Our Town, Your Town Celebration in Lebanon

The Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the Inaugural Our Town, Your Town Celebration on Saturday, June 9, 2012 4:00 – 10:00 pm at the Floyd W. Jones Memorial Airport.

• FREE Contemporary Christian Concert with 33 MILES
• Truelove Quartet of Lebanon
• Antique Car & Truck Exhibit
• Concessions Available
• Games, Inflatable’s & More
• FREE FIREWORKS
• Bring your lawn chair and plan to stay for a good time

Information on exhibiting your historic vehicle

Parade information

ROUTE 66 … An adventure for the whole family

People come from around the world to experience the thrill of traveling the most famous of all highways, Route 66.

On June 8-9-10, the Route 66 Association of Illinois will provide to you an opportunity that others can only dream of.

The Illinois motor tour of Route 66 is a once a year opportunity to experience life in the slow lane. You can virtually step back in time. Visit people and places that the song. “Get Your Kicks on Route 66”, was written about. The cruise is available to any kind of vehicle of any year. The tour begins at the Missouri border on the Mississippi river and ends at the delightful town of Elwood, Illinois. That is just south of Joliet, Illinois. These towns are famous for Jake and Elwood, the “Blues Brothers”.

Friday June 8th is the start of this adventure. It begins in Edwardsville, Illinois. This town will welcome you and show you how to party, dance, sing and eat. After registration on Friday night we will get together for a short drive to the Luna Café for the second grand relighting of the old neon sign, which was just restored. Sunday June 10th the tour will end with a fantastic thank you party. Live foot stomping music, great food and more fun. Your final ride home will be very pleasant as you reminisce about all that you did, along with remembering all the people and places you visited.

You will long remember this weekend tour of Route 66. For information and registration… contact;

Jerry Law – 314-440-0040 or Email – thelaw1@sbcglobal.net
Marty Blitstein – 708-444-1312 or Email – blitz@earthlink.net
You can print out a application for the motor tour at http://www.ilassoc.org

The historic Mother Road is expecting you!

Wagon Wheel Motel kicks off 75th Anniversary celebration

With rooms rented to Route 66ers for the1930’s price of $3.50 a night and 30’s food prices, the Historic Landmark Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri is celebrating its 75^th Anniversary on August 20-21 in style. As the oldest motel on Route 66, the Wagon Wheel Café building, gas station, and motel earned its placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

Connie Echols, who bought the old motel in 2009, finished a “hands-on” restoration this spring by redoing all the rooms, adding two decks, and a bike shelter/pavilion. Each room has an authentic feel of a Route 66 motel but with updates of WiFi and flat screen TVs. Rooms are of various sizes and amenities with details on the Wagon Wheel website (www.wagonwheel66cuba.com).

Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri

Now Echols is ready to celebrate the history of the Wagon Wheel with an Open House and Celebration with a 1930s Bonnie and Clyde theme. Car Clubs have been invited to bring cars of the era to the two-day event that begins with lunch on Saturday, August 20. Vintage dress is encouraged if you would like to get with the spirit of the event.

During the two-day Open House Celebration there will be room tours, games, food, music, book signings by Route 66 enthusiast Joe Sonderman and Wagon Wheel historian Riva Echols, and an explanation of the Route 66 GPS program by its creator River Pilot. Employees of the Wagon Wheel and  families associated with the Wagon Wheel are invited to meet and reminisce on Sunday afternoon. There may be a few other surprises in store for attendees.

“It’s been a long journey getting the Wagon Wheel Motel and Connie’s Shoppe to this point,” stated Echols. Now it’s time to share the results with friends, family, and the Route 66 community. I’m anxious to show off all the progress that we have made and to have a good time.”

Saturday: 1-3 pm Room Tours

Saturday: 2-6 pm Wine tasting

Saturday: All day Croquet / Horseshoes

Saturday evening: Chipping contest

Saturday:  8pm Band

River Pilot, the creator of the Route 66 GPS program is available all weekend to explain his GPS system

Sunday: 11:00 am Joe Sonderman, Route 66 author book signing

Sunday: 1-3 pm Room Tours

Sunday: 1:00 pm Riva Echols: The Wagon Wheel Motel on Route 66 History book signing

Riva will also host a social gathering for employees, families connected to the Wagon Wheel history, and anyone else who might be interested in Wagon Wheel history

Sunday: 2-4 pm Wine tasting

Sunday: 2:00 pm Croquet Tournament

Visit the Wagon Wheel Motel’s 75^th anniversary celebration on Saturday or Sunday. Bring your cameras to record another historic event at this Historic Landmark on Route 66.

Let Them Eat Art in Downtown Maplewood – July 8th, 6 to 11 pm

"Let Them Eat Art", July 8th in Maplewood, MO

Come see the Route 66 Association of Missouri booth at the Let Them Eat Art event in downtown Maplewood, Missouri. We will be located at Citizens National Bank Park.

The 6th Annual Let Them Eat Art, a self-guided tour of enchantment and excitement, is Friday, July 8th from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Historic Downtown Maplewood.
The event features:

● Live Art demonstrations by favorite local artists and gallery openings including Hoffman LaChance Fine Art, Studio Altius and Turner Center for the Arts.
● Live Music featuring the Zydeco Crawdaddys and an array of acoustic performers.
● Live Entertainment: belly dancing, dream interpretation, top spinning, face painting and surprises!
● Cocktail and menu specials from Maplewood’s finest restaurants.
● A Costume Contest with celebrity judges and cash prizes.
● New in 2011: The unveiling of the newest public art project in Historic Downtown Maplewood featuring work by a St. Louis regional artist.
● New in 2011: A group sing-a-long of “Get Your Kicks on Route 66”. Everyone at the event will sing this song together accompanied by all of the musicians, including the Zydeco Crawdaddys and harpist Terri Langerak.
● New in 2011: Screenings of Bill Boll’s documentary on Coral Courts “Built for Speed: The Coral Court Motel”
You never know what or who you will see. Admission is open to the public and free!
Visit our website for more information:
● www.cityofmaplewood.com/ltea
A Brief History of Let Them Eat Art:
Maplewood resident, Doug Houser, conceived the idea to have a progressive Maplewood-themed art show. He brought the idea to Rachelle L’Ecuyer, Community Development Director. The first date available on her event calendar was July 14th, Bastille Day, and they decided to organize an event. Jay Schober, owner of Maya Café, dubbed the happening “Let Them Eat Art” and a fabulous event was born on July 14, 2006. Since then the event has developed into one of the region’s largest arts events. In 2010 thousands of people filled the sidewalks from Southwest Avenue to Manchester to Sutton and there were close to 50 unique venues with live art, music and entertainment. 2011 breaks out to Big Bend Boulevard and the venues will offer a vast scope of entertainment and endless amounts of fun for everyone.

Program Announced for St. Louis Route 66 Festival

Celebrate the Mother Road at the second annual St. Louis Route 66 Festival to be held Saturday, October 3, at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, 10950 Riverview Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63137.   The event offers an afternoon of FREE fun and activities on both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the Bridge from 11:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Classic cars will span the length of the bridge. “A honk-off will start the festivities,” said Laura Cohen,  Confluence Partnership Director. “The signal will be ladies and gentlemen, honk your horns!” Visitors will be able to vote for the Fan Favorite Award, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Come visit The Route 66 Association of Missouri’s booth at the Festival!

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