Celebrating 100 Years of Kicks on Route 66
On November 11, 1926 - US Highway 66 was established. In 2026, the road turns 100 - and big celebrations are in the works!
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 at our Shop link below.
In addition to serving on the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission, we are a member of 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 |
| Vinita | Route 66 Centennial Celebration | June | Weekend of June 5 & 6 |
| 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 |
State Centennial Projects
Many projects are underway to help prepare for the 2026 Centennial. Here is a list of some of the work that is currently happening across the state.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Pavement Shields are available to communities and counties to aid in way-finding.
Project 66 Commission Grants - While not officially tied to Oklahoma’s Route 66 Centennial Commission, this separate body 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!
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!
Nationally, the US 66 Centennial Commission has a website with official Route 66 Centennial recognized activities, projects, events, and programs. There’s also a national event calendar.
If you have a project that you’d like to be considered for recognition by the US 66 Centennial Commission, check out the submission portal here.
You can also follow along with the national Centennial Commission’s updates via their Facebook page.
From the National Trust for Historic Preservation:
While Route 66 still captures the imagination of people around the world, its historic places—and their stories—continue to be lost every year. We believe that many of these stories along Route 66 remain untold and we need your help in amplifying them to the wider world!
We invite you—community members, travelers, historians, and enthusiasts—to share your stories and photos about Route 66. Whether it's a quirky roadside attraction, a treasured business, a piece of family history, or a personal memory, every contribution helps piece together a more complete picture of Route 66’s history. Together, we'll tell a more complete story of this iconic highway, ensuring that no story, no place, and no memory along Route 66 is left in the shadows.
Have a story about a place you'd like to share? Submit a photo and a short description. Thanks for helping us tell the full American story!
