Texas Route 66 Festival | 2023

To The Future

While this year’s festival is focused on the present, the efforts going into it are a bet on the future. “We’re taking the bull by the horns,” says Lee. “We want to be ahead of all the other states. We’ve got lots of activities and little Easter eggs for people to find during the festival. We are setting the standard for all the other states, and they will be looking to us in the future.”

It’s a glimmer of the same optimism that caused early motorists to head west on 66. “With us getting ahead of the curve, we’re coming out stronger than any other state, and faster. Nobody has come out of the gate with partnerships like we have, and all of the counties are coming together,” says Smith. “Once we finish this first festival, we hope to be the most popular spot by 2026.”

The value of this forward thinking is not lost on shopkeepers like Jill Zimmer, who owns two businesses on Southwest Sixth, known colloquially in Amarillo as Sixth Street. “We have a great tourism opportunity with the festival, and I think it will increase our traffic here immensely,” she says. “This mile-long stretch will be humming with tourists wanting to come down to see what Sixth Street is all about.”

visit,” adds Ware. “Europeans are especially fascinated with the Wild West, and Amarillo is a destination for many to dream of vacationing in the west.” Those international tourists, Lee notes, are often very knowledgeable. “The Europeans often know more than we do about Route 66,” he says.

Ware continues in a broader tone. “Celebrating 100 years of Route 66 has really caught on, especially in the Texas Panhandle. Towns along the way each have some historic spot to celebrate, and Amarillo plans on being the party capital for the center of Route 66.”

To that end, Smith understands the role this all plays in counting heads in beds. “Our office has now taken the mentality that we are a destination, and we will market ourselves that way,” she says of the CVB. “With Route 66, we better cultivate it and do it well.” It’s a point well taken, because other states will be vying for the same clientele. “We don’t want to be lost in the mix. When people see a Route 66 festival sign, we want them to think of Texas first.”

TEXAS ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL

Zimmer, who has owned her businesses for 15 years, swells with hometown pride. “It’s amazing how many tourists come down here, from all over the world. They want to see route 66. I love being down on Sixth Street.”

In fact, her portion of Route 66—that magical mile between Georgia and Western—is often the face of the Mother Road in these parts. While Route 66 spans about 42 miles across the entirety of Potter County, including Amarillo, it is this one mile that is perhaps best known. “This stretch is just so much fun. There are such unique shops and places to eat or have a drink. This is just my area,” she beams.

“Our two most famous tourist attractions got their start on Route 66, with the Big Texan, originally on Amarillo Boulevard east, and the Cadillac Ranch, west of Amarillo, with the mystique of a fun place to

Ware responds, “You can see this as a three-year party that will enlarge Route 66’s image in everyone’s mind, while we all have a good time celebrating our history.” It’s a party, but it’s also marketing, Smith says. “It is important that we grow our mindset about Route 66, that it is about the city and not so much the pavement. The branding is for the whole town. We are a Route 66 town,” she says.

That gives the inaugural 2023 festival a heavy future-forward mindset. “Let’s have fun with the history, and remember what brought it. And then that traveler will hopefully be here in future years, but it will all feel different by 2026. That is the goal,” Smith explains.

If Amarillo residents find themselves humming Troup’s whimsical tune, itself penned while on a road trip down 66 some 80 years ago, don’t be surprised if they stop when they get to the chorus. “You’ll see Amarillo!”

And that is precisely what this festival is all about.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMARILLO CVB

PHOTO BY JERED LOPEZ

PHOTO BY RALPH DUKE

The annual Texas Route 66 Festival kicks off years of celebrations leading up to the national centennial. For 2023, the festival takes place June 1-10, with events across Amarillo and throughout the Texas Panhandle.

June 1: First Thursday Art Walk | 6th Avenue

Celebrate the relevance of the Mother Road in the heart of Amarillo’s Historic Route 66 district at this showcase of the local businesses that call this street home. Activities from 4-7 p.m. include art shows, live music and Amarillo’s most unique shopping experience.

