The popular Route 66 Christmas Chute in downtown Sapulpa, Oklahoma, will take a break in 2025 because of a long-planned streetscape redesign on Dewey Street (aka Route 66). Organizers of the holiday event said it would resume in 2026, the same year as Route 66's centennial. The Route 66 Christmas Chute announced the one-year hiatus … Continue reading Route 66 Christmas Chute in Sapulpa taking a one-year break due to street work
Tag: Route 66 centennial
Request for proposals issued for cities that want to be Route 66 Centennial Kick-Off site
Towns along Route 66 are being asked to submit a proposal to be an official Route 66 Centennial Kick-Off Host City when the highway marks its 100th anniversary in 2026. The proposed kick-off date would be April 30, 2026 -- the day in 1926 that the number 66 was assigned as the official number for … Continue reading Request for proposals issued for cities that want to be Route 66 Centennial Kick-Off site
Rainbow Bridge near Baxter Springs in line for funding to repaint it
One way or another, it appears the Marsh Arch Bridge, aka Rainbow Bridge, on old Route 66 near Baxter Springs, Kansas, will be repainted before the highway's centennial in 2026. According to the Galena Sentinel-Times, Gearhead Curios owner Aaron Perry and Machelle Smith of the Route 66 Association of Kansas recently approached the Cherokee County … Continue reading Rainbow Bridge near Baxter Springs in line for funding to repaint it
Great Route 66 Centennial Convergence set for Santa Monica Pier on April 2026
The centennial year of Route 66 is still well over a year away, but an event called the Great Route66 Centennial Convergence has been scheduled for April 30, 2026, at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. Social media influencer John Binns of Australia, with the handle of Wasteland Firebird, is organizing the event. … Continue reading Great Route 66 Centennial Convergence set for Santa Monica Pier on April 2026
State Historical Society of Missouri wants Route 66 stories and items for exhibit in 2026
The State Historical Society of Missouri is collecting items and stories about Route 66 so it can launch an exhibit during the highway's centennial in 2026. According to NPR in Kansas City, researchers hope to “fill in historical gaps” by recording the experiences -- especially those of women, immigrants and Black Americans -- who traveled … Continue reading State Historical Society of Missouri wants Route 66 stories and items for exhibit in 2026
New video details the changes on Route 66 between 2007 and 2024
Route 66 enthusiast Mike Curtis, aka 2 Lane Traveler on YouTube, recently created a 20-minute video detailing the changes on the Mother Road from 2007 to 2024. The video thumbnail comes with a provocative question: "Thriving or dying?" (Spoiler alert: Definitely not dying; Curtis asserts the old road is simply changing.) https://youtu.be/qpNoshXr-bY?si=_dsqhgfTLccLQgKs The video is … Continue reading New video details the changes on Route 66 between 2007 and 2024
Illinois Office of Tourism, Rivian Automotive partner on Route 66 video series
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism, is partnering with Rivian Automotive Inc. to kick off the state’s celebration of Route 66's centennial in 2026. Through a series of videos, the collaboration will showcase the experiences of three travel influencers -- from the United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S. who are … Continue reading Illinois Office of Tourism, Rivian Automotive partner on Route 66 video series
Oklahoma unveils official logo for state’s Route 66 centennial celebrations
The Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission last week unveiled the official logo for the state's Route 66 centennial celebrations during a kickoff event at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City. This inaugural event marks the commencement of a series of celebrations leading up to the iconic Route 66's 100th anniversary in 2026. The ceremony culminated with unveiling of the Oklahoma Route … Continue reading Oklahoma unveils official logo for state’s Route 66 centennial celebrations
Illinois State Museum wants your stories about Route 66
Historians from the Illinois State Museum in Springfield are looking for people to tell their experiences with the original Route 66 in Illinois before the highway's centennial in 2026. “These interviews will help illustrate the significance of this important transportation achievement,” said Erika Holst, the museum’s curator of history, in a news release. Historians are … Continue reading Illinois State Museum wants your stories about Route 66
Company proposes musical roads in all eight Route 66 states before centennial in 2026
Route 66 Musical Roads LLC has submitted plans to make musical roads on all eight states of Route 66 before the highway's centennial in 2026. The company has submitted the proposals to the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission, which has been requesting ideas. For the uninitiated, the musical road concept is to create specially designed … Continue reading Company proposes musical roads in all eight Route 66 states before centennial in 2026