Upcoming Route 66 Centennial Events in Missouri: Fall 2026
Missouri's Route 66 Centennial celebration is heading into a busy fall.
Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, 2026, and Missouri is marking the milestone with bicycle tours, festivals, museum exhibits, live programs and a multiday motor tour. The remaining schedule stretches from St. Louis County and the Meramec River corridor to Lebanon, Springfield, Carthage and Joplin.
This guide focuses on confirmed Missouri events taking place in September, October and November 2026. Earlier centennial celebrations are preserved in a shorter section near the end.
Last verified: August 21, 2026. Event schedules can change, so confirm dates, admission policies, registration requirements and travel details through the official event website before setting out.
Upcoming Route 66 Centennial Events in Missouri
September 2026
1.) Bike Across Missouri on Route 66 (September 4–10, 2026)
Missouri Life Magazine's Big BAM on the Mother Road is a fully supported bicycle ride across the state. The weeklong route connects Route 66 communities including Joplin, Willard, Lebanon, Waynesville, Rolla, Cuba and Pulaski County, with camping, RV and hotel options available.
Riders can register for the full week or a shorter three-day option. This is an organized endurance ride rather than a casual community cruise, so review the route, lodging choices, equipment guidance and support services before registering.
Event Details:
Route: Across the state of Missouri on Historic Route 66
When: Friday, September 4 through Thursday, September 10, 2026
Registration: From $350
Website: Big BAM Ride
2.) Missouri's Wicked Route 66 (September 10, 2026)
Lisa Livingston-Martin of the Dark Ozarks Podcast visits Scenic Regional Library in St. Clair to explore the darker side of the Mother Road. The free evening program looks beyond familiar neon and nostalgia to the wicked stories that have become part of Route 66 lore.
Event Details:
Where: Scenic Regional Library, 515 East Springfield Road, St. Clair
When: Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Website: Official Route 66 Centennial event listing
3.) Asphalt to Archives: Ozarks Handicrafts and Roadside Souvenirs (September 10, 2026)
The State Historical Society of Missouri continues its online Route 66 series with a program about Ozarks handicrafts and the roadside souvenir trade. Senior archivist Haley Frizzle-Green examines how regional crafts became keepsakes for travelers and helped shape the visual culture of Missouri tourism.
The webinar is part of a Route 66 Centennial Certified Project and is a convenient option for readers who cannot travel to an in-person event.
Event Details:
Where: Online
When: Thursday, September 10, 2026
Admission: Free
Website: Official Route 66 Centennial event listing
4.) Heartland Farms Fall Kickoff Celebrating Route 66 (September 12, 2026)
Heartland Farms begins its fall season with a Route 66-themed day near Bourbon. The event includes a vendor show, food and drinks, live music, more than 20 play activities and a corn maze celebrating the highway's centennial and America's 250th birthday.
General admission covers the vendor show and music. A higher-priced option adds the play area and corn maze, while some activities carry separate charges.
Event Details:
Where: Heartland Farms, 8289 North Service Road, Bourbon
When: Saturday, September 12, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Admission: $5 for the vendor show and live music; $10 with play activities and the corn maze
Website: Heartland Farms
5.) Route 66: The Main Street of America Documentary in Springfield (September 12, 2026)
The official Route 66 Centennial Commission documentary arrives at Springfield's historic Gillioz Theatre as part of a 2,400-mile road show. The film uses stories from communities along the highway to examine Route 66's history, national influence and continuing appeal.
Springfield is recognized as the Birthplace of Route 66, making it an especially fitting Missouri stop for the centennial film tour.
Event Details:
Where: Gillioz Theatre, Springfield
When: Saturday, September 12, 2026; doors at 5:30 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m.
Admission: $25, general admission
Website: Gillioz Theatre event page
6.) Route 66 Centennial Traveling Exhibit (September 1–20, 2026)
The Missouri Route 66 Association and Missouri Humanities are sending a compact centennial exhibit to three Route 66 communities in September. Photographs, stories and interpretive displays introduce visitors to the road's people, places and cultural legacy.