June 1-3: Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo |

Tri-State Fairgrounds

This decades-old summer kickoff event pays tribute to our West Texas heritage. The competition features real cowboys from ranches in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and New Mexico, competing in saddle bronc-riding, straygathering, trailer-loading, wild cow-milking and more. coorsranchrodeo.com

June 2: Official Route 66 Kick-Off Celebration | Hodgetown

Gather along Eighth Avenue in downtown Amarillo for a block party in and around Hodgetown. Enjoy live music, food trucks and beer carts starting at 4 p.m. The Sod Poodles’ opening pitch is at 7 p.m. with Route 66-themed jerseys, special in-game promotions and post-game fireworks.

June 2: Brett Young | Starlight Ranch Event Center

6 p.m.

June 3: Coors Ranch Rodeo Cattle Drive & Parade | Downtown Amarillo

Watch in awe as 60 Texas Longhorns make their way through downtown Amarillo in an iconic parade that also

features motorized vehicles and staged Old West shootouts. Join thousands of spectators lining Polk Street at 10 a.m. to celebrate the rich history of the American West.

June 3: Amarillo Crawfish Festival | Starlight

Ranch Event Center

Pinch, peel, eat, repeat. Chow down on freshly boiled Louisiana crawfish, food trucks from around the Panhandle, and cold beer. Come one, come all, this family-friendly event starts at 3 p.m.

June 4: Lowrider Cruise | Amarillo Boulevard

Rev up the nostalgia as local lowrider groups and classic car clubs cruise Amarillo Boulevard, the city’s original strip of Route 66. They’ll start at Autozone and cruise to the Route 66 Inn, surrounded by the Boulevard’s excellent dining options and food trucks.

June 6: Free Jazz Concerts

Jazz fans have two free Route 66-themed outdoor concert options this evening. At Sam Houston Park, Ruth Ellen Lynch and Jazz Plus perform from 7-9 p.m. at Starlight Theater in Sam Houston Park. At Amarillo College, the Jim Laughlin AC June Jazz Series hosts The Martinis with Chuck Alexander, starting at 7:30 p.m.

June 7: Route 66 Bus Tour - East | Groom, Jericho, McLean, Shamrock

Journey through Route 66’s history and culture on an exclusive bus tour from Amarillo to Shamrock. Starting at the historic Bivins Mansion in Amarillo, you’ll stop at all the

The

Route 66 landmarks and hotspots. 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tickets: visitamarillo.com

June 7: High Noon on the Square | Potter County Courthouse Lawn

Join the crowd at this kickoff event for the annual High Noon on the Square, a beloved Route 66 tradition in downtown Amarillo. This free lunchtime concert on the historic grounds of the Potter County Courthouse (Sixth & Fillmore), features a performance from singing cowboy Ed Montana and burgers served by Coors Cowboy Club for $10. centercity.org

June 7: Texas Route 66 Visitor Center Event | 6thAvenue

Sample delicious treats from Amarillo’s best food trucks while listening to live music and the sounds of 6th Avenue from the Texas Route 66 Visitor Center patio, starting at 6 p.m.

June 8: Route 66 Bus Tour - West | Vega, Adrian, Glenrio

Head west along I-40 toward the Route 66 highlights including Cadillac Ranch, the historic Midpoint Cafe and Dot’s Mini Museum, all the way to Glenrio and the TexasNew Mexico border. Departing from the Bivins Mansion, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tickets: visitamarillo.com

June 8: The Green Book and Route 66 | Amarillo College Concert Hall

Acclaimed author and documentarian Candacy Taylor speaks on Route 66, sundown towns and the historic Negro Motorist Green Book. A leading voice on this topic, Taylor’s work has been featured around the world. Amarillo College Concert Hall, $15, 7-9 p.m.

June 9: Route 66 Bus Tour -Amarillo/Canyon

Journey through Amarillo’s historic Route 66 district and

learn about Western culture from here to Canyon, led by friendly and knowledgeable tour guides. Tickets: visitamarillo.com

June 9: Michelangelo Sistine Chapel Exhibition | Arts in the Sunset

At Arts in the Sunset, engage with the Sistine Chapel—here in Texas—at the opening of this traveling exhibit, which features 34 high-definition frescoes of one of mankind’s greatest artistic achievements. Open from June 9 to July 23.

