Road closures for Springfield's Route 66 festival start Wednesday. Here's what to know

While Springfield isn't the physical starting point of Route 66, it is the birthplace of the iconic highway's name. This year's Birthplace of Route 66 Festival celebrates the community's role in naming the Mother Road with music, cars and more.

Curious about Springfield's part in the name? It came about in April 1926, when a group of federal planners met in Springfield's Colonial Hotel, according to the History Museum on the Square. With the Chicago to Los Angeles route then named "Route 62," planners decided that "Route 66" was catchier, whereas "62" made them think of a second-rate road.

A telegram proposing the change was sent from the Colonial Hotel to Washington, D.C., and the rest is, well, history.

When does it start? How long does it last?

The festival itself starts Thursday, Aug. 10, with a "Rockin' the Route" kickoff concert and street party on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and McDaniel Street. The festival runs through Saturday, Aug. 12.

What is there to do?

Aside from local and regional music, there are also events and vendors to check out, as well as a parade.

On Friday evening, the Route 66 Car Parade will start at College Street and Grant Avenue, then continue along College Street through Park Central Square and onto St. Louis Street, where it will end on National Avenue. The parade starts at 6 p.m. For more information, visit the festival's website, route66festivalsgf.com/parade.

Classic cars will be on display from noon to 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday along the "Route 66 Motor Mile," which stretches from the Route 66 Springfield Visitor Center at 815 E. St. Louis St. west through Park Central Square to South Campbell Avenue. Car show awards will be presented at 4:35 p.m. Saturday, at the corner of Jefferson and McDaniel.

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For those more interested in seeing motorcycles rather than classic cars, there is a Combat Motorcycle Veterans Association charity bike show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, in what the festival has dubbed "Motorcycle Village," which is located near St. Louis and Jefferson streets. The CMVA is also hosting a poker run on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. Proceeds from the poker run will go to the CMVA.

Authors, artists, collectors and associations affiliated with Route 66 will gather at the Old Glass Place, 501 E. St. Louis St., from noon to 4 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. According to the festival site, the event will feature "creative displays of memorabilia, information about their products and services and items for sale."

Festival activities are free. Local vendors will be present throughout the festival, selling food, drink and merchandise.

Where can I see the Super Bowl trophy?

As part of the Kansas City Chiefs' Champions Tour, the Super Bowl LVII Lombardi Trophy will be coming to Springfield during the festival.

People will have three opportunities to see the trophy on Friday:

• From 4 to 6 p.m. at the Springfield Expo Center, 635 E. St. Louis St: Doors open at 3:30 p.m. for a rally featuring the club’s Super Bowl LVII Lombardi Trophy, the “Kingdom Cruiser” double-decker bus, Chiefs Cheerleaders, the Rumble drumline, the Chiefs' mascot KC Wolf and more.

• Starting at 6:30 p.m., along the College Street from Grant to Jefferson avenues: The “Kingdom Cruiser” bus will carry the trophy in the parade. The bus will be accompanied by the cheerleaders, drumline and KC Wolf.

• At 7 p.m. on the Aaron Sachs Stage, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and McDaniel Street: Cheerleaders and drumline will perform, and give the public one final look at the trophy.

You mentioned music — where and when?

There are two main stages: The Aaron Sachs Stage at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and McDaniel Street and the Chevy Dealers of the Ozarks/KY3 Stage in Park Central Square. The Rotary Clubs of Springfield also have a "Route 66 Rendezvous" stage Saturday only, located on the Springfield Expo Center lot.

Regional and local acts will perform throughout the three-day festival, including The Shandies of Springfield, MoonShot of Bolivar and the Springfield Little Theatre.

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The Rockin' the Route concert opens at 6 p.m. with the Missouri National Guard's 135th Army Band performing. At 8 p.m., Emerald City Band of Dallas will reprise their 2022 performance.

On Friday night, Sixwire will perform with Tommy DeCarlo on the Aaron Sachs stage. Sixwire will perform again on Saturday evening at the Aaron Sachs stage.

For the full live music schedule, visit the festival website, route66festivalsgf.com/music.

In addition to musical acts, KY3 and the City of Springfield are hosting their first "Great Route 66 Talent Search" competition at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Shrine Mosque, 601 E. St. Louis St. Of the 20 local artists competing, two — one in the "professional" category and one in the "amateur" category — receive a "guaranteed front-of-the-line-pass" to attend a virtual open-call audition for "America's Got Talent" in one of the official casting call locations.

What roads will be closed?

Road closures in downtown Springfield will start Wednesday morning. According to the City of Springfield, once roads are closed, they will stay closed until the event ends on Saturday. See below for which roads will be closed and when.

Road closures starting 4 a.m. Wednesday

• St. Louis Street between Jefferson Avenue and Kimbrough Avenue;

• Olive Street between Jefferson Avenue and McDaniel Street.

Road closures starting 4 a.m. Thursday

• St. Louis Street from Campbell Avenue through Park Central Square to Kimbrough Avenue;

• Park Central Square and spokes;

• Patton Avenue between Olive Street and Park Central West;

• Robberson Avenue between Olive Street and McDaniel Street;

• Jefferson Avenue between Water Street and Walnut Street;

• McDaniel Street from west of the Discovery Center parking lot to east of the parking garage at McDaniel Street and Robberson Avenue.

Road closures starting 4 a.m. Friday

• Kimbrough Avenue from Trafficway to McDaniel streets.

There will also be closures along Friday's parade route. According to the Birthplace of the Route 66 Festival website, portions of the parade route along College Street from West Avenue to Grant Avenue will become a no-parking zone from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. The Springfield Police Department will begin towing vehicles illegally parked along the parade route at that time.

Additional closures for the parade

• Starting 11 a.m.: Nettleton Avenue from Olive to College Street; Fort Avenue from Water Street to College Street; St. Louis Street from Jefferson Avenue to the Expo Center. These streets will reopen at 7 p.m. Friday.

• Starting at 2 p.m.: College Street from Kansas Expressway to Park Central West, which will reopen at 7 p.m.

• Starting at 5:30 p.m.: Grant Avenue between Tampa and Walnut streets, which will reopen after the parade.

Where can I park?

There is free parking around the festival as well as a shuttle service.

Free parking can be found at:

• Parking lot of Kentwood Hall, 700 E. St. Louis St. – access the lot from Walnut Street;

• College Station Car Park, 409 W. McDaniel St.;

• Heer’s Parking Garage, 230 N. Campbell Ave.;

• Public Parking Lot, 355 W. Olive St.;

• Public Parking Lot, 405 W. Olive St.;

• Public Parking Lot, 313 N. Boonville Ave.;

• Public Parking Lot at 304 & 310 N. Boonville Ave., which is the preferred lot for guests with mobility concerns.

Courtesy golf cart shuttles will be running throughout the festival.

Shuttle stops will be at:

• MSU parking lot at 699 E. Walnut Street, which connects to Kentwood Hall parking lots;

• McDaniel Street near the Discovery Center;

• McDaniel Street and South Avenue;

• Park Central West at Patton Avenue;

• Public Parking Lot, 355 W. Olive St. at Patton Avenue;

• Public Parking Lot, 304 & 310 N. Boonville Ave., the southeast corner at Robberson Avenue & Olive Street;

• Park Central East and Robberson Avenue;

• Corner of Jefferson Avenue and Olive Street;

• Kimbrough Avenue and St. Louis Street.

Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: What to do, where to park for Springfield's 2023 Route 66 festival