[MainstreetManagers] NEWS RELEASE: Kickstart 66 Tour Announced by Oklahoma Arts Council, Oklahoma Main Street

[Keisha Lawson]

Good morning Main Street community,

I wanted to share some exciting news with you all. We are partnering with Arts Council & Oklahoma Main Street to host this event and we would love to have you join us. To register for the event, please visit Kickstart 66 Tour (ok.gov)<https://arts.ok.gov/kickstart66.html>.

Thank you and have a great Tuesday!



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:

Joel Gavin
Director of Marketing and Communications
Oklahoma Arts Council
(405) 521-2037
joel.gavin at arts.ok.gov<mailto:joel.gavin at arts.ok.gov>

Kickstart 66 Tour Announced by Oklahoma Arts Council, Oklahoma Main Street
Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission members and partners bringing resources to communities ahead of highway's 2026 centennial

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 25, 2024) - With the centennial celebration of America's "Mother Road"-Route 66-approaching in 2026, members of the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission are teaming up and hitting the road with the goal of driving development along Oklahoma's stretch of the historic highway. Beginning April 4, staff of the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Main Street Center will embark on the Kickstart 66 Tour, making a series of stops in communities along Route 66 to introduce resources community stakeholders can use in revving up local planning and development efforts. Tour stops will include Miami on April 4, Clinton on May 9, Sapulpa on September 12, and Arcadia on October 3.

Business owners, municipal and county officials, nonprofit organizations, museums, historical societies, artists, members of convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, and other local stakeholders are encouraged to attend. Each tour stop program will have a heavy emphasis on networking and facilitating conversation among attendees as they consider their community's goals.

In addition to the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Main Street Center, representatives from a variety of statewide organizations including the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, Oklahoma Film and Music Office, Oklahoma Museums Association, Oklahoma Agriculture Department, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, and others will present on resources and funding community stakeholders can access. The tour is designed to assist communities to fully leverage economic opportunities from the Route 66 centennial and to prepare communities to build from the legacy of the byway, traveled by an estimated two million people from around the globe each year.

"I'm excited for the economic development opportunities that will be discussed with communities on the Kickstart 66 Tour," said Lt. Governor Pinnell. "Fifty two percent of sales tax collected in Oklahoma is from towns along Route 66. We have great resources to share with community stakeholders, and with the centennial celebration quickly approaching, there has never been a better time to invest in Route 66."

Led by Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell, the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission's goals include economic development, historic preservation, and marketing of The Mother Road. The commission is tasked with planning, coordinating, and implementing statewide efforts to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026. The year-long celebration will welcome thousands of national and international travelers to the state.


Kickstart 66 Tour Dates:
April 4, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Coleman Theatre
May 9 in Clinton
September 12 in Sapulpa
October 3 in Arcadia

To reserve a seat at any of the tour stops, visit arts.ok.gov. There is no cost to attend. For more information, contact molly.oconnor at arts.ok.gov<mailto:molly.oconnor at arts.ok.gov>.

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About the Oklahoma Arts Council
The Oklahoma Arts Council is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts. The agency's mission is to lead in the advancement of Oklahoma's thriving arts industry. The Oklahoma Arts Council provides hundreds of grants to organizations in communities statewide each year, organizes professional development opportunities for the state's arts and cultural industry, manages the art collections at the Oklahoma state Capitol, and oversees the State of Oklahoma's percent for public art program. Additional information is available at arts.ok.gov.

About Oklahoma Main Street
For more than 30 years, Oklahoma's Main Street program has been pumping new life back into the heart of communities across the state. Historic preservation, downtown revitalization efforts and powerful economic stimulation combine to restore the core assets of communities and enhance the quality of life for Oklahomans.


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