KINGMAN – The 5th Annual “I ‘Heart’ Route 66 Festival” at Lewis Kingman Park has had a successful run and has provided a family-friendly lead up to the big Centennial Year 2026. Festival co-chair Josh Noble gives some background.
“Knowing the Centennial was coming, we wanted to create a celebration that the community of Kingman could participate in. People were asking what are you doing for the Centennial? And, this was our answer to that. Our answer was to create a two-day event that celebrates all aspects of Route 66 from the cars to the vintage campers. We’ve got the zip line, Euro Bunge, the inflatables as an homage to Santa Monica Pier and all the rides you can do out there.”
The Pacific Ocean shore line in Santa Monica, California is one end of Route 66. The other is in the Chicago area. The 1926 designation of Route 66, which goes through eight states, was a route where usage pretty much exploded with travelers in the post WWII era and continued until the Eisenhower administration approval and constructed the interstate highway system.
Noble expands on the year-to-year features of the festival. “What we were trying to do is bring some things that we haven’t had. That’s why we have the zip line. It’s also why we have the bubble show. We brought it our last year and the kids loved it.”
In addition to the car show, there were several vintage house trailers, which were a common site along post WWII Rt 66. Michael Sim found a dilapidated 1947 Cabin Car and fixed it up so he and his wife Bobbie could roam the country showing it off.
“This is one of only a very few that I know of on the road. We’ve had it on the road for three years. I’ve been up to Washington State with it, down in Parker and Havasu with it for rallies and I’m here for this rally.”
Sim seemed totally at ease telling anyone who would listen about his Cabin Car.
“This is a classified as a Tear Drop, which means short trailer that you can’t stand in and the kitchen in the back. The outside material is all aluminum from WWII. Our fighters and bombers were made of this same material.”
Event organizers are already planning an even more spectacular 2026 “I ‘Heart’ Route 66 Festival” to be held in the centennial year of what is referred to by many as “The Mother Road.”
