AAA Oklahoma will get an early start on the 2026 centennial of Route 66 by launching the U.S. 66 Road Fest event from Tulsa to Oklahoma City next year.
According to a news release from AAA, the festival starting in mid-June 2021 also will include all the communities along Route 66’s 420 miles in the Sooner State.
The Road Fest will begin in Tulsa’s River Spirit Expo on Expo Square June 18 and 19, then move to the Bennett Event Center on the OKC Fairgrounds June 25 and 26.
Both events will feature immersive historical journeys through the decades, allowing visitors to travel through time from the 1920s to futuristic visions of the Great American Road Trip. No family-friendly festival would be complete without food, games, and live music and more. Of course, there will also be RVs, motorcycles, and cars, lots of cars, ranging from classic cars, remote-controlled cars to automated vehicles as we look to the future of mobility.
During the celebration, Oklahoma communities will swing open their doors to thousands of visitors touring the landmarks, museums and other sites that distinguish the Mother Road from any other highway in the world.
Here’s a teaser video of the festival:
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who runs the state’s tourism department and vocal advocate of Route 66, issued this video statement about the event:
Proceeds from the festival will be used to help fund the Route 66 Revival Fund, which AAA has established through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to support improvements.
Money from the fund will be used to pay for signage, beautification, walkability, street lighting, bike lanes, historical markers, restrooms, and other amenities along Oklahoma’s stretch of Route 66.
The Revival’s website also states it could also help support the preservation of the original route and encourage new businesses, such as motels, shops, diners and other roadside stops and attractions.
VIP tickets go on sale Nov. 11. The event’s website also has links for prospective vendors, sponsors, circuits and car clubs.
(Image of the festival logo and Pony Bridge near Bridgeport, Oklahoma, via AAA Oklahoma on Facebook)
Man this sounds really fun! and, It’s a good that I’m planning on doing my first route 66 in the beginning of June.