Celebrating 100 Years of Kicks on Route 66
On November 11, 1926 - US Highway 66 was established. In 2026, Route 66 is celebrating its centennial all year long!
Many events are planned throughout the state to mark this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association has our own Centennial Event Series - and we’ll be participating in a number of other events, too!
Our round Centennial logo was designed by the one and only Shellee Graham! There’s two versions - one for the eastern side of the state and one for the western side. We offer this on a variety of items so that you can show YOUR support for Route 66! Check out the 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 helping coordinate events across all eight states. Check out the national event calendar here!
Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Event Series
Oklahoma has more driveable miles of Historic Route 66 than any other state - and celebrations will be going all year long!
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.
| 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 |
| Statewide | Route 66 Mural Fest | July | Saturday, July 18 |
| 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 many projects happening at the local and regional level to help commemorate or celebrate the Route 66 Centennial. Here are links to a few:
Oklahoma City Boot Monument Project
National Centennial Efforts
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.
Google Arts & Culture Route 66 Hub
National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Share Your Story Project
Research Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series
USPS Stamp Series for 2026
