Celebrating 100 Years of Kicks on Route 66
On November 11, 1926 - US Highway 66 was established. In 2026, the road turns 100 - and Oklahoma is ready!
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is planning a series of events to commemorate this fantastic occasion - and we even have our own Centennial logo, designed by the one and only Shellee Graham! Many thanks for her partnership on this; check it out on various items at our Shop link below.
The Association is also represented on the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission and the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a nationally-focused non-profit that is working on a variety of Route 66 projects from a national perspective. This group includes representation from all eight states that Route 66 calls home.
We will continue to update this page as more information is available!
Events and Celebrations
Oklahoma has more driveable miles of Historic Route 66 than any other state - so celebrations will be going all year long! We are organizing several events in 2026 to celebrate the road and its history and participating in others that communities are planning.
Below is a list of currently known Centennial-focused events across the state. Lines in bold are events the Association is organizing! We’ll update this with more information as it comes in.
The best way to check out what’s happening in Oklahoma in 2026 is to check out our full Event Calendar and sort by Centennial. The best way to check out what’s happening across the entire route is to look at the national Event Calendar at www.route66centennial.org!
| City | Event Name | Month | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherford | Big Band Hangar Dance | April | Saturday, April 25 |
| Tulsa | Capital Cruise Parade | May | Saturday, May 30 |
| Nationwide | Route 66 Centennial Caravan | June | 20 days from CA to IL |
| Vinita | Route 66 Centennial Event | June | Weekend of June 5 & 6 |
| Statewide | Route 66 Mural Fest | June | Thursday, June 18 |
| Weatherford | Heartland Cruise Car Show | June | Weekend of June 19 & 20 |
| Tulsa | AAA Route 66 Road Fest | June | Weekend of June 27 & 28 |
| Tulsa | Mustangs on the Mother Road | July | MCA National Car Show July 24-26 |
| Clinton | OK 66 Hall of Fame Induction | July | Saturday, July 25 |
| Multiple | Main Street of America Rolling Roadshow | September | September 18-24 |
| Sapulpa | Route 66 Blowout | September | Saturday, September 12 |
| Sapulpa | Centennial Car Show and Pixar's Cars Screening | September | Saturday, September 26 |
| Arcadia | Round Barn Round Up | October | Saturday, October 17 |
| Tulsa | State Route 66 Centennial Event TBD | November | Wednesday, November 11 |
Support the Association
Help us with our mission to preserve and promote Route 66 in Oklahoma by picking up some of our exclusive Route 66 Centennial merchandise!
State Centennial Projects
Beyond events, many projects are underway to help prepare for the 2026 Centennial. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is proud to be involved in a number of initiatives, including working with ODOT on signage improvement.
Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grants - This independent commission awards money for projects across the Route 66 corridor in Oklahoma. Take a look at the individual projects listed in the grant round documents on their webpage and check out their YouTube Video Series highlighting individual grant projects - updated regularly!
Beyond the state revitalization commission, there are other projects happening at the local and regional level to help commemorate or celebrate the Route 66 Centennial:
Oklahoma City Boot Monument Project
National Centennial Projects
The national Route 66 event calendar and projects certified by the US Route 66 Centennial Commission are available at www.route66centennial.org.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is encouraging citizens to express their support to designate Historic Route 66 as a National Historic Trail. They also have several projects underway through their Preserve Route 66 Program, including:
