Animal Paradise Family Fun Park on old Route 66 near Strafford, Mo., is holding a grand opening -- or a grand re-opening, really -- this weekend, reports the Springfield News-Leader. The new owners of the former Exotic Animal Paradise have added new wrinkles to the operation, including a go-kart track called the Route 66 Speedway … Continue reading Grand opening set for animal park
Category: Events
Bicycle ride protests war, oil dependence
A group of veterans is slated to bicycle down Route 66 in Illinois next week to protest the Iraq War and America's dependence on foreign oil, reports the Bloomington Pantagraph. Ride for Peace will make varying stops along the route between the Vietnam Veterans Against the War annual convention in Chicago and the Veterans for … Continue reading Bicycle ride protests war, oil dependence
Route 66 cuisine to be at Epcot Center
Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in Florida will host the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival from Sept. 28 to Nov. 11, which will feature Oklahoma and Route 66 diner foods, according to the Journal Record, based in Oklahoma. The festival showcases no less than 25 international marketplaces featuring tapas-sized portions of regional specialty foods … Continue reading Route 66 cuisine to be at Epcot Center
Notes from the road
Dida Zende, an artist based in Berlin, is looking for at least one old gas station along Route 66 to repaint so it resembles a FIT art gallery (above). It would be repainted mostly white, with a bit of red trim and the FIT logo. Zende wants to come do this free of charge in … Continue reading Notes from the road
Needles brainstorms about revitalizing downtown
The Route 66 town of Needles, Calif., wants to revitalize its downtown, and is seeking input from residents on how to do so, according to the Mohave Daily News. One of the ideas floated sounds intriguing: A Hot Rocks and Rods on Route 66 event is currently envisioned as an alternative energy fair with music. … Continue reading Needles brainstorms about revitalizing downtown
Report from Rock ‘N Rods festival
The Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph has filed a story about the Rock 'N Rods on Route 66 festival in town this weekend. There's not much Route 66 content; it's mostly about vintage cars and how they're modified. I also took note that among the musical entertainment are The Blasters and Commander Cody and the Lost Planet … Continue reading Report from Rock ‘N Rods festival
Pontiac may host mural festival
The Pontiac (Ill.) City Council voted Monday night to approve the creation of two new Route 66-themed murals in town, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. That wasn't a surprise, as Pontiac's zoning board greenlighted the murals, which will be painted by Diaz Sign Art, last week. But there's this new item that was interesting: Bill Diaz … Continue reading Pontiac may host mural festival
County gives grant for Route 66 garage sale
The finance committee of Logan County, Ill., awarded a $4,000 grant to the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County to help with next year's 37 Miles of Smiles, also known as the Route 66 garage sale, reported the Lincoln Courier. "It was really a remarkable first-time event," Ladd said. "Being that it was a … Continue reading County gives grant for Route 66 garage sale
Will Catsup Bottle Summerfest return?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Amanda St. Amand wandered over to the informal gathering this past weekend near the World's Largest Catsup Bottle (it's actually a water tower) in Collinsville, Ill., after the namesake's annual festival was canceled several weeks ago. In essence, the festival got the ax during a dispute between the nonprofit Downtown Collinsville … Continue reading Will Catsup Bottle Summerfest return?
Catsup Bottle party goes on
This is short notice, but I received word Thursday that boosters of the Official World's Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville, Ill., are holding a picnic after 11 a.m. Sunday, literally under the water tower that resembles a ketchup bottle. The event comes after the recent cancellation of the Catsup Bottle Summerfest because of infighting between … Continue reading Catsup Bottle party goes on