Route 66 in Arizona

The 10^th Annual Standin’ On The Corner festival will be held on September 26 & 27 in Winslow, Arizona.  The festival brings thousands of visitors to Winslow each year and probably every one of them stands on the famous corner.  Hours for the festival are Friday, September 26 from 3:00pm – 1:00am, and Saturday, September 27 from 9:00am – 1:00am.

This year’s festival will feature the Eagles’ tribute band Hotel California and Mogollon, a country rock group.  There will also be various food and crafts vendors, fun activities for the whole family, and Standin’ On The Corner merchandise.

The festival will be held at the Standin’ On The Corner park at 2^nd and Campbell in downtown Winslow.  Winslow is located on historic Route 66.

The NAPA Racing Kingman Street Drags V is being held Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21 in Kingman, Arizona.  The races will be held on Beale Street, just one block north of Route 66, in downtown Kingman.

The NAPA Racing Kingman Street Drags is the primary fundraiser for Route 66 Wings & Wheels Inc, an organization dedicated to the goal of building a multifaceted motor sports facility.

The Kingman Street Drags started in May of 2000 with a street race on Burbank Street in Kingman.  There were 125 cars participating and approximately 6000 spectators.  For the second year, the race was moved to the Kingman Airport, where 175 cars participated.  The next four years, the Street Drags turned into the automotive exhibition at the Kingman Air & Auto Show.  As part of this show, they were unable to actually hold drag races.

In 2006, the Kingman Street Drags were back on the city streets of Kingman, this time at their present location on Beale, for Kingman Street Drags III.  178 cars participated that year.  This year, for Kingman Street Drags V, there will be an anticipated 200 cars participating.  Also this year, it will be a two-day event, where previously it was held on only Saturday.

This year’s event will be held from 10am – 10pm on Saturday, and will start again at approximately 11am on Sunday.  Qualifying races will be held on Saturday and early Sunday, with the finals at approximately 2pm on Sunday.  Times on Sunday are approximate, as the Route 66 Wings & Wheels Inc are cooperating with the couple of churches that are located in downtown, and don’t want to create too much noise during services.

There will be a toolbox raffle during the event; well, actually two raffles – one Saturday at 8pm and the second on Sunday at 2pm.  The raffle is sponsored by the Tri-State area (Arizona, Nevada and California) Snap-On tool dealers.  Each toolbox is valued at $4000.  You don’t need to be present to win.

Admission to the event for spectators is $5 per person for one day, or $8 for both days.  If you’re racing, it’s $25 for one day, $35 for both days.  Race crews are $6 for one day, or $10 for the weekend.

For more information visit Kingman Street Drags .

The town of Winslow, Arizona, on old Route 66 is far removed from New York City.  Geographically anyway.  Winslow is home to one of the first memorials to the tragic events of September 11, 2001 that have been established throughout the United States.

Winslow’s memorial, the 9-11 Remembrance Garden, was established on the one-year anniversary of 9/11.  City officials wanted to do something, so they drew up plans for a memorial in their town.  They heard that pieces of the World Trade Center were available for use in such memorials, and they wanted to try and obtain a couple of smaller pieces.  Because of this, their plans had to be submitted to New York City for approval.

The officials in New York City liked Winslow’s proposal, and told them they could have two steel girders from the WTC towers.  Most of the girders available for use in memorials were 2-3 feet long, but Winslow was getting larger pieces.  In fact, they were getting the largest pieces available – 14 & 15 foot beams.  The only catch was that Winslow had to get the girders from New York to Arizona.

Because their plan was approved only days before the 1^st anniversary, and the town wanted to have the memorial ready on 9/11, they started looking at every means available to transport the beams.  Finally, the town was able to get help from a nearby Wal-Mart distribution center, who agreed to take a truck to NYC, pick up the beams, and get them back to Winslow in time.

Once the beams arrived in Winslow, volunteers worked furiously to get the memorial ready for its dedication on 9/11/2002.  The two girders are erected side by side in an eerie resemblance to the towers themselves.  Overhead, a flag that flew over the Pentagon flies proudly over the memorial, and a plaque rests between the two girders.  The plaque reads:

“These two steel beams from the World Trade Center, entrusted to the citizens of Winslow by the City of New York, along with this flag that was flown at the Pentagon, stand as the centerpiece of our Remembrance Garden. The words “United We Stand” remind the world that we will not fear terrorism. We hereby dedicate this Garden to Northern Arizona’s promise that ‘WE WILL NEVER FORGET’”

Winslow’s 9-11 Remembrance Garden is located at the corner of Route 66 and Transcon Lane.  A memorial service is held there each year on the anniversary of 9/11.

The 62^nd Annual Mohave County Fair is being held in Kingman Arizona Thursday, September 11 through Sunday, September 14.  Kingman is located at the heart of Arizona’s Route 66.

The theme for this year’s fair is “It’s A Jungle Out There”.  The fair is being held at the Mohave County Fairgrounds.

The fair starts at 10:00am on Thursday.  It runs from 10:00am – 10:00pm Thursday through Saturday and from 10:00am – 6:00pm on Sunday.

Admission to the fair is $5 for all persons aged 12 – 61, $2 for seniors age 62 and older and for children ages 4 -11.  Children under 3 are free.  Parking is $1.  Thursday is school day, with free admission from10:00am – 2:00pm for children with their schools.  On Friday, admission is free for seniors age 62 and over, from 10:00am – 4:00pm.

This year’s fair will feature a carnival, a variety of musical and entertainment acts on stage and strolling throughout the fairgrounds, 4-H livestock shows and exhibits, and numerous arts, crafts and food vendors.

Flagstaff’s Annual Route 66 Days 2008 festival will be held on September 5, 6 & 7 in the historic downtown district.

The festival boasts one of the largest car shows in Northern Arizona, with more than 350 classic cars and trucks expected this year.  The car show will be held on Saturday, September 6 from 8:00am – 5:30pm in downtown Flagstaff.

The festival will also include an arts & crafts fair and an auto vendor show, both on Saturday from 9:00am – 7:00pm in theWheeler Park parking lot on Aspen Avenue.

Did you know that Flagstaff is the highest point on Route 66, with an elevation of 7,000 feet?

Route 66 was a major factor in the development of the town.  While you’re in Flagstaff, stop by some of the historic Route 66 landmarks such as The Weatherford Hotel, the Hotel Monte Vista, and the Museum Club.

Be sure to visit Flagstaff for the Route 66 festival and celebrate the spirit of the Mother Road.