The numbers are in from the 2019 Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, and the City and festival partners want to sincerely thank all of the West Central Neighborhood Alliance neighbors and volunteers who contributed to its success.
Sixty-five thousand people attended the festival over its two days this year, up from 56,000 in 2018.
The 2019 festival by the numbers:
• 642 car show registrants
• 699 cars/trucks/floats in the parade
• 22,000 parade spectators
• 2,500 attendees at the new Women’s World event at the Shrine Mosque
• 5,500 concert goers at the Aaron Sachs stage in Motorcycle Village.
The Mother Roadster Foundation, which raffles off an antique car each year at the festival starting in 2018, donated more than $40,000 to Shriners Hospitals for Children this year and awarded the 2019 Mother Roadster to Greg Fuller of Rolla.
Steve Davenport of Yellville, Arkansas won the 2019 Chevy Corvette, valued at $66,000 and donated by Chevy Dealers of the Ozarks.
This year’s recipients of the John T. Woodruff Award, presented to individuals who have shown outstanding support and interest in historic Route 66, were Guy Mace, owner of the Route 66 Car Museum, and Kirk Wheeler, owner of Mother Road Motorcycles.
“We were thrilled with the turnout at the festival this year and are already planning for how to make the 10th annual festival next year even better,” said PIO Director Cora Scott.
The 10th annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival is set for Aug. 7-8, 2020.