|
|
Fall is upon us, and we’re looking forward to a great season of Route 66 events, activities, projects, and more. In this issue, we’re highlighting Craig Winslow’s Light Capsules project and Nolan Stolz’s Orchestral Suite. We’re also featuring an interview with Joan Gladstone about her collection of Route 66 oil paintings.
Scroll to the bottom for upcoming events, and check out the Centennial merch to celebrate the Mother Road in style!
Don’t miss the latest blog posts, including Q&As with writers, artists, business owners, and more. Get travel tips and learn what fuels people’s love for the Mother Road. Stay updated on the Centennial calendar, where you can search by state, category, or date. And if you haven’t joined the Centennial Birthday Party Club yet, now’s the time! Enjoy exclusive perks, including discounted merchandise! See the flyer below and join today.
For individuals or organizations interested in partnerships, sponsorships, or using the Route 66 Events Calendar, contact wthomas@teleologic.net. If you have a project or event related to Route 66, tag us on Instagram or Facebook @usroute66centennial.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Craig Winslow’s Light Capsules project is all about remembering and reviving the past. Using a technique called projection mapping, Craig brings faded ghost signs along Route 66 back to life—like stepping into a time capsule! His work helps us imagine what these historic signs looked like in their heyday, shining light (literally) on the stories of the Mother Road.
Want to learn more? Don’t miss the Q&A with Craig Winslow on the Centennial Blog, where he shares what sparked his interest in Route 66 and how he’s using light capsules to preserve history.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Winslow Studio has created both permanent and temporary installations nationwide. Learn more about this Centennial-certified project here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Composer Nolan Stolz, Professor of Music at the University of South Carolina, has been working on a seven-year project celebrating the Mother Road’s Centennial.
This unique composition captures the spirit, history, and landscape of the Mother Road, and is divided into two parts:
Part One
-
“A.D. 1926”
-
“26 Gas Stations”
-
“66 Ghost Towns”
-
“Vacancy / No Vacancy”
Part Two
-
“Neon Dreams”
-
“Desert 66”
-
“Among the Trees”
-
“The Show Will Go On”
Want to bring this orchestral suite to you? Learn more here, or schedule a performance of the full suite or individual movements by reaching out to Nolan Stolz at stolz@uscupstate.edu or nolan@nolanstolz.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For over thirty years, Joan Gladstone has called Laguna Beach home—a vibrant artist community nestled along the idyllic Southern California coastline. For the past five years, she’s showcased her work at the Sawdust Art Festival, and this year, a special section of her collection pays tribute to Route 66
Her latest oil paintings spotlight the iconic signs and landmarks that define the historic highway. With bold shapes, vivid colors, and a stylized, graphic approach, Joan reimagines these sites as they might have looked in their heyday. “The goal was to honor the way the sites once were, with a contemporary flair,” she explains. “I have a specific interest in signs.” Proceeds from her Route 66-inspired pieces help support the Route 66 Preservation and Economic Development Grant Program aimed at revitalizing the Mother Road.
The inspiration for the collection stems from Joan’s travels along Route 66. A road trip to Amarillo with her husband, Ed, in 2009 first sparked her interest. They also traveled to St. Louis in October 2024. Seeing how Route 66 has stood the test of time, evoked a mix of emotions. “Some signs were completely gone,” Joan recalls. “Others were still there, but not in the best shape.”
|
|
|
|
For Joan, Route 66 is less about checking off famous stops and more about embracing the unexpected. “It’s a journey—it’s not just about going from one destination to the next. It’s the experience of slow travel,” she says.
Route 66 is more than a road—it’s a community, an extended family of travelers from across the globe. As the Centennial approaches, it's an opportunity to unite people and celebrate America’s most iconic highway in creative and meaningful ways. Artists like Joan are at the forefront of this celebration, capturing what Route 66 once was and imagining how it will continue to evolve over the next 100 years.
