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!
Our first project for the upcoming Centennial was started in 2021: revitalizing and enhancing Historic Route 66 Signage throughout Oklahoma! As you can imagine, this is an ongoing effort. We also have an ongoing program to refresh and grow the 2003 Hampton Inn Roadside Attraction signs across the state.
In partnership with Oklahoma artist and historian Shellee Graham, we have developed our own Centennial Design! Check it out at our Shop link below.
Additionally, we are a member of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a nationally-focused group that is working on a variety of Route 66 projects from a national perspective. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is proud to be a part of this collaborative group, which includes representation from all eight states that Route 66 calls home.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has released Pavement Marking Guidelines to help with wayfinding and to provide new options for cities and counties to celebrate the road itself. There has also been a federal U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission established, which is meeting regularly and working on plans at a national level.
We will continue to update this page as more information is available!
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!
Events and Celebrations
The most frequent question we get is: when are you celebrating the Centennial in 2026? Well, that IS the big question! Oklahoma has more drivable miles of Historic Route 66 than any other state - so celebrations will be going all year long! We are planning to have several events in 2026 to celebrate the road and its history. More to come!
We expect that many communities along Route 66 will heavily incorporate the Centennial into existing annual celebrations - but we’re encouraging them to do something special for Route 66, too!
AAA Route 66 Road Fest will be held in Tulsa on June 27 and 28, 2026!
This event has been recommended as an official Route 66 Centennial Event by the US Route 66 Centennial Commission. Make plans to be there to celebrate 100 Years of Route 66 in style!
Here is a list of other existing annual Route 66-focused events in each community and the month they typically occur. This should provide a general idea of what will be going on in Oklahoma throughout the year. Lines in bold are confirmed for 2026! We’ll update this with more information as it comes in.
| City | Event Name | Month | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia | Classic Cars A-Round the Barn | April | 2nd Saturday of April | |
| Miami | Route 66 Mural Fest | April | Last Weekend of the Month | |
| Tulsa + OKC | State Route 66 Events TBD | May | Saturday, May 30th | |
| Davenport | Nettie Davenport Day | May | Saturday before Mother's Day | |
| Bethany | Route 66 Festival | May | Memorial Day Weekend | |
| El Reno | Onion Burger Day | May | First Saturday in May | |
| Clinton | Route 66 Festival | May | ||
| Weatherford | Heartland Cruise Car Show | June | Weekend of June 19 & 20 | |
| Tulsa | AAA Route 66 Road Fest | June | Weekend of June 27 & 28 | |
| Commerce | Commerce Days | June | ||
| Stroud | Summerfest | June | ||
| Chandler | Ice Cream Social | June | ||
| Warr Acres | "Triple Tour" Route 66 Festival | June | ||
| Elk City | Route 66 Festival | June | ||
| Quapaw | Quapaw Tribal Festival | July | 4th of July Weekend | |
| Miami | Miami OK Route 66 Heritage Fest | July | Last Weekend of the Month | |
| Catoosa | Art Show and Cultural Festival | July | ||
| Sayre | Dust Bowl Days | July | ||
| Tulsa | Mustangs on the Mother Road | July | MCA National Car Show July 24-26 | |
| Bristow | Western Heritage Days | August | ||
| Hydro | Free Fair | August | ||
| Yukon | Rock the Route | August/September | Thursday, September 3rd | |
| Sapulpa | Route 66 Blowout | September | Saturday, September 12th | |
| Geary | Native 66 Festival | October | ||
| n/a | Route 66 Centennial Date | November 11 | ||
| Luther | Pecan Festival | November | ||
| Edmond | Cycle 66 | November |
The State of Oklahoma established their own Centennial Commission in 2019, led by Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell and served by nearly two dozen Oklahomans from around the state. The Commission is being administered by the Oklahoma Historical Society - meeting dates and agendas can be found here.
This Commission is working on efforts to support communities as they plan to ring in this once-in-a-lifetime event! The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is proud to be a member of this Commission.
Although it is not directly tied to the Centennial Commission, a separate Oklahoma Route 66 Commission was established in 2022 to fund development along the historic road in the state. It launched in late 2023 and is funded for several years. Check out our Grants page for more information on how and when to apply!
At the end of 2020, the federal US Route 66 Centennial Commission was established by Congress to study and recommend in a report to Congress activities that would be fitting and proper to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Mother Road in 2026. In 2023, most of the members of the Commission were seated and started having regular meetings.
Per the legislation, “The Commission shall study activities that may be carried out by the Federal Government to honor Route 66, including potential ceremonies and celebrations, the production and publication of media or other materials, and the issuance of commemorative items.” They are tasked with recommending these activities to Congress and recommending federal entities to help carry out those activities.
You can follow along with the national Centennial Commission’s updates via with website and on their Facebook page. We’ll publish more information as it becomes available!
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 below. Thanks for helping us tell the full American story!