June 10: Amarillo Community Market | Downtown Polk Street

Attend the summer launch of this free downtown market, featuring local artisans, bakers and growers for a fun-filled day of live music and delicious food. 8:30 a.m.-noon, Bivins Mansion (1000 S. Polk St.). amarillocommunitymarket.com

June 10: Summer Free-for-All | Sam Houston Park

Join Amarillo Parks & Recreation for the ultimate family event of the summer at Sam Houston Park, featuring carnival-style games, floaty races, bouncers, music, vendors and food trucks. The event extends into an epic street party within Amarillo’s Historic Route 66 District (along SW 6th Ave.), starting at 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

June 10: Amarillo National Bank’s Route 66 Celebration | Route 66 Historic District

In the 6th Avenue Historic District from 11 a.m.–7 p.m., the Grand Finale will take place. Attendees can expect a wide range of attractions, including vendor booths, food options, live music, Elvis impersonators, Miss Texas Route 66 Pinup Pageant, kids’ activities, corn dog eating contests, a car show, a bike show, and much more. Admission is free for all attendees.

The Barfield, Autograph Collection

What can visitors expect when they visit The Barfield? Visitors can expect a local experience, a warm and inviting atmosphere, and some good ’ol West Texas hospitality.

What are some of the key transformations to the historic Barfield building? Paramount Recreation Club was Amarillo’s original speakeasy in the 1920s, which our hotel revived and transformed into a space that speaks to both history and modern comforts. The original office spaces transformed very naturally into a hotel while maintaining original footprints, making each set of guest rooms special, and unique.

What sets you apart from other hotels in the area? The Barfield has redefined hospitality in the region by offering a first-of-its-kind experience: combining a sense of locality with the luxuries of a stay at a boutique hotel.

How has Route 66 impacted your business’ history? Route 66 was key to the development of Amarillo and the original Barfield building’s construction. Our building was completed in 1927 as the first skyscraper in Amarillo, the same year Route 66 road signs began to be erected across the country. It shows the city’s optimism for the future, especially as a major stop along the Mother Road.

Do you have a regular number of international Route 66 visitors? Absolutely! Route 66 has and continues to bring travelers from near and far. Some of our favorite conversations with guests have been hearing about the international bus tour they are on, their lifelong desire to travel Route 66, and the excitement on their face when they discuss what they have seen so far on their journey.

What do you love most about being in the center of Downtown Amarillo? Downtown continues to grow and we are proud to be a part of that. We not only get to be a key part of visitors’ experiences of Amarillo, but being in downtown, we get to be fully immersed in the community. We love our guests, but we also love having locals come in.

THE

SHOWROOM FEATURES OLDER MODEL VEHICLES LIKE A 1928 “PADDY WAGON,” CARS FROM THROUGHOUT THE 1930S, AND EVEN A FULLY-RESTORED 1945 WILLYS U.S. ARMY JEEP COMPLETE WITH MACHINE GUN!

BILL’S LOVE FOR CLASSIC CARS BEGAN WHEN WORKING ON THIS 1931 FORD MODEL A VICTORIA AT THE AGE OF 14. IT WAS HIS FIRST HIGH SCHOOL CAR.

BILL’S SCCA FORMULA ATLANTIC RACE CAR IS ON DISPLAY WITH A VIDEO FROM HIS VERY SUCCESSFUL RACING DAYS.

FRONT

BILL AND LINDA PRATT OPENED HIS PRIVATE CAR COLLECTION TO THE PUBLIC IN 2015.

Bill’s Backyard Classics

Inventor Bill Pratt is known as “The Thomas Edison of the Beef Industry” for his transformative computerized and machinery management systems for which he was awarded 88 U.S. and foreign patents. His name ranks among the great Trailblazers of the West. And he had a passion for classic cars.

Bill’s love for classic cars began as a boy of 14 in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, when he bought his first car, an old, beat-up 1931 Ford Model A Victoria. He worked on it for two years in his backyard, making it his first high school car. When he sold his company Micro Beef Technologies in 2011, Bill began collecting cars. But not just any old cars. He found cars with a connection to his and his wife Linda’s lives—a 1931 Ford Model A Victoria of his youth; a black ’57 Chevy, like the one he was driving when he first saw his future wife, Linda, crossing the street with a bag of groceries; a white ’61 Pontiac like he had when they first married (complete with their ironing board between the seats); and Linda’s first car, a maroon ’67 Chevy. Bill enjoyed surprising Linda with these cars from their shared past. Then, Bill began collecting “pairs” of vehicles, meaning a stock version of a car paired with a street rod version. At 178 cars, Linda finally took the checkbook away from him! Undeterred, he slipped one last purchase under her nose for a total of 179. They opened his collection to the public in 2015.