The exhibit completes its Cuba engagement before making short stops at the restored Red Cedar Inn in Pacific and Red Oak II near Carthage.
Event Details:
Cuba: Cuba Visitor Center, September 1–13
Pacific: Red Cedar Inn Museum and Visitor Center, September 16–17
Carthage: Red Oak II, September 18–20
Admission: Free
Website: Missouri Route 66 Association exhibit page
7.) Missouri Route 66 Association Centennial Motor Tour (September 17–20, 2026)
The Missouri Route 66 Association's centennial motor tour travels west from Springfield, Missouri, to Vinita, Oklahoma. The four-day itinerary gives participants a chance to explore historic alignments, roadside landmarks and Route 66 communities with fellow road enthusiasts.
Advance registration is required. The nonmember rate includes a complimentary 12-month digital association membership, and children 13 and younger may participate at no charge.
Event Details:
Route: Springfield, Missouri, to Vinita, Oklahoma
When: Thursday, September 17 through Sunday, September 20, 2026
Registration: $26 for association members and accompanying adults; $66 for nonmembers and accompanying adults
Website: Missouri Route 66 Association registration page
8.) Lebanon Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series (September 22 and November 10, 2026)
The Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society and the Lebanon-Laclede County Library & Route 66 Museum continue their yearlong speaker series with two fall programs. The series brings Route 66 authors, historians, educators and advocates to Lebanon.
As of August 21, individual speakers and times for the September and November programs had not been announced. Check the organizer's live calendar before traveling.
Event Details:
Where: Lebanon-Laclede County Library & Route 66 Museum, Lebanon
When: Tuesday, September 22 and Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Admission: Free
Website: Lebanon Route 66
9.) Maplewood Route 66 Celebration (September 26, 2026)
Maplewood adds a St. Louis-area community celebration to Missouri's late-September calendar. The event is scheduled for downtown Maplewood along the historic corridor, making it easy to combine with local Route 66 landmarks and businesses.
Program details were still developing when this guide was verified. Consult the association calendar for the latest hours, activities and visitor information.
Event Details:
Where: Downtown Maplewood
When: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Website: Missouri Route 66 Association event calendar
October 2026
10.) Supernatural 66: Zombies, Ghosts, and Spook Lights (October 8, 2026)
Missouri's centennial history series takes a seasonal turn with an online program about haunted places and unexplained stories along the Mother Road. Topics include Zombie Road, the Goat Man near Rolla and the Ozark Spook Light near Joplin.
Event Details:
Where: Online
When: Thursday, October 8, 2026
Admission: Free
Website: Official Route 66 Centennial event listing
11.) Route 66 Harvest & Boos Festival (October 16–17, 2026)
Pacific's fall festival brings harvest-season and Halloween activities to a Missouri Route 66 town on the Meramec River. The two-day event is a natural choice for families planning an October drive through the eastern half of the state.
Hours and the full activity schedule were not yet published when this guide was verified, so check the live event calendar before your visit.
Event Details:
Where: Pacific
When: Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17, 2026
Website: Missouri Route 66 Association event calendar
12.) Lebanon Route 66 Trunk or Treat Cruise-In (October 24, 2026)
Classic cars, hot rods and Halloween meet at the Laclede County Fairgrounds for Lebanon's annual Trunk or Treat Cruise-In. Families can expect decorated vehicles, candy, hot dogs, hot chocolate, vendors, inflatables and music from a DJ.
No vehicle registration is required, and the event is free to attend.
Event Details:
Where: Laclede County Fairgrounds, Lebanon
When: Saturday, October 24, 2026; gates open at 5:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Website: Official Route 66 Centennial event listing
November 2026: Route 66's 100th Birthday
13.) Route 66 State Park Centennial Celebration (November 7, 2026)
Route 66 State Park in Eureka hosts one of Missouri's most substantial celebrations near the highway's official 100th birthday. The free day includes a car show, live music, interpretive stations, a community mural, vendors, hayrides and a guided hike.
The visitor center museum will display the traveling exhibit From Mud to the Mother Road. A classic car cruise is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Car-show participants must register, but spectators do not.
