The Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival is a two-day event on the most famous two-lane highway in America. This 100-mile self-guided tour has been expanded to include activities from Joliet to Bloomington!
Join us for some nostalgic fun for the whole family. Each community will produce their own festival.

Schedule of Events:

May 4, 2024

Joliet: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at The Joliet Area Historical Museum
The Old Joliet Prison: The Welcome Center and Prison open will open Saturday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm.  Various Car Clubs will be visiting and parking cars at the Museum and the Prison throughout the day.
Admission: Free

Elwood: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm at Corner of Mississippi Ave. and Douglas St, Historic Information.
Antique Tractors Exhibit. Douglas Street Wayside Exhibits: featuring Rosie the Riveter, a statue of a munition's worker, lunchbox in hand, the original Route 66 pavement and commemorative giveaway (While supplies last).
Craft  Show 8 am - noon.
More Information contact: Elwood Village Hall 815-423-5011  mail to: [email protected]

Wilmington: On Saturday get your giveaway at Chamber tent downtown near 220 N. Water St. Flea market 9:00am - 4:00pm. Dance performance, food vendors, Route 66 Band from 11:00am - 3:00pm and split the pot button stop by Nelly's Restaurant. Info contact: 815-476-5991. On Sunday stop by Nelly's Restaurant, 110 Bridge St., (Route 66) to get your giveaway

Braidwood- Visit the information booth across from the Polk-A-Dot at the Rt66 Zoo for your give-away, along with our vendors. Stop at the Braidwood Museum on Main St, to see their Rt66 exhibit. Polk-A-Dot for their car show, photo-ops with Elvis, Superman & others.  Contact (815)-710-0182

Godley- Visit the Route 66 Mining Museum for giveaway on Saturday. There will be a Toys for Tots drive on Saturday.
 For info contact 815-458-2222 or 815-405-1906. Museum open Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday, 9 to noon.

Braceville-  Stop at the Village Hall at the corner of S. Mitchell and Rt. 53. Baked goods will be sold by the United Methodist Church, Junk-in-the-Trunk sale in the parking lot, lunch Saturday at the Wicked Cricket on Rt. 53. For more information call 815-237-8655.

Gardner - Meet & Greet with the Mayor at the Two-Cell Jail where you can pick up this year's giveaway. Other Saturday activities Include: Gardner Archives open in the Village Hall. The Gardner Lions Club at The Street Car Diner serving root beer floats and pork chop sandwiches from 10:00 til gone. Stop at The Shop to enter a free drawing for a Burma Shave sign and a Route 66, 100th Anv., cap. Cici & Lala's will be having a sidewalk sale on Depot St.
Saturday only events on Depot St: Scapegoats Car Show in parking lot 10-4. At the Gazebo, Elvis tribute artist Landon James will perform 1:00-3:00, Church of Hope Rock-a-thon at the Gazebo 10-1. Creative Gemz Craft Show 9-3.

Dwight- Friday-Sunday-All town garage sales.
Saturday- Dwight PTO Vendor Fair 9-4 at Lifetime Auto, Route 66 Burger Throw Down 11-4 at Lifetime Auto, Dwight Historical Society Museum open in the Historic Depot.  The Historic Texaco station will be open from 9-4.

Odell- Historic 1932 Standard Oil Gas Station on Rt. 66, Historic subway, souvenirs, soda, nostalgia for sale. Cafe 110 West- 815-998-2500; Hobart's on Tremont 815-998-2556: LOBO's Tap- 815-998-2383 More info: 815-998-2133 or
?email [email protected]
?Pontiac- The Greater Livingston County Arts Council is hosting its annual Swinging bridges Arts Festival at 200 block of West Madison Street. The Eagle Theater will house artists selling handcrafted, fine art pieces. Live music (including local favorite The Riker Maneuver playing until 8:00pm Saturday), art demonstrations, entertainment, and food trucks.
Museum open both days 9:00am - 5:00pm free admission. Pontiac giveaways will be at 209 W. Madison.
?Chenoa- Stop in Chenoa, the Crossroads of Opportunity, located at Route 66 and Route 24. The Texaco Star is an original gas station location. Weave through town and pass the Matthew T. Scott House listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Shop at the all town garage sales and a big vendor event: Chenoa superior shopping event! Enjoy historic architecture downtown and stop by Chenoa Pharmacy, with original 1889 floors and cabinetry. Giveaway will be uptown near the Chenoa Pharmacy. ?

?Lexington- Main street will play host to Bourbon, Beer & BBQ, local car clubs and selected vendors will be geared towards the bourbon, beer, bbq and car enthusiasts. Enjoy the unique restaurant scene, discover the exquisite boutique shopping, taste some of Lexington's local craft beer, enjoy some live music, family activities and photo opportunities. Take a drive down Memory Lane, get a picture with the Lexington neon sign, visit Patton Cabin - the oldest building in McLean County at the nationally recognized VanDolah Castle. Giveaways will be available at City Hall

Normal- Stop at Ryburn Place at Sprague's Super Service, 305 Pine St., for a photo op in front of the replica gas pumps. This 1930s gas station is a restored Tudor- style building.  Pick up the giveaway for Normal here. Bloomington's giveaway can be picked up here on Sunday. Enjoy Uptown Normal's restaurants, Children's Discovery Museum and shopping just minutes away.
VisitBN.org for more infor.800-433-8226
?Bloomington- Visit Downtown Bloomington and enjoy on the Square-Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival concert. Bloomington's giveaway will be available at the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center, 200 N Main and more activities at visitbn.org 800-433-8226

May 5, 2025


Joliet -10:00 am to 5:00pm : The Joliet Area Historical Museum: Free Admission all day
The Old Joliet Prison: The Welcome Center and Prison open will open Saturday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm.  Various Car Clubs will be visiting and parking cars at the Museum and the Prison throughout the day.

