Organizers for the annual Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference announced this week that Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckey’s Corp., will be the keynote speaker during the Oct. 20-23 event in Pontiac, Illinois.
The conference also will be dedicated to the memory of David Clark, aka Windy City Road Warrior, who died in January. A special session will highlight memories and accomplishments from his long association with Route 66, including the major contributions he made to the conference.
The conference will be at the Eagle Performing Arts & Conference Center at 319 N. Plum St. in Pontiac. Tickets, which range from $60 to $100, can be purchased here. (Disclosure: The Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference is an advertiser on Route 66 News.)
Stuckey will give her keynote speech on Friday morning, Oct. 21.
“Route 66 and Americana enthusiasts won’t want to miss the inspiring story of Stuckey’s rise and fall – and rise again – told as only the granddaughter of Stuckey’s founder could tell it,” a news release from the conference stated.
Stuckey’s bid to revive her grandfather’s brand has received a lot of attention from media outlets, including this recent one from the Washington Post. Through her social media accounts, Stuckey has proven to be a frequent traveler of Route 66 and other historic highways.
The conference begins Thursday, Oct. 20, with a special afternoon tour and an evening hot dog roast at Pontiac’s most famous mural.
After Stuckey’s speech, Friday and Saturday will feature daytime conference sessions.
On Friday evening, a movie with connections to the city of Pontiac will be screened.
At Saturday’s closing ceremony, Miles of Possibility will announce host cities for every conference
from 2023 through 2026, the latter of which is the centennial of Route 66.
The Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference will wrap on Sunday morning with a “Preservation Showcase” tour led by Illinois Route 66 preservationist and advocate John Weiss.
This theme to this year’s conference, “America’s Main Street Welcomes the World,” emphasizes the importance of small-town America to those seeking an authentic Route 66 experience.
(Image of Stephanie Stuckey via Facebook; Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference logo courtesy of the conference)