The Mother Road. The Main Street of America. Will Rogers Highway. Historic Route 66 has adopted many nicknames, but McLean County residents can add one more to their repertoire: home.
On Jan. 20, 2026, the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (also known as VisitBN) announced many celebrations taking place to commemorate the centennial of Route 66 in McLean County.
Beth Whisman, chair of the VisitBN Board, walked through VisitBN’s slate of events for the coming year to a crowd of over 100 on the second floor of the McLean County Museum of History. Whisman was joined by 10 speakers (including Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady, Normal Mayor Chris Koos and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.)
The speakers detailed the historic impact Route 66 had on the US and McLean County and how the county plans to celebrate.
U.S. Route 66 was one of the first highways constructed following the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921, stretching from Chicago, Ill. to Santa Monica, Cal., covering over 2400 miles and eight states. The road—which runs through Bloomington and Normal—became a symbol for migration and the American spirit and was prominently featured in author John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,” where Steinbeck coined the nickname “The Mother Road.”
“Route 66 is so much more than a highway,” Catie Sheehan, Deputy Director of Tourism for the State of Illinois, said, “It’s a place where generations of family and friends have made memories for 100 years. It’s a piece of American history that draws visitors from all over the globe.
“I was 12 years old in East St. Louis, Illinois, where our family took a station wagon to Los Angeles,” Senator Durbin said, “I saw most of Route 66 out the back window of that station wagon. I still have fond memories of that experience,” he said,
“This centennial is a chance for us to show off a lot of things—the history of our state, an ancient, historical roadway. But it’s also an opportunity to introduce people from all around the world to our home here in Illinois,” Durbin said.
“It is an international attraction,” Mayor Koos said, “We get visitors from Switzerland, Japan, Brazil and Korea. They’re all here to ride on the road. We are so glad to have it in our community.”
From June 6-7, various cities and villages in McLean County will collaborate for the “Cruisin’ Through the Century” celebration. Each stop will host an event based on a different decade. This includes Chenoa’s 1920s-themed party and flapper dance contest, Lexington’s 1930s-themed party at The Castle, Towanda’s 1940s celebration, Normal’s 1950s roadside picnic, Bloomington’s 1960s party on the square, Funks Grove/Shirley’s 1970s tie-dye party and McLean’s 1980s retro party on the village square.
Photo: Cody Buskohl
“This unique celebration of the Route 66 Centennial shines a spotlight on how travel and interconnectivity have influenced the development of our region and showcases the best our communities have to offer,” Whisman said.
Other centennial events and offerings announced included a Route 66-themed night for the Bloomington Bisons (which took place on Jan 24), screenings of “The Main Street of America” by award-winning filmmaker John Paget at The Normal Theater and Rader Family Farms Route 66 Centennial-themed corn maze coming later this year. Normal’s White Oak Brewery debuted a “Hops on 66” India Pale Lager beer last year that has now been named the official beer of McLean County’s Route 66 centennial celebration as well.
“66 is in our backyard,” Melissa Chrisman, VisitBN President and CEO, said. “We forget about that sometimes. This centennial gives us a chance to really reinvigorate that pride of having this heritage in our communities.”
