A relighting ceremony for the neon signs and window accents for the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois, will be scheduled for the evening of May 4.
The restoration of the signs and accents is a joint project between the Route 66 Association of Missouri and the Illinois Route 66 Association. The Missouri association has been guiding the restoration and relighting of vintage neon signs annually since 2008.
More from a mailer by the Route 66 Association of Missouri:
The relighting (throwing of the switch) will take place near dusk … estimated to be around 8:15 p.m. or so (perhaps a bit sooner if it should be an overcast day). However, you may want to plan to arrive somewhat earlier in order not to miss the ceremony leading up to the actual lighting of the neon. Appetizers and light refreshments will be available about an hour before the relighting time.
Current owners Will & Michele Law and Marty & Kara Steffens, who are carrying on the heritage of the Ariston, welcome all who are interested to attend this event, as do Nick & Demi Adam, who will also be in attendance. There will be several speakers that evening, including representatives from the local community as well as commemorative T-shirts, music and vintage cars on-site.
Last year, the Ariston received a $10,250 cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for the signs’ and window-accents restoration.
The Ariston began in in Carlinville, Illinois, in 1924, on the future original alignment of Route 66. The Ariston moved to 413 N. Old Route 66 in Litchfield in 1935, a few years after Route 66 was realigned to the east. Nick Adam began working at his father’s restaurant in January 1966. Nick and Demi sold the restaurant last summer.
The Ariston was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 1992.
(Image of the interior of the Ariston Cafe by Stu Rapley via Flickr)
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