebook page for the event.

Spnosors of the event are Kroger of Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County, Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County, Village of Broadwell, Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, andRoute 66 Association of Illinois.