Event Details:
Where: Route 66 State Park, 97 North Outer Road, Eureka
When: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; museum open 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Website: Missouri State Parks event page
14.) Telling the Missouri Route 66 Story: Centennial Conclusion (November 12, 2026)
One day after Route 66's 100th birthday, the State Historical Society of Missouri closes its online centennial series with a look back at the people, places and themes explored throughout the year.
The free program provides a reflective finale for anyone who followed Missouri's centennial from home or wants historical context after attending an in-person celebration.
Event Details:
Where: Online
When: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Admission: Free
Website: Official Route 66 Centennial event listing
Ongoing Route 66 Exhibits & Cultural Experiences
1.) Missouri's Main Street: 100 Years of Route 66 (Through December 2026)
The State Historical Society of Missouri's traveling exhibition explores the state's Route 66 story through natural Ozark attractions, roadside architecture, popular culture and the experiences of people who lived and traveled along the road.
Fall stops are scheduled for St. Clair and Marshall in September, Russell and Rolla in October, then St. Peters and St. Louis in November. A December appearance at the Missouri State Museum in Jefferson City is planned, with exact dates still to be announced.
Event Details:
September: Scenic Regional Library in St. Clair and Missouri Valley-Murrell Library in Marshall, September 1–30
October: Lawrence County Historical Society in Russell, October 5–30; SHSMO Rolla Research Center, October 6–30
November: St. Charles City-County Library in St. Peters and Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center in St. Louis, November 2–30
Website: State Historical Society of Missouri exhibit schedule
2.) Through the Windshield: Missouri's Route 66 (Through November 28, 2026)
This exhibition at the Center for Missouri Studies in Columbia uses historic photographs, maps and archival material to place visitors behind the windshield on Missouri's portion of Route 66. It offers a quieter museum experience between the larger fall festivals and tours.
Event Details:
Where: Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia
Dates: Through November 28, 2026
Website: State Historical Society of Missouri exhibitions
3.) Miles of Memories: Celebrating Route 66's Centennial (Through September 20, 2026)
History Museum on the Square's fifth annual Route 66 exhibition celebrates a century of memories connected to Springfield and the surrounding region. General museum admission includes the special exhibition.
The museum's permanent Birthplace of Route 66 gallery also makes this a worthwhile stop after the September documentary screening or before the Centennial Motor Tour.
Event Details:
Where: History Museum on the Square, 154 Park Central Square, Springfield
Dates: Through Sunday, September 20, 2026
Admission: General museum admission applies
Website: History Museum on the Square exhibit page
Earlier Missouri Route 66 Centennial Events
Missouri's celebration began well before fall, with major gatherings, exhibits and community events across the state. These completed events remain part of the centennial story:
- The National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff in downtown Springfield from April 30 through May 3
- The Route 66 Centennial Festival at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis
- The Route 66 BBQ Battle & Bluegrass Festival in Pacific
- Route 66 Summerfest in Rolla and the Cars & Guitars Festival in Kirkwood
- Wildwood Cruise, Tunes & Taste in July
- The Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield on August 7–8
- Route 66 exhibitions and programs at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia
Planning Your Missouri Route 66 Centennial Trip
Missouri's Route 66 corridor runs from the St. Louis area through the Meramec River country and Ozarks to the Kansas line near Joplin. September has the densest remaining event schedule, while early November brings the largest in-person celebration close to the highway's exact birthday.
If you plan to connect several events, build extra time into the drive for historic alignments, museums, murals, diners and roadside stops. Springfield, Lebanon, Cuba and the St. Louis area make practical bases for different sections of the route.
Continue planning with our guide to Route 66 in Missouri from St. Louis to Joplin. You can also explore our Missouri Route 66 collection or browse the complete Route 66 Everytown Collection, with a wearable story for communities from Chicago to Santa Monica.
Traveling to other Route 66 states? Peruse the Route 66 Centennial events in Arizona?
This guide is updated as organizers publish new information. Always verify dates, times, admission policies, registration requirements and road closures with the event organizer before traveling. Last updated August 21, 2026.
