Mother of All Road Fests Comes to Tulsa this Weekend

TULSA – June 23, 2022 – Travelers from across the country and around the world will be in Tulsa this weekend to kick off a five-year countdown to the 2026 centennial celebration of Route 66. There will be car shows, live music, family activities and a journey through time and nostalgia on the Mother Road.

The AAA Route 66 Road Fest will be held at the SageNet Center at Expo Square. Gates are open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 25 and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 26.

The inaugural event has drawn strong support from across the state, including public officials such as Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, OKC Mayor David Holt, and Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell.    

“Oklahoma has a lot of history sewn into Route 66,” Pinnell said, “so it is fitting that Oklahoma leads the way into a national celebration of Route 66, launching the countdown to 2026.”

The Tulsa event will culminate a weeklong celebration that began when the Road Fest opened in Oklahoma City on June 18 and 19.

The Road Ahead Partnership, a national advocacy group, has selected the AAA Route 66 Road Fest as the flagship event for the nation’s Route 66 centennial celebration. Established in 2016 by the National Park Service and the World Monuments Fund, the Partnership promotes and preserves the Mother Road through educational programs and economic development initiatives.    

Road Fest visitors can explore Route 66 through the decades by touring an interactive exhibit called “The Journey,” which features artifacts, history, photos, fashion, automobiles, and iconic brands that came of age on Route 66. There also will be classic car shows, vendor booths, and family activities that include virtual reality experiences, robotics, drones, pinewood derby racing, and a Route 66 themed miniature golf course. Like any great festival, there will be plenty of food, drink, and live music. Top regional performers are scheduled throughout the Road Fest, such as Better Than Ezra, Cannons, The Ventures, and Son Volt. Go to https://route66roadfest.com/tulsa-music/ for the full Tulsa musical lineup.

Daily admission tickets cost $20 for adults 18 and over, and tickets for teens, 12 to 17, are $10. Children 5 to 11 are $5, and children under 5 are free. Tickets are available at the gate or online at route66roadfest.com. A discounted price is also available at Love’s Travel Stops locations in Oklahoma, where adult tickets are $4 off.

“Route 66 is known the world over as a window on America, drawing travelers who want to see what our nation used to be and what it is today,” said AAA Executive Jared Peterson. “Many who drive Route 66 can’t help but think of the millions who have journeyed on the Mother Road through the decades. The Road Fest is a celebration of the freedom, mobility, and nostalgia that the historic highway has come to represent.”

Mother of All Road Fests Comes to OKC this Weekend

OKLAHOMA CITY – June 13, 2022 – Travelers from across the country and around the world will be in Oklahoma City this weekend to kick off a five-year countdown to the 2026 centennial celebration of Route 66. There will be car shows, live music, family activities and a journey through time and nostalgia on the Mother Road.

The AAA Route 66 Road Fest will be held at the Bennett Event Center at OKC Fairgrounds. Gates are open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 18 and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 19.

The inaugural event has drawn strong support from across the state, including public officials such as OKC Mayor David Holt, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, and Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell.

“Oklahoma has a lot of history sewn into Route 66,” Pinnell said, “so it is fitting that Oklahoma leads the way into a national celebration of Route 66, launching the countdown to 2026.”

After kicking off the celebration in Oklahoma City this weekend, the Road Fest will open at Tulsa’s SageNet Center at Expo Square on June 25-26.

The Road Ahead Partnership, a national advocacy group, has selected the AAA Route 66 Road Fest as the flagship event for the nation’s Route 66 centennial celebration. Established in 2016 by the National Park Service and the World Monuments Fund, the Partnership promotes and preserves the Mother Road through educational programs and economic development initiatives.

Road Fest visitors can explore Route 66 through the decades by touring an interactive exhibit called “The Journey,” which features artifacts, history, photos, fashion, automobiles, and iconic brands that came of age on Route 66. There also will be classic car shows, vendor booths, and family activities that include virtual reality experiences, robotics, drones, pinewood derby racing, and a Route 66-themed miniature golf course. Like any great festival, there will be plenty of food, drink, and live music throughout the event. Top regional performers are scheduled throughout Road Fest, such as Jason Boland & The Stragglers, and Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights. Go to https://route66roadfest.com/okc-music/ for the full Oklahoma City musical lineup.

