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
Author: Ron Warnick
I'm the editor and publisher of Route 66 News, a clearinghouse of events, information, and entertainment pertaining to historic U.S. 66, the Mother Road.
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
20th sign installed as part of Tulsa’s Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program
The Vault restaurant in downtown Tulsa recently became the 20th recipient of the city's Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program. The Tulsa Route 66 Commission trumpeted the latest neon sign in a Facebook post: It seems particularly appropriate The Vault would benefit from the program. The restaurant occupies a former National Auto Bank building constructed … Continue reading 20th sign installed as part of Tulsa’s Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program
Admiral Twin Drive-In in Tulsa to mark 70th year with “The Outsiders” screening
The Admiral Twin Drive-In theater in Tulsa will celebrate its 70th anniversary this weekend with special screenings of "The Outsiders," part of which was shot at the historic Route 66 theater. The 1983 movie, based on the classic novel by Tulsa-area resident S.E. Hinton, will be shown Friday, Saturday and Sunday, reported the Tulsa World. … Continue reading Admiral Twin Drive-In in Tulsa to mark 70th year with “The Outsiders” screening
U-Drop Inn in Shamrock will reopen its restaurant for the first time in decades
The historic U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, will reopen its diner later this summer for the first time more than a quarter century. Longtime Shamrock resident Baldo de Leon in a telephone interview Wednesday said he's leasing the restaurant space for one year from the city, which owns the Route 66 landmark, to run the … Continue reading U-Drop Inn in Shamrock will reopen its restaurant for the first time in decades
Oklahoma bucked travel slump during COVID-19 pandemic
The state of Oklahoma did better than the U.S. in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Route 66 playing a major role. The Center Square, which specializes in state- and local-level government and economic reporting, talked to David White, legislative liaison for Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. White said the Sooner State's tourism industry did … Continue reading Oklahoma bucked travel slump during COVID-19 pandemic
Stuckey’s heiress aims to revive her family’s brand
Stephanie Stuckey, the granddaughter of the man who founded the famous Stuckey's convenience store chain, recently purchased back her family's business and wants to return the diminished brand to national prominence. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a profile of Stuckey, who purchased the remaining shares of the Georgia-based Stuckey's company about 18 months ago. Stephanie Stuckey … Continue reading Stuckey’s heiress aims to revive her family’s brand
Fundraiser launched for a new phase of Road Runner’s Retreat resurrection
The organizer of several cleanup weekends at the closed Road Runner's Retreat site near Chambless, California, has launched a fundraiser of T-shirt and pin sales to help finance the fourth stage of its eventual resurrection. The fundraiser via GoFundMe.com has a goal of $5,000, with incentives that include a Road Runner's Retreat T-shirt that states, … Continue reading Fundraiser launched for a new phase of Road Runner’s Retreat resurrection
Discover Oklahoma features Route 66 Neon Sign Park in Tulsa
The Discover Oklahoma channel, which is part of the state's tourism department, recently produced a segment about Route 66 Neon Sign Park in Tulsa. The signs and park were officially dedicated in September. The park is on Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66) near West 17th Street in southwest Tulsa. The three signs represent east Tulsa, … Continue reading Discover Oklahoma features Route 66 Neon Sign Park in Tulsa
More details emerge about the planned reopening of TeePee Drive-In in Sapulpa
A Sapulpa Times report contained more details about the eventual reopening of the long-closed TeePee Drive-In in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. The gist: It's not going to be just a drive-in theater. As previously reported, the Kante Group earlier this year bought the theater, which sits along the Ozark Trail alignment of early Route 66 west of … Continue reading More details emerge about the planned reopening of TeePee Drive-In in Sapulpa