Today, the museum features more than 100 autos from all over North America in two showrooms. The bulk of the collection centers on cars from the heyday of Route 66, dating from the 1930s to the 1970s. Visitors come into Bill’s “backyard,” surrounded by residential yard fencing decorated with smiley faces reminiscent of the backyard where he got his first car running as a teenager. Classic rock ’n roll plays from a 1949 Wurlitzer jukebox. Bill wished for generations of visitors’ families to share happy memories evoked by the cars and their eras.

Route 66 is vital to the success of the museum, starting with Bill’s memories traveling it from Oklahoma to California as a boy in the 1940s and ’50s, to the interests of museum visitors today. Eighty-seven percent of the museum’s traffic comes from outof-towners “doing Route 66,” with 12 percent coming from other countries across six continents. The museum gives travelers a unique kind of Texas experience. It’s becoming known as “The Real Cadillac Ranch” and “the best-kept secret in Amarillo.”

Amarillo is a great place not only for a Route 66-oriented classic car museum, but also a great place to live and work. Good people and their kindness and work ethic are at the heart of it. Bill always said, “There’s something in the environment here that makes people want to work.” It’s Texas, family, roots, the beauty of the plains and canyons, and the people. “It’s the people that make the difference.”

AN ORIGINAL LATE 1940S WURLITZER JUKE BOX SPINS OLD-TIME ROCK ’N ROLL AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE EXPANSIVE PRATT MEMORIAL MURAL.

THE SECOND SHOWROOM FEATURES MORE “MODERN” CARS MOSTLY FROM THE 1940S TO THE 1970S.

Texas RouTe 66 FesTival

MURAL BY ALFONSO GARCIA

Vega, Texas, and Mama Jo’s Pies & Sweets

The story of Route 66 is one of iconic stops, but it’s also a story of the people who make those landmarks memorable. In Vega, Texas, one of those people is Joann Glenn Harwell, proprietor of Mama Jo’s Pies & Sweets.

Harwell grew up in Abilene and learned to bake with her Grandma Glenn. Joann found her way to Vega in 1983 and eventually found work promoting Vega’s Route 66 history with the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce.

She was also making pies. “I started baking for Fran Houser at the MidPoint Cafe [in Adrian] in 1995, quite by accident,” she says. Joann needed a second job and Houser’s pie baker had resigned. “I was armed and dangerous with my grandmother’s pie crust recipe,” she says. Joann found the work fulfilling. “You rarely see an unhappy person with a piece of pie sitting in front of them.”

Last September, Joann branched out on her own, opening Mama Jo’s in the historic building at 922 Main Street in Vega. It felt like a good way to return to Route 66 and give back to the community. Customers can’t stop talking about her pies.

Joann’s pie were known as “ugly crust pies” during her Midpoint years. It started as a joke. “I may have had my grandmother’s pie crust recipe, but I didn’t start out with her talent of making them pretty,” she says. “They were awful-looking, but the taste was just what I remembered. I started telling customers mine were just good pies with ugly crusts.”

Today in Vega, locals and Route 66 travelers alike love those pies and Joann’s other down-home desserts, from cheesecake to cobbler, all made the old-fashioned way.

After indulging their sweet tooths, visitors take in the rest of Vega, including the Route 66 exhibits at the Milburn-Price Culture Museum, the 1916 courthouse, the lovingly restored Magnolia Station and the landmark Vega Motel motor court. “From the dust bowl days until now, Route 66 has brought people to and through Vega,” says Greg Conn, proprietor of the museum.

Some, like Joann Harwell, became citizens. Others were content to tour the area and stop at destinations like Hickory Inn, Lucy’s Kitchen, and Roosters Restaurant.

Conn says there’s more to Vega than proud residents and Route 66, though, citing the area’s “long history of the plains Indians, great agriculture, and a welcoming community of hard-working people.” That community remains a major draw. “Vega is a place where you can feel that the world has slowed down a bit and you can sit back, maybe put your phone away for a time, and soak up life as it should be,” he says. “Visit with a friend and just simply do life at a pace that calms your spirit.”

