On November 11, 1926 - US Highway 66 was established. In 2026, the road turns 100 - and big celebrations are in the works!
The State of Arizona has begun forming a Centennial Commission. The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona is proud to be a member of this Commission. The first meeting has yet to be set.
The Association is preparing for the upcoming Centennial by offering grants for beautification, revitalization and enhancements to Historic Route 66 businesses and communities throughout Arizona! These grants will be awarded now and leading up to the centennial. Preparing Route 66 in Arizona to be the best version of itself for an influx of visitors is a priority. Please consider investing in your business or community. More information can be found on our Grants page.
Other initiatives include a Arizona Route 66 Passport spinoff, which will be a season less activity for travelers visiting Arizona.
Additionally, we are a member of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a nationally-focused group that is working on a variety of Route 66 projects from a national perspective. The Historic Route 66 Association is proud to be included in this group, which includes representation from all eight states on Route 66.
On the national level, there is a federal U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission which is meeting regularly and working on plans at a national level.
We will continue to update this page as more information is available!
A frequent question we hear is: when are you celebrating the Centennial in 2026? Well, that IS the big question! Arizona's stretch of Historic Route 66 has mild winters- so celebrations will be going all year long! We expect that many communities along Route 66 will heavily incorporate the Centennial into existing annual celebrations.
The Association of course will be celebrating the Centennial with a big Route 66 Fun Run May 1-3, 2026!
Below is a list of existing annual Arizona Route 66-focused events in each community and the month they typically occur. This should provide a general idea of what will be going on in Arizona throughout the year. We’ll update this with more information as it comes in!
Route 66 Festival and Car Show, Holbrook - April 2026
Route 66 Bike Week, Statewide - April 20-26, 2026
Route 66 Fun Run, Seligman, Kingman, Topock - May 1-3, 2026
Route 66 Street Drags, Kingman - May 2026
Williams Car Show, Williams - June 2026
Standin on the Corner Festival, Winslow - September 2026
Kingman 66 Fest, Kingman - Oct 9-10, 2026
Route 66 UltraRun, Seligman, Kingman, Topock - Veterans Day Wknd