The Clinton (Okla.) Chamber of Commerce announced this afternoon that Clinton will be the host for the annual Route 66 Festival in 2007. This year's festival is this month in Albuquerque; it changes locations each year along the road.
The festival is slated for June 21-24, 2007, and it was chosen over several other Oklahoma cities. Oklahoma was a priority for the festival committee because the state is celebrating its centennial.
Another news release from the chamber says the Clinton festival will have classic drive-in movies, a big car show, live entertainment and a Route 66 trade show. The event already has set up a Web site, www.Route66Festival2007.com .
According to the news release, factors that favored Clinton were its Frisco Conference Center, the Route 66 Museum and a Hampton Inn hotel under construction (Hampton Inns have been a supporter of Route 66 preservation projects).
Also, Clinton has a long history as a Route 66 booster, thanks to longtime Clinton residents Jack and Gladys Cutberth. They among the biggest supporters and lobbyists of the Mother Road. Jack Cutberth died in 1978; Gladys died in 2001. Here's a pretty good history about the Cutberths.
fabulous … we can start planning our trip now as we wanted to attend the festival next year when we do the route again
Two of us with 1965 Corvettes plan on traveling Route 66 next year. We hope to include the Festival in our plans.