Consider doing it over coffee and a slice of pie from Mama Jo’s. “Hands down, it’s the people here in town I love most,” Joann says. “The coffee drinkers that make my days, the stories they tell … it’s just a wonderful community.”

PHOTO BY PAM MCNUTT

6th Street Antique Mall, LP & Amarillo’s Route 66 Store

How long have you been in business? Owned by Chip Hunt, 6th Street Antique Mall has been serving customers along Sixth Street since 1982. Our store has seen a lot of change in the neighborhood and have been interacting with Route 66 travelers for decades. We have been Amarillo’s Route 66 Store—the first one in Amarillo— since 2006.

What can visitors expect when they visit your store? 6th Street Antique is an absolute antique store. That means you won’t find new items, reproductions, crafts or repurposed items. Our products are authentic, and more than a third of our merchandise dates back to more than 100 years old. Most of our remaining merchandise is considered “vintage,” at 50 years old. As for The Route 66 Store, it carries top-quality memorabilia related to the Mother Road. Most of those products are made in America and, when possible, produced by local artisans.

Where does your inventory of antiques and collectibles come from? Our inventory for the antique store comes from the small businesses who rent space under our roof. These dedicated vendors work hard to find the best and most authentic products. They go to estate/garage sales, auctions and private sellers all over the Texas Panhandle and beyond.

How has Route 66 impacted your business’ history? We love the history of Route 66 and we love the traffic it brings to Amarillo—and to Sixth Street. Historic Route 66 has always entertained travelers from all over the world. It’s interesting that Route 66 seems to be a bigger deal to those international travelers than it is to Americans.

How much of your traffic comes from travelers? Incredibly, around 96 percent of our traffic on a daily basis comes from travelers. Sometimes they’re from as close as Pampa. Sometimes they’re from as far away as Australia. The amount of foreign accents we hear on a weekly basis is amazing.

What do you love most about living and working in Amarillo?

We love the camaraderie of the city and our willingness to help one another. Our store gets a lot of visitors passing through, but we love meeting new local people every day in our stores and finding out about their lives.

2715 SW SIXTH AVE. 806.374.0459

6THSTREETANTIQUEMALL.COM

The Roseberry by David and Dirk

How long has The Roseberry been in business? We opened our doors in December 2015. Our building is on the National Register Historic of Historic Places and was originally a laundromat in the 1920s. We use the charm of this nearly 100-year-old building to its full potential with the fun finds that fill our shop.

What can visitors expect when they visit your shop? The first thing you’ll experience when you walk through the door is a calm atmosphere with rich smells from hand-poured candles, sage, and palo santo. Inside you’ll find a curated collection of products inspired by the Southwest. We have a fantastic collection of vintage finds, turquoise jewelry, and products from regional and local artisans.

The Roseberry is the proud new owner of the Erase Hate Collection. Part of the proceeds from this collection go to the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which promotes the dignity and equality of all people.

Where does your inventory come from? You can call us a gift shop, but it’s so much more than that. We stock items from small businesses, women-owned businesses, and lines that benefit charities. Most of our products are sourced from New Mexico and Texas. We have products from around the U.S., and we take pride in the fact that it is something you can only find at The Roseberry.

How has Route 66 impacted your business’ history? The historic section of Route 66 is the birthplace of our business. Travelers to this special street look for unique experiences, and we are proudly one among many along Sixth Street. It’s a pleasure to be a part of the historic San Jacinto neighborhood.

How much of your traffic comes from travelers? While The Roseberry has regular customers from Amarillo and the surrounding area, we are thrilled to be able to greet and meet tourists from throughout the U.S. and all over the world.

Do you have a regular number of international Route 66 visitors? We haven’t kept an official count, but we have had visitors from every continent. We even have a few national and international visitors who make sure to come by and see us when they are in our area. They come to experience Route 66, Palo Duro Canyon, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the other rich attractions around the Panhandle.

What do you love most about living and working in Amarillo?

Amarillo is a wonderful, caring community that provides unique opportunities. Citizens in Amarillo and the surrounding region strongly support small and local businesses. This makes for a uniquely stable economy for small businesses like our own. We get to know our customers by name. We’ve enjoyed serving a unique niche in the community, and it is a pleasure to provide a respite for like-minded individuals.