Events

Sounds on 66, presented by the Joliet City Center Partnership, kicks off the Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor weekend from 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 1. This celebration at the brand-new City Square transforms Downtown Joliet into a vibrant stage for historic sound and cars to commemorate 100 years of Route 66. Experience an era-spanning musical journey, featuring live performances that bring a century of history to life from the soulful roots of blues and jazz to the electric energy of rockabilly and classic rock. Experience the evolution of the automobile for a premier auto show Chicago Street. Marvel at the vintage chrome and classic steel that have defined the American spirit and traveled the Red Carpet Corridor for 10 decades.

Enjoy a car show, live music, a touch-a-truck event, and food truck from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday at the corner of Mississippi Avenue and Douglas Street. A craft fair will be held Saturday, followed by the farmers market Sunday. Elwood will also host weekend-long garage sales while local restaurants will feature food and drink specials. Historic exhibits throughout the village include Rosie the Riveter, the Blues Brothers statues, antique tractors, the original Route 66 pavement, and the Children’s Garden.

On Saturday, get your giveaway at the Chamber Tent downtown near 220 N. Water St.  The Flea Market runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes food and beverage vendors, live music from the Route 66 Band from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a split-the-pot button raffle at the tent. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, stop by The Landing Pad Souvenir Shop (110 S. Park St.) next to the Gemini Giant for the giveaway. From noon to 5 p.m., enjoy live music, a local art show, food trucks, wine and beer tastings, and raffles. 

Visit the Braidwood Lions Club information booth across from the Polk-A-Dot Drive In at the Route 66 Welcome Park to pick up the commemorative giveaway while supplies last. Check out the unique Braidwood Zoo with metal animal sculptures from the late artist Jack Barker. Browse the vendors set up next to the zoo and the Polk-A-Dot. Stop by the Braidwood Historical Museum on Main Street to see their Route 66 exhibits. Don’t miss the car show and music at the Polk-A-Dot along with photo ops next to Elvis, Superman, Betty Boop, and the Blues Brothers. Enjoy live entertainment by the Silhouettes from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Visit the Route 66 Mining Museum (150 S. Kankakee St.) for your giveaway on Saturday, May 2. A Toys for Tots drive will be open for donations. Enjoy live music from two bands: Rosie and the Rivets from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Jimmy Monsen Band from 3-5 p.m. Hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy will be given away while supplies last. On Sunday, May 3, the giveaway will be available at the Stumble Inn (201 S. Kankakee St.). 

Stop at Village Hall at the corner of South Mitchell Street and Historic Route 66/IL-53. Baked goods will be sold by the United Methodist Church. 

Meet the mayor at the Two-Cell Jail, where you can pick up this year’s giveaway. Other Saturday/Sunday activities include Gardner Archives opening at Village Hall. The Gardner Lions Club will serve root beer floats and pork chop sandwiches beginning at 10 a.m. at the Streetcar Diner. Stop at The Shop for a free Route 66 collectible pin. CiCi & Lala’s will host a sidewalk sale on Depot Street, which will also host a craft show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A free, inflatable bounce house will be available for kids.

Saturday-only events on Depot Street include the Scapegoats Car Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the downtown parking lot, a DJ playing ‘50s and ‘60s music, and a performance by Elvis Presley tribute artist Hugo Collins from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the gazebo. Sunday-only events on Depot Street include a tractor show and a DJ playing country music from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Village-wide garage sales will be held all weekend. The Historic Ambler-Becker Texaco Station will be open all weekend, along with the Dwight Historical Society Museum at the Historic Depot from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

On Saturday, enjoy the Route 66 Vendor Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the south parking lot on East Main Street, featuring local vendors, face painting, a balloon artist, and an inflatable obstacle course. Don’t miss the vintage baseball game at 1 p.m. at Renfrew Park, featuring the Blue Island Brewmasters versus the Lemont Quarrymen.

