The International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois, will return in September for its 20th edition after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the event landing a new manager Reporting by the Springfield State Journal-Register indicates the city came close to losing the festival entirely after it had become a … Continue reading Springfield came within an eyelash of losing its Route 66 Mother Road Festival
Category: Towns
Albuquerque announces “ABQ 66” promotional campaign
The City of Albuquerque's Economic Development Department recently announced it was launching an "ABQ 66" comprehensive marketing campaign to revitalize Albuquerque’s historic Route 66 by boosting consumer activity and sales revenue along the corridor as the city and nation begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's a video that touts the campaign: https://youtu.be/y3LAUu9Pc7s The … Continue reading Albuquerque announces “ABQ 66” promotional campaign
Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway awards $5,000 in grants to various projects
The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway announced Thursday it has awarded grants totaling $5,000 to byway members for various projects. These are the grant awardees: Sky View Drive-In theater in Litchfield, Illinois: $1,000 to help repaint its screen;Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois: $1,000 to build a series of informative and interpretative banners and signage … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway awards $5,000 in grants to various projects
City of Barstow gets $5M grant to help replace historic First Avenue Bridge
The City of Barstow, California, recently received a $5 million state grant to help replace the First Avenue Bridge that leads to the Harvey House and its Route 66 Mother Road Museum. According to a news release Sunday from city manager James Hart: The City of Barstow requested $5,000,000 million dollars from the Railroad Grade … Continue reading City of Barstow gets $5M grant to help replace historic First Avenue Bridge
El Reno hosting a cruise Friday on the original alignment of Route 66
El Reno, Oklahoma, on Friday is hosting an intriguing event -- a cruise on the original alignment of Route 66 in the city. The cruise begins northbound on Shepard Avenue at Business 40 and U.S. 81, turns west onto Elm Street, turns north onto Hoff Avenue, turns west onto Wade Street, turns briefly north onto … Continue reading El Reno hosting a cruise Friday on the original alignment of Route 66
Agreement keeps American Quarter Horse Association headquarters in Amarillo
After hearing overtures from Fort Worth to move there, the American Quarter Horse Association will remain in Amarillo for another 10 years after reaching an agreement over $3 million in incentives from the local Economic Development Corporation. AQHA's headquarters have been in Amarillo since 1946 and is estimated to generate $25 million in economic impact … Continue reading Agreement keeps American Quarter Horse Association headquarters in Amarillo
Pacific awards $2.2M contract to convert Red Cedar Inn into a visitors center
The Pacific, Missouri, board of aldermen voted last week to award a $2.2 million contract to rehabilitate the closed Red Cedar Inn restaurant into a visitors center. According to a report by the Washington Missourian, the board unanimously gave the deal to St. Louis-based Legacy Contracting Group to remake the Route 66 landmark into a … Continue reading Pacific awards $2.2M contract to convert Red Cedar Inn into a visitors center
Victorville city council approves renovation to 7th Street Archway over Route 66
The archway that greets Route 66 travelers to the Old Town area of Victorville, California, soon will undergo a face-lift. The Victorville City Council earlier this month approved a bid from Inland Signs Inc. to renovate the archway near the corner of 7th and D streets. Artist's rendering of the refurbished archway at night According … Continue reading Victorville city council approves renovation to 7th Street Archway over Route 66
Festival in September will pay tribute to Red Oak II’s late founder Lowell Davis
The Red Oak II complex near Carthage, Missouri, will hold a Red Oak II Festival on Sept. 11 to pay tribute to the faux town's creator, artist Lowell Davis, who died at age 83 in November. The Red Oak II Festival, according to a post on Facebook, will feature hayrides, Dutch oven cooking, children's games, … Continue reading Festival in September will pay tribute to Red Oak II’s late founder Lowell Davis
City of Albuquerque budgets $300,000 for Route 66 centennial celebration in 2026
The Albuquerque City Council is budgeting $300,000 to begin planning for a Route 66 centennial event in 2026. KRQE-TV quoted city councilor Klarissa Pena, who summarized why she thought the celebration would be important: “Communities throughout the nation suffered a decline of the historic route when highways were built, so what do we do to … Continue reading City of Albuquerque budgets $300,000 for Route 66 centennial celebration in 2026