Springfield will take center stage this week as a multi‑day celebration marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in the southwest Missouri city credited as the highway’s birthplace. The centennial kickoff begins Thursday and is expected to draw thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world.
Madison Wood, communications manager for Visit Springfield, said the event highlights the moment in 1926 when a telegram sent from Springfield to Washington, D.C., proposed the name Route 66 for the historic road.
“Beginning on Thursday at 8 a.m., there will be NBC’s live broadcast of the Today Show’s third hour downtown at the Birthplace Plaza, which is actually where 100 years ago they sent the telegram to Washington, D.C., naming the historic road Route 66,” Wood said.
The celebration features a packed schedule that includes landmark dedications, a classic car parade and car show, and multiple live concerts. Performers include Little Big Town, Chris Janson, Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts, Gretchen Wilson, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and the Haygoods, with actor John Goodman hosting the kickoff concert.
Wood said interest in the celebration has continued to grow in recent weeks, with international visitors already arriving in Springfield.
The Route 66 Centennial kickoff runs through the weekend and wraps up Sunday. A full schedule of events and additional details can be found at Route66Kickoff.com.
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