Springfield to Host National Celebrate America on Route 66 Parade

Springfield, Missouri, hosted the National Celebrate America on Route 66 Parade on Friday, May 1, 2026, as a centerpiece of the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff Celebration. The event, organized by the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission, served as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the highway’s official naming.

The parade began at 6 p.m. And concluded by 8 p.m., traveling west on Route 66 along St. Louis Street and Park Central East. The procession moved through Park Central Square before continuing to Campbell Avenue, where the parade disbanded.

A Living Museum of the Mother Road

The celebration featured more than 100 classic, vintage, and iconic automobiles, which organizers described as a living, moving museum of America’s most famous highway. To maintain historical accuracy, personal and non-commercial vehicles in the parade were limited to model years 1926-1985, the period during which Route 66 was a commissioned highway.

In addition to the vintage vehicles, the parade included delegations from Route 66 communities across the United States, highlighting the shared heritage of the eight states through which the highway passes.

Springfield as the Birthplace of Route 66

Springfield was selected as the official host city for the national kickoff due to its historical role in the creation of the road. On April 30, 1926, a telegram was sent from Springfield to Washington, D.C., requesting that the new transcontinental road be named Route 66.

The centennial festivities began on April 30, 2026, with the dedication of the Birthplace Plaza at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, and St. Louis Street. The site marks where the original telegram was sent from the Colonial Hotel.

Multi-Day Centennial Festivities

The parade was one of several high-profile events scheduled from April 30 to May 3, 2026, designed to commemorate the centennial and America’s 250th birthday. Other milestones in the celebration included:

• April 30, 2026: A live broadcast of the third hour of NBC’s Today Show and a National Centennial Kickoff Concert at the Great Southern Bank Arena, featuring artists such as Little Big Town, Chris Janson, Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts, Gretchen Wilson, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and The Haygoods.
• May 1, 2026: The unveiling of the Route 66 Queen’s Gate Sculpture at the corner of St. Louis Street and Glenstone Avenue at 11 a.m., followed by a choreographed light, sound, and drone show at 8 p.m. To light the Historic Jefferson Avenue Footbridge.
• May 2, 2026: The Red, White & Bridge Bash on Commercial Street from 8 a.m. To 6 p.m. And a Route 66-themed ArtsFest on Walnut Street.

The kickoff sequence concludes on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with the National Route 66 Centennial Telegraph Ball. Held at the Historic Shrine Mosque starting at 6 p.m., the event is hosted by Missouri First Lady Claudia Kehoe and Springfield First Lady Mary Helen Schrag.

Proceeds from the centennial merchandise and events are designated to reimburse the costs of the kickoff celebration and support ongoing Route 66 enhancement efforts through the Springfield Route 66 Enhancement fund and the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission.