Every year in San Bernardino there is an event called “ROUTE 66.” This year was the 23RD annual Stater Brothers’ Route 66, which ran from Thursday, September 13, to Sunday, September 16, along the downtown streets. Route 66 started as a celebration of the “Mother Road,” as the old U.S. Highway 66 was called. No longer a major highway (it has since been bypassed by major interstates, in our local area by Interstate 15) the highway brought millions by car to California from the 1920s through the 1960s. The term “Route 66” is now synonymous with nostalgia for good times, classic cars, and old school music.
Route 66 as an event is something very entertaining–thousands of cool cars competing against each other. Car buffs from all over the city gather in San Bernardino to “get their kicks on Route 66,” to quote a lyric from the song from 1946. Different cars go against each other to see who has the nicest low-rider.
Every year is a fun year at Route 66–they always have a lot of food stands, different games for the kids, and even Bands that come out and perform for the crowd.
There were concerts going down on the weekend located on Court St.. Here is the lineup that entertained the crowds throughout the event:
Starting on Thursday September 13th, RESTLESS BLUES BAND performed from 5-9 p.m.
Friday September 14th : JONNY COME LATELY, 6:00-7:00 p.m., and MAD MAX and the WILD ONES, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Saturday September 15th: ASHELY’S MIDNIGHT RIDERS 1:00 -2:00 p.m., NEIL MORROW, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., and WILD CHILD, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Sunday September 16th: COLD DUCK , from 12:00 noon – 3:30 p.m.
Route 66 lyrics (written by Bobby Troup, recorded by Nat “King” Cole and many others)
Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that’s the highway that’s the best
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty
You’ll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don’t forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino
Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66
