I love a parade: Springfield Route 66 landmarks will be front and center New Year's Day
A float in the New Year's Day Rose Parade promoting Illinois tourism prominently features some of Springfield's Route 66 landmarks.
This is the second year in a row the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism (Enjoy Illinois) has had a float in the Rose Parade, which is staged in Pasadena, California.
Here's what to look for:
It's a gas, gas, gas
A replica of Shea’s Gas Station and a neon sign touting A. Lincoln Motel, both part of Springfield's past on Route 66, will be at the front of the float.
Shea's was operated as a Marathon station on Peoria Road from 1955 to 1982 and later converted into a Route 66 museum.
Last spring, the Springfield city council voted to accept a $623,000 State of Illinois grant that will reopen its exterior later in 2024.
The idea, said Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau director Scott Dahl, is to make the station an "Instagram-able stop" for travelers.
The project will remove fencing in the front and include repaving and doing some building work, Dahl said.
The A. Lincoln Motel was constructed as the A. Lincoln Tourist Court at 2927 S. Sixth St. in the late 1940s. It sat next to the original Cozy Dog restaurant.
The motel's sign is part of the Route 66 Experience, launched by Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, inside Gate 2 of the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The Experience replicates the route as a walkable, self-guided tour.
Giants among us
The float also features a replica of a drive-in movie scene, showcasing the Blues Brothers, “Joliet'' Jake Blues and Elwood, along with a classic 1950’s car; the Gemini Giant from Wilmington; the Pink Elephant from the Livingston antique mall; the World's Largest Catsup Bottle from Collinsville and the Chicago Theatre marquee.
Joliet Correctional Center, which was featured in "The Blues Brothers" movie, was on Route 66.
Straight No Chaser
To reflect the Rose Parade’s theme, “Celebrating a World of Music,” Enjoy Illinois will spotlight the state’s music history along Route 66 with its float called, “Illinois: The Middle of Beats & Blues,” a nod to the state’s tourism campaign “Middle of Everything.”
The a cappella group Straight No Chaser will perform a medley of songs from "The Blues Brothers."
Illinois made
According to a news release from Enjoy Illinois, the 24-foot-tall float took three months to build with the help of nearly 22,000 volunteer hours. It features 30,000 flowers, incorporating elements to spotlight Illinois’ agritourism industry, including pumpkins, corn, soybeans, lavender, sunflowers, prairie grass and blue violets, the state’s official flower.
Grand marshal
Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer and actress Audra McDonald (The Gilded Age) will serve as the parade's grand marshal.
Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, David Archuleta and Jordan Sparks are among the parade's musical performers.
Parade route
The Rose Parade route is five-and-a-half miles with a large part of that on Colorado Boulevard, which was part of Route 66.
The Mother Road's centennial will be marked in 2026.
How to watch the Rose Parade
The Rose Parade airs live on ABC and NBC at 10 a.m. (central time) on New Year's Day.
It also streams on Pluto TV and The Grio, among other services.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Route 66 icons in Springfield featured on Illinois Rose Parade float
