Illinois Events
Enjoy the Red Carpet Corridor Festival!
This two-day festival is all about family fun on the most famous two-lane highway in America - Route 66. Sponsored by the fifteen communities which make up the 100-mile linear museum from Joliet to Bloomington, the annual festival invites everyone to experience the good life in the slow
| Event Date | 05-02-2025 |
| Event End Date | 05-03-2025 |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
Mainstreet Mingle!
It's more than just a market - it's a movement.
Join the fun in Virden, Illinois on the 4th Saturday of select months during the summer, including:
May 17th -- August 23 -- September 20 -- October 25
| Event Date | 05-17-2025 |
| Event End Date | 05-17-2025 |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
American Giants Museum
2025 Memorial Day Weekend
Meet Joel Baker (American Giants founder) Thursday–Sunday for Q&A sessions and also meet other Muffler Men collectors and enthusiasts. Talks on Muffler Men, Giants, and the history behind these iconic roadside attractions. Exclusive merch for purchase. Guided tours with Joel—explore the collection, hear hidden backstories, and discover details you’ve never heard before! Two new giants being erected during the event. Food trucks and casual hangs with fellow enthusiasts.| Event Date | 05-22-2025 |
| Event End Date | 05-26-2025 |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
Route 66 Bob Waldmire Exclusive Art Exhibition
In celebration of the Route 66 centennial, The Pharmacy Gallery & Art Space will host the artwork of Route 66 Icon, Bob Waldmire.
| Event Date | 06-28-2025 12:00 pm |
| Event End Date | 12-19-2026 6:00 pm |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free (Donations Appreciated) |
Ribbon cutting ceremony to open the Carpenter Park Route 66 Alignment
| Event Date | 07-02-2025 9:00 am - 10:00 am |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
The new Road to Adventure: Exploring Route 66 exhibits lets families experience the magic of Route 66.
| Event Date | 07-19-2025 9:00 am |
| Event End Date | 12-31-2026 4:00 am |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
24th Annual International Route 66 Mother Road Festival
The cars, the music, the fun and nostalgia that Route 66 has brought to generations will return for a 24th year, rolling into historic downtown Springfield September 26th - 28th
| Event Date | 09-26-2025 6:00 pm |
| Event End Date | 09-28-2025 2:00 pm |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free to Attend; Registration Fee for Cars to Participate |
Architectural historians from the Illinois State Archaeological Survey will be presenting two presentations on Rt. 66 in Illinois at the Conference on Illinois History in Springfield, Illinois on October 2nd from 10-11:30.
| Event Date | 10-02-2025 |
| Event End Date | 10-02-2025 |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
“Roadwork Ahead: The Exhibition explores the evolving legacy of Route 66 through the lens of photographer David J. Schwartz. Featuring fine-art images and stories of legacy keepers, torch bearers, and new pioneers, the show reflects resilience, change, and the enduring spirit of the Mother Road.”
| Event Date | 10-10-2025 |
| Event End Date | 11-21-2025 |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |
Enjoy a hidden gem from the past: the Carpenter Park Original Route 66 Pavement. Nestled beside the Sangamon River, this quarter-mile stretch of road has been hidden away, untouched and overgrown, for nearly 90 years. Initially part of the original stretch of Route 66, this segment was only in use for about a decade before the highway's alignment changed.
| Event Date | 01-01-2026 |
| Event End Date | 12-31-2026 |
| Capacity | Unlimited |
| Individual Price | Free |