# Route 66 Turns 100: The Remaining Centennial Events Across America 2026-10-26 · United States · Reported Feature A coast-to-coast guide to the concerts, car celebrations, art shows, community festivals, history talks, races and holiday events still ahead. A coast-to-coast guide to the concerts, car celebrations, art shows, community festivals, history talks, races and holiday events still ahead. --- Route 66’s centennial is heading into its final months, but the anniversary calendar is far from finished. The Mother Road’s next stops include a neon cruise in Albuquerque, historic talks that can be attended from home, family Halloween celebrations, a demanding Arizona ultrarun and a major November 11 birthday program in Tulsa and Springfield. This guide follows the Route 66 Centennial Commission’s public “Upcoming Events – All” calendar as it appeared October 26, 2026. That calendar contained 22 entries for dates still ahead, including one duplicate Missouri webinar; after removing the duplicate, there were 21 distinct listings. We have also included two substantial celebrations confirmed on city or organizer websites but missing from that particular list: San Bernardino’s November 7 festivities and Tulsa’s November 11 birthday program. The result is 23 dated entries, including one 2027 event already on the calendar. The calendar includes events closely tied to Route 66 history and others presented as nearby community programming. Those distinctions are indicated in the individual descriptions. Prices and schedules are the published information, not guarantees; use the linked organizer or event pages when planning a visit. Late October 2026 Oct. 28–Dec. 5 | Lowriders and Route 66 Art at Richard Levy Gallery Albuquerque • New Mexico Two coinciding exhibitions at Richard Levy Gallery bring the centennial into focus through the people, places and visual culture of the highway. Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli’s Seventh and Central: Lowriders photographs explore lowrider culture, while Jeffrey L. Newmann’s Route 66 Centennial Collection looks back at the roadside signs, motels and memories of travel. The gallery lists Thursday–Saturday hours of 11 a.m.–4 p.m., or visits by appointment. An artists’ reception is scheduled for November 6, 6–8 p.m. Planning details: Free; gallery hours Thursday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; artists’ reception Nov. 6, 6–8 p.m. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/new-mexico-events/nathaniel-tetsuro-paolinelli-and-jeffrey-l-newmann-collections Organizer: https://levygallery.com/ Oct. 29–31 | PhotoCon OKC Oklahoma City • Oklahoma Photography and moving-image professionals, students and hobbyists gather at Embassy Suites OKC Northwest for three days of classes, demonstrations, photowalks and an equipment trade show. The program offers a creative counterpart to Route 66’s visual legacy, even though the listing is a broader photography convention rather than a road-specific festival. The posted convention hours are 8 a.m.–5 p.m. each day. Planning details: $149.99 three-day all-access pass listed; daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/oklahoma-events/photocon-okc Organizer: https://www.photoconokc.com/ Oct. 29 | Route 66 Boo Bash Weatherford • Oklahoma Downtown Weatherford turns its Halloween festivities into a family gathering with trunk-or-treat, a costume contest, carnival games, inflatables, a haunted bus, food trucks and live music from Slim Pickins. The Weatherford Chamber of Commerce lists the celebration for Main Street and Centennial Park, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Planning details: General admission free; $10 wristband for games, haunted bus, prizes and inflatables; 5:30–8:30 p.m. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/oklahoma-events/route-66-boo-bash November 2026: The birthday month Nov. 7 | Community Fall Festival Celebrate Route 66 Needles • California Needles marks the Mother Road’s birthday at Santa Fe Park with a community festival centered on the Colorado River gateway to California. The published lineup mentions an off-highway motor vehicle car show, craft vendors, food trucks, a DJ and live music, with a beer garden at the Red Dog Saloon. It is designed as a local centennial gathering, rather than a ticketed destination conference. Planning details: Free; Santa Fe Park; daily program timing was not supplied in the Centennial listing. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/california-events/community-fall-festival-celebrate-rt-66 Nov. 7 | Veterans Salute, Parade and Route 66 Centennial Celebration San Bernardino • California San Bernardino’s city government lists a culminating centennial celebration featuring a salute to veterans, a parade, community activities and classic-car participation. It joins the city’s long-running relationship with Route 66 car culture to its Veterans Day observances. The city gives a 9 a.m.–4 p.m. schedule and offers separate applications for vendors, parade entries and classic-car displays. Planning details: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; admission information should be confirmed through the city. Editorial note: Additional city-confirmed event. Source: https://www.sanbernardino.gov/1728/Route-66-Centennial Nov. 7 | Chrome & Neon at 100 Albuquerque • New Mexico An especially Route 66-specific centennial celebration starts at Enchanted Trails, the former Hill Top Trading Post. Organizers plan classic cars, music, food, photos at the Route 66 Hubcap Tree and a time capsule holding mementos from roadside businesses and Route 66 organizations. The evening continues with a neon lighting ceremony, a visit to a new neon park and a group cruise along Central Avenue. Planning details: Free; starts at Enchanted Trails; exact kickoff time not specified. