Route 66 documentary launches centennial roadshow across eight states

A new feature-length documentary on Route 66 will roll out with more than 40 screenings starting Sept. 1 in Chicago and ending Nov. 7 in Los Angeles. The roadshow is designed to bring the film to the communities along the historic highway and spotlight the people preserving its next chapter.

Why it matters: - Route 66 is marking its centennial, and the documentary aims to frame the highway as a living story rather than a preserved relic. - The roadshow puts the film in front of the towns, business owners and preservationists keeping motels, diners, theaters, gas stations and other landmarks active. - The project is positioned to help build public interest in preserving Route 66's future as much as its past.

What happened: - John Paget's feature-length documentary, ROUTE 66: THE MAIN STREET OF AMERICA, will begin a rolling premiere on Sept. 1, 2026, in Chicago. - The roadshow will travel more than 2,400 miles across the eight Route 66 states and conclude Nov. 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. - The film will hold more than 40 screening events across Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. - Each stop will include a screening followed by live conversations with Paget and people featured in the film.

The details: - The Global Premiere is set for Sept. 1 at The Art Institute of Chicago. - State premieres are scheduled for Sept. 11 at Hi-Pointe Theatre in Missouri, Sept. 18 at Circle Cinema in Oklahoma, Sept. 25 at Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Texas, Oct. 1 at KiMo Theatre in New Mexico, Oct. 10 at The Orpheum Theater in Arizona and Oct. 23 at California Theater in California. - The Centennial Roadshow Finale is set for Nov. 7 at Los Angeles Theatre. - Additional community screenings will take place throughout the Route 66 corridor. - The film highlights roadside attractions, revitalized main streets and local efforts such as a family in Luther, Oklahoma, restoring one of America’s earliest Black-owned gas stations. - Other stories in the film include deep sea divers in a desert oasis, a couple making bourbon in a town called Bourbon, bottle trees and a ghost town turned flower farm. - The documentary also features efforts to bring motels, diners, theaters, souvenir shops, filling stations, a prison and a steam train back to life. - The film has been designated an Official Project of the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission. - The complete screening schedule and ticket information are available at MainStreetofAmerica.com.

Between the lines: - The roadshow format suggests the filmmakers want the documentary to function as a community event, not just a traditional release. - By pairing screenings with live Q&As, the project is trying to capture oral history and audience memory alongside the film itself. - Bill Thomas, chair of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and a commissioner for the Route 66 Centennial Commission, said the documentary helps inspire the people who will protect Route 66’s future. - Rhys Martin of the National Trust for Historic Preservation said the one-town-at-a-time rollout is fitting because Route 66 has always connected communities.

What's next: - The roadshow starts in Chicago on Sept. 1 and moves west until its finale in Los Angeles on Nov. 7. - More community screenings are expected across the corridor as the centennial year continues. - Paget says he hopes the film encourages people to see Route 66 as a story still being written.

The bottom line: - ROUTE 66: THE MAIN STREET OF AMERICA is using a centennial roadshow to turn nostalgia into participation, with screenings built around the people who are still shaping the highway's future.