27th Annual Edwardsville Route 66 Celebration Set for Saturday, June 7 in City Park

The Edwardsville Route 66 Festival is set to bring a full day and night of fun events and activities to City Park in downtown Edwardsville this Saturday, June 7. This marks the 27th year for the city’s annual ode to the Mother Road, which will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2026.

Visitors can take in the sights and delights, including food, live music, a roadside market, vintage vehicles, a car cruise, bounce houses, trolley tours and more, from 10AM-11:30PM Saturday in and around City Park (101 South Buchanan Street in Edwardsville).

“Route 66 is a fun and fascinating part of Edwardsville’s history, and this festival brings it alive in such a vibrant way,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “We look forward to the activities, the energy and the visitors every summer.”

The Edwardsville Route 66 Festival is hosted by the city's Parks & Recreation Department as a nostalgic nod to Route 66, which opened in 1926, spanning 2,400 miles between Chicago, IL and Santa Monica, CA (and passing through Edwardsville for several decades). Highlights of this year’s festival include a Taste of 66 Experience Tent, featuring local restaurants and food providers recreating classic foods from Edwardsville’s Route 66-era eateries. Trolley tours will highlight key city sites from that era; a classic car show and expanded cruise will put vintage vehicles in the spotlight; a kid zone and full slate of bands will offer entertainment for all ages; and the Roadside Market will feature fun finds. Historic exhibits will be on display and authors who have explored and even biked Route 66 also will be on site. A 3PM author talk will feature a couple who biked the entirety of Route 66. That discussion is set for the Edwardsville Public Library (on the festival grounds).

Parking is available throughout the area, and extra bicycle parking will be provided on the festival grounds from 11AM-6PM. Full festival details are available at www.edwardsvilleroute66.com. Gear up for additional Route 66 fun a day early - on Friday, June 6, when the West End Service Station (620 St. Louis Street in Edwardsville) celebrates its second birthday. This site served locals and highway travelers alike during its era in Edwardsville. It reopened in June 2023 as the city’s free Route 66 visitor center, thanks to a joint effort between the city and Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, which staffs the station. The celebration runs from 11AM-4PM, with free cupcakes and refreshments, along with fun photo opportunities. Ongoing exhibits and events highlight Route 66 and local history.On Friday night, June 6, the Edwardsville Parks & Recreation Department.

will once again offer a free showing of the Route 66-inspired animated flick Cars at Leclaire Park (900 Hale Avenue in Edwardsville). Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair and snacks to enjoy the movie.