Route 66 at
The Ellison Hotel
Your Gateway to the Mother Road
The Ellison Hotel sits at the heart of Oklahoma City’s historic Route 66 corridor. While you’re here, you can stamp your Route 66 Passport and explore two of OKC’s most vibrant districts: the Western Avenue Corridor and the Britton Road District.
We are featured exclusively in the
2025 Official TravelOK Route 66 Passport
The Ellison is a proud member of the Route 66 Association of Oklahoma. Go read their newsletter.
Planning your trip? Explore Oklahoma Travel resources on Route 66
The Ellison on Route 66
The Ellison is an official stop on the 2025 Route 66 Passport. Collect your stamp, and discover the living history of the Mother Road just beyond our front door.
We’re your gateway to two of OKC’s most storied Route 66 neighborhoods, each brimming with local shops, murals, eateries, and character.
Route 66 Events in OKC — 2026
August 29th-30th 2026
10 am-5 pm
Arcadia-Route 66 Beach Festival
Cheer for the world’s top elite athletes as they compete in fast-paced “Run-Row-Run” (50-yard run – 250-meter row – 50-yard run) races while enjoying food trucks, beach games and live music. This high-intensity, “bite-sized” sports experience features a sand sprint, a slalom row and a final sprint to a beach finish line. Single and double races last 3-4 minutes each. Beach Sprints are to rowing like pickleball is to tennis: easy to learn and more accessible. They bring the sport to all bodies of water, both inland and coastal. Beach Sprint Festivals have generated excitement abroad and this will be the first one in the United States.
Edmond Park @ Arcadia Lake
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug 29 and Sunday, Aug 30
Admission to the Festival: $10 per car
Participant Entry Fee: $25 each
Training Clinics to learn to Beach Sprint Row @ University of Central Oklahoma Boathouse on Arcadia Lake
-Wednesday, Aug 26
-Thursday, Aug 27
-Friday, Aug 28
September 18th-20th 2026
All Day
Sounds On 66 – 100 Greatest Mile
With music at the Ellison Rooftop.
September 23rd-27th 2026
All Day
Arcadia-Centennial RT66 Balloon Festival Arcadia, OK
The Centennial RT66 Balloon Festival is returning for 5 days, Sept 23-27, 2026.
That’s right, the Centennial-year event will feature five days of family-friendly entertainment at the Parkhurst Ranch, featuring over a dozen hot air balloons, kite shows, helicopter rides, tethered balloon rides, a food truck and vendors’ market, an art walk, live music, and so much more. Follow the Route 66 Balloon Festival FB and event pages for more details!
Road Ahead: Both 2026 Oklahoma Centennial Route 66 Balloon Festivals have been unanimously approved by our Centennial Commission as official events, and planning is already underway. Stay tuned as details arise.
Partners: Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission, Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch
Sponsors: LTA Promotions, Soar Kites & Events, Okie Food Trucks, Oklahoma Chiropractic, Root 66 Propane, Beck & Root Propane Company
September 26th 2026
All Day
Cruisin’ the Mother Road
The signature cruise event on Western Avenue brings the classic car culture of Route 66 roaring back to life each fall.
October 5th 2026
8-8 am
Edmond-Cycle 66
Cycle 66, presented by Amazon and Walmart, is ready to ride on Sunday, Oct 5, at 8 a.m. If you haven’t registered yet, grab a friend or two, register today and join us for an unforgettable ride, no matter what distance you choose (1, 18, 33, 66 or 100 miles)! And don’t forget to stick around for the Crit at Cycle 66 when we return to Downtown Edmond.
“We are excited about the Route 66 Centennial Cycle 66 ride with new routes for an amazing opportunity to explore more miles of iconic Route 66, along with some roads many cyclists may have never ridden before,” said Cycle 66 Ride Director Jason Duncan. Local police keep streets safe for cyclists.
Duncan said all five route details and maps, including for the 18-, 33-, 66-, 100 and a 1-mile Kids’ distances, can be found at www.Cycle66ok.com.
In addition to the non-timed distance tours, Cycle 66 also offers fast-paced criterium races, called the Crit @ Cycle 66, in downtown Edmond, from 9 am to 3 pm.
“Edmond has a USA Cycling-sanctioned Oklahoma Skills-Based Criterium this year,” said Tony Steward, Cycle 66 Race Director. “Whether you’re a cyclist who wants to participate, or you’ve never ridden a bike, the Crit @ Cycle 66 offers an exciting opportunity to see some of this region’s best cyclists pedal their way to victory. It’s fast, furious competition, and we invite the public to come cheer on the cyclists while they enjoy brunch or beer in our beautiful downtown.”
October 17th 2026
12 am-11:59 pm
Oklahoma Route 66 Association Centennial Event Series: Round Barn Round-Up
Join the Oklahoma Route 66 Association as we partner with the Round Barn for a music and arts festival and the Otto Funk Fiddle Contest!
More to come.
Starts: Sat Oct 17 2026
November 11th 2026
All Day
100th Anniversary of Route 66
July 18, 2026
Mural Fest Multiple OKC Communities
Discover the incredible street art scene woven through Route 66 communities across OKC.
September 26, 2026
Cruisin' the Mother Road
Western Avenue The signature cruise event on Western Ave brings the classic car culture of Route 66 roaring back to life each fall.
The Ellison Hotel is proud to be part of Oklahoma City’s Route 66 story. Whether you’re a dedicated roadie completing your passport or a first-time traveler discovering the Mother Road, we’re here to make your journey unforgettable.