Elwood- Sunday 9:00am-4:00pm - Corner of Mississippi Ave. and Douglas St, Historic Information. Antique Tractors Exhibit. Douglas Street Wayside Exhibits: featuring Rosie the Riveter, a statue of a munition's worker, lunchbox in hand, the original Route 66 pavement and commemorative giveaway (While supplies last). Saturday only: Craft  Show 8 am - noon.
More Information contact: Elwood Village Hall 815-423-5011  mail to: [email protected]

Wilmington-Sunday stop by Nelly's Restaurant, 110 Bridge St., (Route 66) to get your giveaway  Dance performance, food vendors, Route 66 Band from 11:00am - 3:00pm and split the pot button stop by Nelly's Restaurant. Info contact: 815-476-5991.

Braidwood- Visit the information booth across from the Polk-A-Dot at the Rt66 Zoo for your give-away, along with our vendors. Stop at the Braidwood Museum on Main St, to see their Rt66 exhibit. Polk-A-Dot for their car show, photo-ops with Elvis, Superman & others.  Contact (815)-710-0182

Godley-Sunday the giveaway can be found at The Stumble Inn. For info contact 815-458-2222 or 815-405-1906.
Museum open Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday, 9 to noon. ???

?Braceville-  Stop at the Village Hall at the corner of S. Mitchell and Rt. 53. Baked goods will be sold by the United Methodist Church, Junk-in-the-Trunk sale in the parking lot, lunch Sunday at the Wicked Cricket on Rt. 53. For more information call 815-237-8655.
?Gardner - Meet & Greet with the Mayor at the Two-Cell Jail where you can pick up this year's giveaway.Sunday activities Include: Gardner Archives open in the Village Hall. The Gardner Lions Club at The Street Car Diner serving root beer floats and pork chop sandwiches from 10:00 til gone. Stop at The Shop to enter a free drawing for a Burma Shave sign and a Route 66, 100th Anv., cap. Cici & Lala's will be having a sidewalk sale on Depot St.
Sunday event on Depot St: Tractor Show 10-4.4.Junk in the trunk from 9- More info contact: 815-237-2592

Dwight- Friday-Sunday-All town garage sales.
Saturday- Dwight PTO Vendor Fair 9-4 at Lifetime Auto, Route 66 Burger Throw Down 11-4 at Lifetime Auto, Dwight Historical Society Museum open in the Historic Depot.  The Historic Texaco station will be open Sat. & Sun.  from 9-4.
Sunday - Car Show and Food Truck FEst 11-5 at Lifetime Auto, 101 Watters Dr.

Odell- Historic 1932 Standard Oil Gas Station on Rt. 66, Historic subway, souvenirs, soda, nostalgia for sale. Cafe 110 West- 815-998-2500; Hobart's on Tremont 815-998-2556: LOBO's Tap- 815-998-2383 More info: 815-998-2133 or
?email [email protected]
?Pontiac- The Greater Livingston County Arts Council is hosting its annual Swinging bridges Arts Festival Sundy at 200 block of West Madison Street. The Eagle Theater will house artists selling handcrafted, fine art pieces. Live music, art demonstrations, entertainment, and food trucks. Museum open both days 9:00am - 5:00pm
Free admission. Pontiac giveaways will be at 209 W. Madison.
?Chenoa- Stop in Chenoa, the Crossroads of Opportunity, located at Route 66 and Route 24. The Texaco Star is an original gas station location. Weave through town and pass the Matthew T. Scott House listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Shop at the all town garage sales and a big vendor event: Chenoa superior shopping event! Enjoy historic architecture downtown and stop by Chenoa Pharmacy, with original 1889 floors and cabinetry. Giveaway will be uptown near the Chenoa Pharmacy. ?

?Lexington- Main street will play host to Bourbon, Beer & BBQ, local car clubs and selected vendors will be geared towards the bourbon, beer, bbq and car enthusiasts. Enjoy the unique restaurant scene, discover the exquisite boutique shopping, taste some of Lexington's local craft beer, enjoy some live music, family activities and photo opportunities. Take a drive down Memory Lane, get a picture with the Lexington neon sign, visit Patton Cabin - the oldest building in McLean County at the nationally recognized VanDolah Castle. Giveaways will be available at City Hall

Normal- Stop at Ryburn Place at Sprague's Super Service, 305 Pine St., for a photo op in front of the replica gas pumps. This 1930s gas station is a restored Tudor- style building.  Pick up the giveaway for Normal here. Bloomington's giveaway can be picked up here on Sunday. Enjoy Uptown Normal's restaurants, Children's Discovery Museum and shopping just minutes away.
VisitBN.org for more infor.800-433-8226

?Bloomington- Visit Downtown Bloomington and enjoy a Saturday on the Square-Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival concert. Bloomington's giveaway will be available Saturday at the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center, 200 N Main and Sunday at Ryburns Place at Sprague's Super Service, 305 Pine St, Normal. Enjoy the Art Trail on Route 66 and more activities at visitbn.org 800-433-8226

Date: May 4-5, 2024

Location: Various Town in Illinois

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