Our Online Events Submission Form makes promoting Route 66 Centennial celebrations easier than ever! The form allows users to submit events in just a few minutes—no technical expertise required. Once submitted, events are reviewed and published on the official Centennial calendar, helping visitors plan their journey and experience all that Route 66 has to offer for the Centennial and beyond. To submit your event or learn more, click here.

We’re excited to spotlight the work of Route 66’s official publishing partner, Only In Your State, which continues to highlight incredible eateries, points of interest, and historic landmarks along the Mother Road. We hope you enjoy discovering them as much as we do. Read their latest Route 66 articles here.

Located on the 1931 beltline bypass in Oklahoma City—where an old motor court once stood—you’ll now find a 280-square-foot stone building with angled ceilings, walls lined with memorabilia, and a single barber chair. This isn’t your typical roadside attraction. It’s an old-school barbershop set inside a restored 1928 office, offering classic hot towel razor shaves, beard trims, and haircuts.

Stepping into Chuck’s Shave Shop feels like entering another era. The space has been fully refurbished, even featuring a loft that owner Chuck Naifeh uses as a laid-back hangout, complete with a couch, coffee table, and a well-stocked stash of booze.

“I went to barber school in Denver, and I’ve always had an affinity for history,” Chuck says. “I worked as a 1920s barber for years, and I still do some 19th-century work.” He’s owned his shop for just over a year and a half, building a clientele that ranges from locals to Wild West reenactors, Santas, and Route 66 tourists.

Chuck encourages people to experience the space, even without an appointment. Everyone who walks in, whether they get a haircut or not, leaves with a postcard and a fake mustache. Chuck is always happy to share the building’s story. Originally constructed in 1928 as the office for the Owl Court Motel, it’s lived many lives—as a beauty salon, realtor’s office, and coffee shop—before returning to its roots as a 1920s-style barbershop.

Chuck also serves on the board for the Britton District and regularly hosts events at the shop. “Every couple months, I’ll throw a Roaring ’20s-themed party,” he says, “we’ll have a fiddle player, cigars, and onion burgers.” For him, the barbershop is more than a business—it’s a labor of love, a form of performance art, and a piece of living history. “Because it’s such a small space, you get to know people on a deeper level,” he adds. “A one-chair shop allows for a different kind of vulnerability.”

To Chuck, Route 66 itself is a metaphor for intentional living. It’s not the fastest way from point A to point B—it’s a road people choose for the experience. His favorite stops are the ones that don’t try to solve a problem or send a message—they simply exist to make people smile: places like the Blue Whale of Catoosa or the world’s largest rocking chair.

To learn more or book an appointment at Chuck’s Shave Shop, visit chucksshaveshop.com.

The Mother Road, Recast: A Puppet-Led Road Trip Down Route 66

August Knolls and Zach Johnson are based in Denver and work as multimedia artists and puppeteers. Their Route 66 video essay project is anything but conventional—starting with the fact that it isn’t even hosted by humans. Instead, the series features a cast of puppets with unique personalities, all handcrafted by August herself. So far, the project includes three interviews with iconic figures along the Mother Road, including Bill Thomas at the American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois.

Their journey spanned three weeks, taking them from Denver to Chicago, Chicago to Los Angeles, and back to Denver. “We’re into kitschy, roadside attractions,” August says. “Our first big trip with the puppets was in southern Colorado at the San Luis Valley, a site of UFO activity.” From there, August and Zach became fascinated with the strange, offbeat pockets of America—especially those along Route 66.

Some of their stops included the Muffler Men, Uranus Fudge Factory, the 3 Filling Station, and the Museum of Osteology. “We went in with a plan, but it derailed at times,” Zach says. “On Route 66, there are so many billboards enticing you to stop.” And they’re right—you can’t go more than a couple of miles without being pulled in by the world’s largest ball of twine, a restored gas station, a neon-lit motel, or something of the like.

August and Zach’s content is interactive at heart. Inspired by shows like Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, it blends a cast of both humans and puppets to create something playful yet meaningful. The goal of the series is to celebrate the Centennial while also showing that road tripping is truly for everyone.

“Route 66 provided opportunities for disadvantaged people to travel the country, and it continues to evolve in unique ways,” they explain. Through their work, August and Zach are helping usher in a new era of road trippers—ones who are committed to preserving Route 66’s legacy while adding their own creative twist.

Stay up-to-date at @denverpuppetdisco on YouTube and Instagram.

Electrek American Solar Challenge gives college students from around the world the opportunity to showcase their engineering skills by designing and building solar-powered cars that travel a different route every other year. And this year, in honor of its 100th anniversary, the competition takes on Route 66.

Leading this event is Gail Lueck, Operations Director and board member at the Innovators Educational Foundation and Event Director for the Electrek American Solar Challenge. In the summer of 1999, Gail competed as a student team member representing the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T), which won the competition (then under the name Sunrayce99).

While no one can predict exactly how transportation technology will evolve, events like the Electrek American Solar Challenge are helping shape a more sustainable and efficient future for car travel. At the same time, the competition provides students with valuable STEM education and hands-on engineering experience. Companies like Tesla and Blue Origin often sponsor the event to recruit future engineers, observing the technical innovation as well as the teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills students demonstrate in real-world scenarios.

Universities from across North America and beyond have competed in the past, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, University of Florida, Polytechnique Montréal, and others.

Success in the Electrek American Solar Challenge is determined by more than just speed. Teams are evaluated on total mileage, participation in optional challenge loops, and practical vehicle features like seating capacity, trunk space, and comfort.

“It's a challenge to even get into the Electrek American Solar Challenge,” Gail says. “There’s a scrutineering process where cars are required to pass a series of inspections before participating in the official competition.” This year, more than forty teams are registered to participate, but each team must pass the scrutineering process and qualify during the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 3-day endurance track event before being cleared to drive the 1500+ mile route.

Much like Route 66 itself, the Electrek American Solar Challenge is rooted in community. Towns along the route are notified ahead of time so residents can gather to watch the solar cars pass through. This year’s route starts in Minneapolis and follows the Great River Road, then deviates off to Route 66 in Illinois, ending at Arts in the Sunset in Amarillo.

The 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge runs from July 25 through August 1. Follow the competition on Instagram and Facebook, explore photo albums on Flickr, and learn more at americansolarchallenge.org

Upcoming Events

CCC Cattle Drive and Parade
JUNE 6

Flagstaff Centennial Celebration
JUNE 6

66 Artists on 66
JUNE 6

Centennial Route 66 5K
JUNE 6

Telling the Missouri Route 66 Story   |  June 11
JUNE 11

Main Street: The Lost Dream of Rt. 66 —
The Photography of Edward Keating Exhibition and Talk
JUNE 12

Williams, Arizona 4th of July Celebration
JULY 4

America on the Move: A Route 66 Centennial Parade
JULY 12

And Remember to Join the Route 66

Centennial Birthday Party Club!

Check out our new line of Centennial bumper stickers! The collection includes one national design, with two designs to choose from, as well as two designs for each Route 66 state.