Route 66 aficionados across the pond in the past week have organized a European Route 66 Festival in 2016 that already includes firm dates, activities and the logo you see above.
Longtime Route 66 enthusiast Dries Bessels of the Netherlands created the European Route66 Festival page on Facebook — which is a closed group, but you can ask to be included — on Tuesday. Since then, many of the details already have come together.
The festival will be July 15-17, 2016, near Stuttgart, Germany, which was chosen for its central location for most Europeans. A venue has not been chosen; that will be dependent on the scale of the event.
Among the activities:
- Exhibition pavilions/tents of Route 66 groups from the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and the Czech Republic so far
- United States Route 66 information center
- Information provided by Route 66 motels, parks and attractions
- Route 66 slideshow
- Book-signing by Route 66 author Jim Hinckley (more undoubtedly will sign up)
- Route 66 photo and art exhibit
- Tourism information from various states and Route 66 cities
- USA companies such as Harley-Davidson, Chevrolet, Eagle Rider tours, airlines, rental car companies, etc.
- Vintage American car seminar
- Entertainment by music groups
- A Route 66 Rally motorcycle ride through the region
As I said, this came together astonishingly fast, which shows how much enthusiasm there is about Route 66 from Europeans in general.
I recall the Czech Route 66 Association hosting a Route 66 convention in its home country, but it’s becoming apparent this will dwarf it in scale.
How can I become a part of the festval?
thank you,
terrence moore
My name is Randall Stewart and I’m the booking agent for Jess McEntire and American’s Route66 band. We would like to find out about coming to Europe and performing. All of our music on our new cd is all about Route66 and the great American Highway the mother road. Please feel to call me at 1-702-408-4099 for bookings for 2017. We have some dates open before we do our USA tour from Chicago to California.