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/new-mexico-events/chrome-neon-at-100 Nov. 7 | Stitched in Tradition: Youth Fashion Showcase Albuquerque • New Mexico Richard Levy Gallery hosts a free showcase of work produced through Nepantla Corazones’ CAMP 2.0 youth mentorship. The participating designers will present garments, fashion films and photography shaped by their own experiences of place and identity. The exhibition shares gallery space with Paolinelli’s lowrider photography, creating a link between young creatives and an established New Mexico visual tradition. Planning details: Free; 2–5 p.m.; Richard Levy Gallery. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/new-mexico-events/stitched-in-tradition Nov. 10 | National Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series Virtual • Online / National The free national webinar series brings authors, historians and advocates into conversation about the road’s history and cultural legacy. Organizers describe a wide range of themes across the year, from roadside food traditions and Indigenous perspectives to baseball and atomic history. The November session is the penultimate installment listed in the 2026 calendar, with a further date on December 8. Planning details: Free online; 11 a.m. Pacific / noon Mountain / 1 p.m. Central / 2 p.m. Eastern. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-by-state/upcoming-national-events/national-route-66-centennial-speaker-series-11 Organizer: https://speakers.researchroute66.org/ Nov. 10 | Lebanon Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series Lebanon • Missouri The Lebanon–Laclede County Route 66 Society and the Lebanon–Laclede County Library & Route 66 Museum close their announced sequence of local talks and gatherings with a November 10 installment. Earlier sessions covered the Bunion Derby, road-trip tools, Green Book history and roadside food. The posted schedule still identifies the final program as to be determined, so its speaker and start time should be checked before visiting. Planning details: Free; topic and time not yet named in the source listing. Editorial note: Check final speaker/time. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/missouri-events/route-66-centennial-speaker-series-7 Organizer: https://www.lebanonroute66.com/ Nov. 11 | The Afterlife of Route 66: A Centennial Talk Virtual • Online / National The Society for Commercial Archeology hosts author and Route 66 expert Jamie Jensen for a virtual look at how a bypassed highway became one of America’s most durable cultural symbols. The talk covers the difficult decades after the interstate system expanded, the return of interest in roadside landmarks and the stories people continue to attach to the Mother Road. Planning details: Free online; 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific; advance registration offered. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-by-state/upcoming-national-events/sca-route-66-celebration-the-afterlife-of-route-66 Nov. 11 | Illinois Route 66 Statewide Conference and Centennial Celebration Springfield • Illinois The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway brings its statewide conference, awards luncheon and nighttime centennial festivities to Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill, Museum & Entertainment Complex. Daytime sessions address preservation, economic development and the future of the highway. An evening celebration includes cars, special guests and a concert by STARSHIP Featuring Mickey Thomas in the Motordome, according to the organizer’s subsequent program announcement. Planning details: Ticketed; 600 Toronto Road, Springfield; conference and evening celebration have different schedules and may have separate admissions. Editorial note: Confirm ticket category and program times. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/illinois-events/illinois-route-66-scenic-byway-announces-statewide-conference-epic-route-66-centennial-celebration Organizer: https://illinoisroute66.org/event/statewide-conference-route-66-centennial-celebration/ Nov. 11 | Tulsa’s Route 66 Centennial Birthday Celebration Tulsa • Oklahoma Tulsa is staging a citywide centennial day on the historic highway’s 100th anniversary. The organizer’s schedule includes a Veterans Day breakfast, the 11 a.m. Veterans Day Parade, a downtown Centennial Crawl, a public street party with live performers and a 5 p.m. ceremonial birthday moment. Evening music includes a free performance by Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys at Guthrie Green; a separate VIP gathering at OKPOP is ticketed. Planning details: Citywide program from about 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; most events free; some VIP components ticketed. Editorial note: Additional organizer-confirmed event. Source: https://route66centennialcelebration.com/ Nov. 12 | Telling the Missouri Route 66 Story: Centennial Conclusion Virtual • Online / Missouri The State Historical Society of Missouri closes its monthly historical storytelling series by revisiting the people, communities and places featured throughout the centennial year. The online program reflects on Route 66 as both a practical roadway and a source of myth, memory and state identity. It appears twice in the official upcoming calendar; it is one event, not two separate sessions. Planning details: Free online; check the historical society for the final start time. