Route 66 Centennial Centers on Springfield
The upcoming centennial celebration of Route 66 will put Springfield, Illinois in the spotlight with special events and commemorations planned. The city's central location makes it a natural hub for history buffs and road trip enthusiasts. Springfield is preparing for increased tourism and Route 66 pilgrimage traffic.
The convergence of the Route 66 Centennial, America's 250th anniversary, and other major events is expected to draw over 1.5 million travelers to Springfield in 2026, generating an estimated $650 million in spending. This influx of visitors will coincide with a year-long calendar of events, including the Great Race, a nine-day classic car rally featuring 120 antique automobiles. A key date for enthusiasts will be November 11, 2026, the highway's official 100th anniversary, which will be marked by a statewide celebration at Motorheads Bar, Grill & Museum in Springfield. The city will also host the annual Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference in October and a special Centennial Conference on the anniversary itself. Beyond the official events, visitors can experience newly preserved pieces of the road's history. A quarter-mile stretch of original 1920s Route 66 pavement will open in Carpenter Park in late June 2025, offering a tangible connection to the past. Additionally, Shea's Gas Station Museum, a world-renowned site, was renovated and reopened in 2024 after being closed for over a decade. Springfield's celebration also embraces diverse stories, with the Route History museum sharing the African American experience on the Mother Road. The museum, located in a restored 1930s Texaco gas station, tells often-overlooked stories of Black travelers and entrepreneurs during the Jim Crow era. The state of Illinois has heavily invested in the centennial, with the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Office of Tourism allocating nearly $20 million to Route 66 projects since 2021. This funding supports initiatives like new murals, wayside exhibits, and the restoration of iconic neon signs at the Ace Sign Co. Museum and the Legends Neon Park at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The Illinois State Fairgrounds itself is a unique Route 66 destination, featuring a miniaturized walking tour of the entire Illinois portion of the highway. For a more active celebration, the Centennial Route 66 5K will take place on June 6, 2026, with a course that includes a full mile on the historic Grandstand Track.