Joan’s paintings will be featured in a new exhibition, Route 66: Celebrating the Legendary Mother Road, at the Hilbert Museum of California Art from December 13, 2025 through May 11, 2026. The Hilbert Museum is located at 167 N. Atchison Street, Orange, California. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm and offers free admission with reservations. Visit www.hilbertmuseum.org for more information.
Explore more of Joan’s work at joangladstone.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Five communities have been designated Official Satellite Cities for the Route 66 Centennial Kick-off on April 30, 2026.
The virtual Route 66 Centennial Kick-Off will feature a Centennial Kick-Off concert with a-list entertainment in Springfield, Missouri, a two-hour simulcast of the live-streamed event worldwide, and cut-ins during the simulcast from each Official Satellite City.
Below is information regarding the Centennial Kick-off satellite location celebrations on April 30, 2026.
The five satellite cities will join the live, online media event at the Route 66 Centennial Kick-Off celebration in Springfield, Missouri, the Official Host City. The five Official Satellite Cities include Joliet, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Amarillo, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Santa Monica, California.
Joliet will host its satellite city celebration at the historic 1858 Old Joliet Prison Site, featured in the 1980 Blues Brothers movie. The property is now an economic development engine and community gathering space, welcoming nearly 100,000 visitors since the project's inception.
St Louis will celebrate a century of traveling on the Mother Road with four days of events at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. Explore everything from the stunning natural scenery and quirky roadside attractions in both winding rural towns and big cities, to the challenges and inequities faced by some travelers. Enjoy live music, car displays, film screenings, presentations, neon and memorabilia displays, and family activities!
Amarillo’s Historic Barfield Hotel will host a one-of-a-kind evening featuring invite-only experiences inside the Barfield, including a lively western rockabilly sock hop dance in the ballroom with Jimmy Dale Richardson, Route 66 story recordings in the speakeasy, and live rockabilly music at Patio Vista. Outside, everyone is welcome to join in the fun with storytelling, vendors, interactive activities like a rotary phone to share personal Route 66 memories, and plenty of festive photo ops. It’s a chance to honor the rich history of the Mother Road while creating brand-new memories in the heart of Amarillo.
Albuquerque's celebration unfolds in the heart of downtown with live music at the nearly 100-year-old KiMo Theatre. Steps away, an augmented reality experience awaits at 4th & Central, the crossroads where Route 66 once intersected. In addition, there will be three other creative stops within a two-block walk of the KiMo, all part of Route 66 Remixed, an art-fueled road trip spanning the city’s 18-mile stretch of the Mother Road.
Santa Monica is excited to host its kick-off ceremony at the historical end of the Mother Road - Mel's Diner on Lincoln Boulevard, featuring California-themed entertainment. Route 66 holds a significant place in Santa Monica's history, having been an important thoroughfare for travelers to visit the beachside city for the last 100 years, and continues to offer a memorable experience for those who enjoy the road to the sea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I Tried Every Restaurant on Route 66"
Dylan Huynh, a YouTube content creator, embarked on a road trip along Route 66, a journey that merged his love of food and travel. This is from a story published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
READ THE POST
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Light Artist creator of Route 66 Centennial Light Capsules
Craig Winslow uses a technique called "Projection Mapping" to bring faded iconic ghost signs found along Route 66 "back to life." This vibrant, celebratory revival of the Road's glorious history is a fitting experiential celebration of the Route 66 Centennial.
READ THE POST
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road"
Katrina Parksis a director, writer, and executive producer of films about strong women who enrich our culture and environment. Her latest series, Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road, is being broadcast through American Public Television on PBS stations.
READ THE POST
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Aprons Away: Women's Work on Route 66”
Cheryl Eichar Jett is the author of the forthcoming book "Aprons Away: Women's Work on Route 66". Cheryl, also a playwright and award-winning writer, holds a graduate degree in history from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. In 2015, she founded the Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference annual event in Illinois.
READ THE POST
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Check out these events and activities coming up along Route 66.
Saturday, September 13 in Grants, NM
September 20 & 21 in Grants, NM
September 26-27 in Winslow, AZ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