Sunday events will take place at the Dwight Country Mansion and will include DTHS students’ art displays from noon to 2 p.m., live music by the Route 66 Ramblers from 1-4 p.m., a Route 66 Panel Discussion at 2 p.m., and Route 66 trivia following the panel.

Giveaways will be available Saturday and Sunday at the Historic 1932 Standard Oil Gas Station. Walk through the historic subway and shop for souvenirs, soda, and nostalgic items. A bake sale benefiting the station will be held Saturday. Stop King’s Crossing (210 Tremont St.) for lunch.

The Skoolie Swarm will take over Downtown Pontiac! Beginning Friday evening, converted school buses and other rigs will park as their residents open them for tours to the public. The Greater Livingston County Arts Council is hosting its annual Swinging Bridges Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Stop by the Art Center at 209 W. Madison St. to pick up your giveaway, then explore the back alley and The Eagle Theater, where festival artists will showcase and sell handcrafted fine art. Enjoy live music on the Plum Street stage and Bob & Ringo’s patio during the whole festival with headliner Chicago Farmer playing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The festival will also feature a community mural, art demonstrations, entertainment, food trucks, and more. Museums open both days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission! Celebrate 100 years of the iconic Old Log Cabin restaurant (18700 Old Route 66) until 2 p.m. Saturday. Wrap up the weekend Sunday with the All Pontiac Car Cruise-in in Downtown Pontiac, commemorating 100 years of the founding of the Pontiac Motors brand.

Visit an original Route 66 gas station location, the Texaco Star, at the intersection of Route 66 and US-24. Weave through town and pass the Matthew T. Scott House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Check out the restored, historic, public mural uptown on Veto Street. Shop at the all-town garage sales as well as a big vendor event: Chenoa Superior Shopping Event! The giveaway will be available at Redbird Park, 205 S. Morehead Drive, the intersection of two historic alignments.

The 100th anniversary of Route 66 will kick off the Lexington History Project. Lexington will become a walking museum with plaques on historic buildings and locations to lead travelers back through time. The Memory Lane billboard restoration project will also be complete thanks to the help of Lexington High School Art Department. Lexington’s Red Carpet Corridor activities will be located on Main Street in downtown Lexington, hosting local car clubs, live music, food trucks, and vendors. Lexington will also feature unique activities such as a bourbon walk and cigar lounge. While in Lexington, enjoy the unique restaurant scene and coffee shops, discover the exquisite boutique shopping, taste some of Lexington’s local craft beer, and enjoy live music and photo opportunities. The giveaway for this year’s Red Carpet Corridor will be available at City Hall.

Stop by the booth at the main Towanda intersection (Route 66 and North 1900 E Road) by Rapid Rocky’s for the giveaway. Visit the vendors booth to pick up some Route 66 Dead Man’s Curve apparel. Visitors can also participle in some other fun, Route 66-themed activities around town, including the famous Kicks Bar & Grill and the Towanda Route 66 Parkway & Arboretum. Breakfast sandwiches and some lunch options will be available on route. Enjoy the Mid-State Cruisers Route 66 Cruise-in car show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, which will also include a DJ and food options from JD’s and Long Branch Again, as well as ice cream from Gramma Nana’s.

Stop at Ryburn Place at Sprague’s Super Service (305 Pine St.) — a 1930s gas station in a restored, Tudor-style building — for a photo op in front of the replica gas pumps. While you’re there, meet with Terri Ryburn, owner of Ryburn Place Gifts & Gab, the shop that inhabits the historic building she rehabilitated. Pick up the giveaway at Sprague’s all weekend long. Enjoy Uptown Normal’s restaurants, the Children’s Discovery Museum, and shopping just minutes away.

Giveaways will be available Saturday and Sunday at the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and Gift Shop, located inside the McLean County Museum of History (200 N. Main St.); admission to the museum is free. The Outdoor Farmers Market will be held from 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday on the square. Local artist Brian Simpson will be at the museum Saturday to sketch travelers for a small fee.