The Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission is starting a Kickstart 66 Tour this week with the goal to spark development along the highway before its centennial in 2026.
According to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, staff from the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Main Street Center will make a series of stops in communities along Route 66 to introduce resources that community stakeholders can use in revving up planning and development efforts.
The stop dates and cities (precise times and locations in other cities will be announced later):
- April 4, Miami, 1 to 4 p.m. at Coleman Theatre
- May 9, Clinton
- Sept. 12, Sapulpa
- Oct. 3, Arcadia
Though each event is free, attendees are encouraged to register.
More from the association:
Business owners, municipal and county officials, nonprofit organizations, museums, historical societies, artists, members of convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, and other local stakeholders are encouraged to attend. Each tour stop program will have a heavy emphasis on networking and facilitating conversation among attendees as they consider their community’s goals.
In addition to the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Main Street Center, representatives from a variety of statewide organizations including the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, Oklahoma Film and Music Office, Oklahoma Museums Association, Oklahoma Agriculture Department, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, and others will present on resources and funding community stakeholders can access. The tour is designed to assist communities to fully leverage economic opportunities from the Route 66 centennial and to prepare communities to build from the legacy of the byway, traveled by an estimated two million people from around the globe each year.
(Image of an Oklahoma Route 66 sign in Chandler, Oklahoma, by scott.tanis via Flickr)