The 8th Annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival will be held in downtown Springfield on Friday and Saturday, August 10-11, 2018. Official starting time is noon on Friday. This year’s events are exciting with an all-free musical lineup. Musical acts scheduled to appear include favorite Branson acts on the KY3/KSPR stage in Park Central Square and regional favorites Lyal Strickland, Mark Chapman, Blue Plate Special, Makenna & Brock, Laura Ashley, the Mixtapes, Machine Gun Symphony, Dirty Saints and Dr. Zhivegas, Justice Adams, Papa Green Shoes and The Hurricanes on the Aaron Sachs Stage in Motorcycle Village. If the weather cooperates, as many as 60,000 people will attend the festival.

As in years past, the MSU Libraries will again have a table in the Old Glass Place on East St. Louis Street. We will talk with friends and visitors about all the collections, initiatives, and partnerships involving the MSU Libraries related to Route 66. This is part of the Artists, Authors, Associations, and Collectors gathering held in the Old Glass Place at 501 St. Louis Street (Route 66). This is on the east end of the festival and in the block west of the Shrine Mosque building. Our table will be staffed from noon to 4:00 on Friday, and from 10:00 to 4:00 on Saturday.