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/missouri-events/telling-the-missouri-route-66-story-centennial-conclusion Organizer: https://shsmo.org/ Nov. 14–16 (check-in Nov. 13) | Route 66 UltraRun Seligman to Topock • Arizona Endurance runners tackle the historic Arizona corridor from Seligman toward Topock on a course that traces a long continuous stretch of the highway. The organizer lists 140-mile and 100-mile choices, with crewed, solo and relay formats. Its current schedule places athlete check-in on Friday, November 13, a Saturday, November 14 race start and Monday, November 16 finish cutoffs. The shorter race starts at Peach Springs. Planning details: Registration fees vary; pre-race check-in Nov. 13; race start Nov. 14; finish Nov. 16. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/arizona-events/route-66-ultrarun-2 Organizer: https://route66ultrarun.com/details/ Nov. 20–22 | 25th Annual Route 66 Film Festival Springfield • Illinois Independent filmmaking takes over the Hoogland Center for the Arts for a three-day program of films that speaks to the highway’s relationship with travel, storytelling and creative expression. The Centennial calendar identifies the 25th annual festival and suggests a donation for each screening session. The host venue is in downtown Springfield, a natural stop on an Illinois Route 66 weekend. Planning details: $10 suggested donation per screening session; starts Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. and concludes Nov. 22 at noon, per calendar. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/illinois-events/route-66-film-festival Organizer: https://www.route66filmfestival.net/ Nov. 21–Jan. 1, 2027 | Yukon’s Christmas in the Park Yukon • Oklahoma The holiday display transforms Yukon City Park and Chisholm Trail Park into a multi-mile route of illuminated decorations. Visitors can drive through the lights, walk sections of the display and ride the Santa Express Train for a separate charge. The listing describes roughly five million lights and more than 500 displays. The nightly program is advertised from 6 to 11 p.m., with Santa visits on selected evenings. Planning details: Free admission; train ride costs extra; nightly 6–11 p.m. Listing gives Jan. 1, 2027 end date, while copy says through New Year’s Eve—verify final night. Editorial note: Check final operating night. Source: https://route66centennial.org/calendar/upcoming-events-all/oklahoma-events/yukons-christmas-in-the-park Nov. 24 | Colorful Skies and Red Rocks: Gallup Museum Exhibition Gallup • New Mexico Gallup Museum’s exhibition looks back at the Red Rock Balloon Rally through photographs and the people who have helped make the gathering a regional tradition. The show explores the appeal of ballooning against the landscapes of Red Rock Park and its place in the community. The calendar supplies November 24 as its event date but does not clearly establish a longer exhibition run or visiting hours. Planning details: Listed free; opening or event date Nov. 24; confirm exhibition duration and museum hours. Editorial note: Confirm exhibit run. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/new-mexico-events/gallup-museum-exhibit-colorful-skies-and-red-rocks Nov. 28 | Race Across Kansas Kansas Route 66 corridor • Kansas The Route 66 Race Across Kansas is billed as a half-marathon celebrating the state’s short but distinctive stretch of the Mother Road. The Centennial listing describes an east-to-west course and a 9 a.m.–noon race window, making it an appealing late-season athletic entry in the centennial calendar. It does not provide sufficient operational detail about packet pickup, exact start coordinates or an organizer registration link. Planning details: Listing says free and 9 a.m.–noon; verify registration, meeting point and runner requirements. Editorial note: Confirm race logistics and entry. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/kansas-events/race-across-kansas Nov. 28 | Local Holiday Market on Small Business Saturday Springfield • Illinois The Orr Building at the Illinois State Fairgrounds hosts a day of local shopping and holiday performances. Plans include a children’s area, free holiday crafts, photographs with Santa and Bluey and Bingo, musical and dance performances, and local businesses selling gifts and seasonal food. The market connects centennial-era Main Street entrepreneurship with a family-focused holiday outing. Planning details: $5 ages 13 and older; 12 and under free; 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Orr Building, Illinois State Fairgrounds. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/illinois-events/local-holiday-market-on-small-business-saturday Nov. 29 | American Bar Nine-Ball Tournament Location not stated • New Mexico The official Centennial calendar includes a nine-ball pool tournament called the American Bar Nine Ball Tournament. Its entry supplies a November 29 date, a $10 player fee and a 7 p.m. registration time, but provides little additional information about venue, public admission or its direct relationship to centennial programming. Readers should consult the event link before making travel plans. Planning details: $10 entry; sign-ups begin 7 p.m.; venue not established in the calendar. Editorial note: Venue not established. