You want to drive it – here’s where to go – to see events in Oklahoma towns through July, 2026.
By Richard Stephens, staff writer
For each event, dates and town are listed in bold wording, then general information follows. Events are on Route 66 unless otherwise noted. Fee = payment required. Events have food trucks and merchandise vendors. Times for one day events are listed, if known.
April 25, Weatherford, Big Band Hanger Dance, Stafford Air and Space Museum. Oklahoma Route 66 Association (go to events page), https://oklahomaroute66.com/
April 25, Miami, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Miami-Ottawa county Arts & Humanities Route 66 Mural Fest. Oklahoma Route 66 Association (go to events page), https://oklahomaroute66.com/
May 2, El Reno, Burger Day, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Watch as the Fire Department cooks the world’s biggest onion burger (850 pounds) and puts it on a bun for visitors to eat! Car show and two stages hold musical acts. Family games. HOME | Burger Day, https://www.elrenoburgerday.com/
May 9, Bristow, Tabouleh Festival, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Middle Eastern (Lebanese) food, a live band, family entertainment (petting zoo, etc.). HOME | Tabouleh Fest, https://www.bristowtaboulehfest.com/
May 23, Bethany, Bethany 66 Festival, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.. Car show, live music, children’s march. Bethany 66 Festival — Bethany Improvement Foundation, https://www.bethanyimprovementfoundation.com/bethany-66-festival
May 30, Oklahoma City, Kickin’ It On Route 66, Scissortail Park (not on ’66), 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.. Farmers market, live entertainment, drone light show. https://www.route66centennial.org/
May 30, Tulsa, Route 66 Capital Cruise: World-Record Classic Car Centennial Parade. The cruise route will encompass 5.5 miles of Route 66 within Tulsa’s city. limits. https://www.route66centennial.org/
May 30, Catoosa, Route 66 Blue Whale Run (fee), 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Oklahoma Route 66 Association (go to events page), https://oklahomaroute66.com/
June 5-6, Vinita, Vinita Route 66 Centennial Celebration. Children’s demonstrations, car show. Vinita Rt 66 Centennial Celebration | Vinita, OK, https://www.cityofvinita.com/66centennialcelebration
June 6, Sapulpa to Edmond, Route 66 100 Greatest Miles Road Rally 2026 (fee). Cruise 100 miles on Route 66 packed with nostalgia, scenic views, and classic Americana. Go to checkpoints and end at the Chicken Shack, Arcadia. Route 66 100 Greatest Miles Road Rally 2026, Oklahoma, Bristow, 6 June 2026 | AllEvents, https://allevents.in/bristow/route-66-100-greatest-miles-road-rally-2026/100001983163123287
Bicyclists pedal past Arcadia’s Round Barn during Cycle 66, a bicycle contest that starts in Edmond.
June 6, Yukon, Route 66 Centennial Celebration, 10:00 a.m. Oklahoma Route 66 Association (go to events page), https://oklahomaroute66.com/
June 5-7, El Reno, A Small Town Weekend. Friday evening is a swap meet, Power Wheels competition for children and city-wide open cruise. On Saturday, see a car show, burnout competition and a closed route cruise (fee). Sunday brings open competition drag racing (fee), also on Route 66. The El Reno Cruisers – A Small Town Weekend, https://www.elrenocruisers.com/
June 12-13, Elk City, Route 66 Festival, Ashley Park. Block party, car show and cruise, contests, art displays, fireworks, park attractions. Elk City 2026 Route 66 Festival | Facebook
June 13, Stroud, 4:00 – 10:00 p.m. Car show, wine tasting (fee), music, fireworks.
2026 Stroud SummerFest, https://stroudchamber.com/2026-stroud-summerfest
June 17-19, Oklahoma’s entire Route 66, stopping in OKC and Tulsa. June 17: Shamrock to OKC (rest overnight). June 18: OKC to Tulsa (rest overnight). June 19: Tulsa to Joplin. Main Street of America Route 66 Centennial Caravan (a 20-day trip from Santa Monica to Chicago). Organized by the Road Ahead Partnership and Historic Route 66 Associations, like the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. Anyo ne can join in for free by joining a core group of cars driving the entire Route 66. Route 66 Caravan, https://www.route66caravan.com/
June 19-20, Weatherford, Heartland Cruise Car Show. On June 19, look at hundreds of classic cars before their two-hour cruise. On June 20 in Rader Park (not on ’66), see the car show, burnout and loud exhaust contests, children’s activities (coin hunt, poker walk, demonstrations). Heartland Cruise Car Show Weatherford, OK, https://www.heartlandcruisecarshow.com
June 22-23, Oklahoma’s entire Route 66, stopping at Claremore, Sapulpa, Elk City. The Great Race (Springfield, IL, to Pasadena, CA, June 20-28). June 22, 11:30 a.m., lunch at Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore. Pit Stop, Dewey Avenue, Sapulpa, 1:30 p.m. Overnight at Stockyards City, Exchange Avenue, OKC. 4:30 p.m. On Tuesday, June 23, 11:15 a.m., lunch at National Route 66 Museum, Elk City. greatrace.com | Great Race, https://www.greatrace.com/.
June 27-28, Tulsa, AAA Roadfest, Sagenet Center at Expo Square (not on ’66), AAA Roadfest (fee). Hundreds of classic cars, Route 66 through the decades exhibits, family-friendly activity area, vintage RVs. Route 66 Road Fest – Route 66 Road Fest, https://route66roadfest.com/
Sayre, July 17-19, Dust Bowl Days Farm & Ranch Fest and Wild Plum Festival. On July 17, antique tractor cruise-in, chuck wagon Bar-B-Q. On July 18, watch a parade and have fun and games at the Shortgrass County Museum (not on ’66). That night, listen to western music at the Wild Plum Festival (fee). Sing along Sunday night at the gospel concert. 6th Annual Dust Bowl Days Farm & Ranch Festival-Oklahoma Events, https://www.route66centennial.org/index.php/calendar/upcoming-events-all/oklahoma-events/6th-annual-dust-bowl-days-farm-ranch-festival
July 24-25, Miami, Route 66 Heritage Fest. Two nights of first-rate local bands, car show. Route 66 Heritage Festival 2026 – Miami Oklahoma Convention and Visitors Bureau, https://www.visitmiamiok.com/heritagefest-2025/
Rhys Martin, President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, provided a statement regarding the build-up to Route 66’s Centennial anniversary (November 11, 2026). “Route 66 has something for everyone, whether you like classic nostalgia, quirky attractions, or fun festivals. The Centennial year has amped everything up to 100 – it’s a great year to take a trip on the Mother Road!”
To look up more events in Oklahoma, go to TravelOK, TravelOK.com Homepage, https://www.travelok.com/ or to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association website, Oklahoma Route 66 Association, https://oklahomaroute66.com/. For events in all eight states, see Route 66 Road Map, https://route66roadmap.com/