Daily admission tickets cost $20 for adults 18 and over, and tickets for teens, 12 to 17, are $10. Children 5 to 11 are $5, and children under 5 are free. Tickets are available at the gate or online at route66roadfest.com. A discounted price is also available at Love’s Travel Stops locations in Oklahoma, where adult tickets are $4 off.

“Route 66 is known the world over as a window on America, drawing travelers who want to see what our nation used to be and what it is today,” said AAA Executive Jared Peterson. “Many who drive Route 66 can’t help but think of the millions who have journeyed on the Mother Road through the decades. The Road Fest is a celebration of the freedom, mobility, and nostalgia that the historic highway has come to represent.”

Local, Regional Bands to Take Stage at AAA Route 66 Road Fest

Local, Regional Bands to Take Stage at AAA Route 66 Road Fest

Contact: Chip Minty at 405-219-9944 or [email protected]

OKLAHOMA CITY – June 1, 2022 – Music is as much a part of the Great American Road Trip as classic cars and roadside diners, so it only makes sense that there will be a packed schedule of live music playing from morning to night during the AAA Route 66 Road Fest.

A total of 10 bands will be playing in Oklahoma City on June 18 and 19 at the Bennet Event Center at OKC Fairgrounds. On June 25 and 26, 12 acts will be performing at Tulsa’s SageNet Center at Expo Square. Music is a major part of a sweeping celebration of history and nostalgia as the AAA Route 66 Road Fest kicks off a national countdown to 2026, when Route 66 turns 100 years old.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the amazing line-up of performers taking the stage during our inaugural event,” said Jared Peterson, AAA Oklahoma executive. “Route 66 is about freedom, mobility and the celebration of life, and these bands will be a big part of the spirit that makes the AAA Route 66 Road Fest so special.”

The music experience, presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Tulsa, will feature the following acts:

Oklahoma City
Saturday, June 18

  • Wise Guys – 11 a.m.
  • Charlie Redd & Luna Voodoo – 1:30 p.m.
  • Johnny Manchild – 4:00 p.m.
  • Rusty Dusty – Presented By Dell Technologies – 6:00 p.m.
  • Red Dirt Rangers – 7:30 p.m.
  • Jason Boland & The Stragglers – 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 19

  • Mary Cogan – 11 a.m.
  • Tulsa Playboys – 1:30 p.m.
  • Alaska & Madi – 4 p.m.
  • Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights – 5:30 p.m.

Tulsa
Saturday, June 25

  • Midlife Crisis – 11:00 a.m.
  • Charlie Redd & The Full Flava Kings – 12:30 p.m.
  • Weston Horn – 2:00 p.m.
  • The Ventures – 4:00 p.m.
  • Rusty Dusty – Presented By Dell Technologies – 6:00 p.m.
  • Cannons – 7:30 p.m.
  • Better Than Ezra – 8:45 p.m.

Sunday, June 26

  • Zodiac – 11:00 a.m.
  • Grady Nichols – 12:30 p.m.
  • Red Dirt Rangers – 2:00 p.m.
  • Tulsa Playboys – 3:30 p.m.
  • Son Volt – 5:30 p.m.

Music fans can make the most of their Road Fest musical experience at the Dell Artist Lounge, where they will have a chance to meet the bands, buy their merch, snap a pic, and hang out with other music-lovers. Dell Technologies has created this space for all festival goers to experience the ultimate hang, free to all with a Road Fest ticket. For a full list of acts scheduled to play in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, go to: route66roadfest.com.

In addition to music, the Road Fest will feature classic car shows, food, drink, and family activities that include virtual reality experiences, pinewood derby racing, and a Route 66 mini golf course featuring famous landmarks from the historic highway. There also will be an enormous interactive exhibit called The Journey, which will allow visitors to walk through the decades of Route 66, exploring the artifacts, photos, fashion, automobiles, music, and iconic brands that came of age on the Mother Road.

Admission to the Road Fest is $20 for adults 18 and older, $10 for 12- to 17-year-olds and $5 for children 5 to 11. Tickets are available at route66roadfest.com. Or, tickets can be purchased at the gate.