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/new-mexico-events/american-bar-nine-ball-tournament December 2026 Dec. 8 | National Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series: December Session Virtual • Online / National The national webinar series returns for its final scheduled 2026 date. Hosted by Research Route 66 and participating history organizations, the series offers a way to take part in the anniversary from anywhere in the country. Sessions are recorded for later viewing, according to the program’s published information. Planning details: Free online; 11 a.m. Pacific / noon Mountain / 1 p.m. Central / 2 p.m. Eastern. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-by-state/upcoming-national-events/national-route-66-centennial-speaker-series-12 Organizer: https://speakers.researchroute66.org/ Dec. 28–30 | Pontiac Holiday Tournament Pontiac • Illinois Pontiac Township High School hosts the longstanding boys basketball holiday tournament that began in 1926, the same year as Route 66. The centennial connection is a shared 100th birthday rather than a Route 66 parade or automobile celebration. Twenty-six games are scheduled across three days, bringing visiting teams and spectators into the city. Planning details: $12 per three-game session or $45 season pass; Pontiac Township High School. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/illinois-events/pontiac-holiday-tournament Organizer: https://www.pontiacholidaytournament.com/ Already listed for 2027 June 27, 2027 | Taste of Northern Arizona Flagstaff • Arizona The current official upcoming calendar reaches beyond the centennial year to include a new 21-and-older food and beverage event at the Continental Country Club Golf Range in Flagstaff. Restaurants, breweries, wineries and other regional producers will host tasting stations, with proceeds benefiting Special Olympics Arizona. Its inaugural date places it in the continuing tourism calendar rather than the core November 2026 birthday celebrations. Planning details: Noon–5 p.m.; 21+; tickets expected to go on sale in March 2027. Editorial note: Post-centennial calendar listing. Source: https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/arizona-events/taste-of-northern-arizona How to plan a late-centennial road trip The strongest concentrated travel window is November 7–14. Travelers who prefer cars, neon and celebrations can consider Needles, Albuquerque or San Bernardino on November 7, then choose between major birthday events in Tulsa and Springfield on November 11. Those cities are far apart: they are alternative trip anchors, not a sensible single-day itinerary. Museum and gallery visitors have a longer window, with the Albuquerque exhibitions continuing into December, and remote viewers can attend the free national and Missouri history sessions without traveling. November 11 deserves a special place on the calendar. It is the widely recognized hundredth anniversary of the creation of U.S. Route 66, and the largest separately confirmed public birthday program we found is in Tulsa. Springfield, Illinois, hosts a substantial conference and concert the same day. Both are worth building plans around rather than treating as casual roadside stops. For families, the Weatherford Boo Bash, San Bernardino community festivities, Yukon’s drive-through lights and Springfield’s holiday market offer ways to participate without committing to a multi-state expedition. For runners and film enthusiasts, the Arizona UltraRun, Race Across Kansas and Springfield’s Route 66 Film Festival offer more focused experiences. Before you go: what still needs confirmation The Arizona UltraRun organizer confirms a November 13 check-in before the November 14 start, although the centennial calendar’s short description loosely calls it a Friday-to-Monday race. The Springfield conference has distinct daytime and nighttime components, so consult the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway for current tickets and performance timing. Yukon’s calendar date runs through January 1 while the descriptive text says nightly displays through New Year’s Eve. For the Kansas half-marathon, Gallup exhibit and American Bar tournament, the official entries lack enough logistics for us to provide a full visitor itinerary. Those are not missing details to guess; they are details to check directly. This is a dated guide rather than a claim that no other community will announce a new centennial event. The official “Upcoming” view excludes programs that began before October 26 and continue afterward; the site has a separate all-events archive for those. New organizer announcements can also appear after publication. Primary research sources https://route66centennial.org/calendar/upcoming-events-all https://route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/events-archive https://route66centennialcelebration.com/ https://www.sanbernardino.gov/1728/Route-66-Centennial https://illinoisroute66.org/event/statewide-conference-route-66-centennial-celebration/ https://route66ultrarun.com/details/ Editorial research completed October 26, 2026. Source addresses appear under each listing for registration details and organizer updates. --- ProbleMattic is written and maintained by Matthew Kulcsar, a software engineer, project manager, technologist, platform builder, emergency-services-trained helper, grandfather, and lifelong collector of broken systems, odd behaviors, and useful nonsense.