Oklahoma City's historic Tower Theatre is throwing open its doors on NW 23rd Street for a free screening of Disney Pixar's Cars, marking the first of three events planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66. The Route 66 Family Movie Night, hosted by the Friends of Uptown Foundation and the Tower Theatre, is set for Monday, August 24, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the film starting at 6 p.m. Admission is free, but organizers ask attendees to RSVP ahead of time.
The choice of film was deliberate. As reported by The Journal Record, organizers selected Cars specifically to honor Route 66's history and the community surrounding the Uptown 23rd district, since the animated film draws its spirit directly from the Mother Road. That connection runs deeper than most moviegoers realize: the 2006 film emerged from a Route 66 research road trip guided by Oklahoma historian Michael Wallis, who wrote Route 66: The Mother Road and later voiced the character Sheriff in the movie, according to the Pixar Cars Wiki. Wallis reportedly drove Pixar animators across Route 66 in Cadillacs so they could study the roadside towns and characters that shaped the film's look and feel.
A Neighborhood Built Around the Mother Road
The location carries its own weight. NW 23rd Street served as one of the original alignments of U.S. Route 66 through Oklahoma City, and the Tower Theatre sits directly on that stretch, according to Cinema Treasures. The Art Deco venue first opened on July 15, 1937, designed by architect W. Scott Dunne and topped with an 80-foot neon tower sign that became a neighborhood landmark. It closed as an adult cinema in 1989 and sat shuttered for decades before a multi-million-dollar historic tax credit renovation brought it back in 2017 as a live music, movie, and event space, per the same account.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and visit restaurants throughout the Uptown 23rd district before the film starts, per the Journal Record's reporting. The Tower Theatre also allows outside food from Uptown 23rd restaurants, though outside beverages are not permitted. That dining scene has been expanding all year, with additions like Taiwanese street food restaurant Formosa Street Food & Bar in February and seafood spot Kaizume in June, both covered previously by Hoodline.
Proceeds Support the District's Public Art
Money raised at the event will benefit the Uptown 23rd Mural Fund, which supports maintenance and beautification of public art along the historic Route 66 corridor. The district already features notable installations tied to that heritage, including an eight-foot robot sculpture with a Route 66 insignia on its control board located directly across from the Tower Theatre, according to Visit Oklahoma City.
Caramie Perry, marketing manager for the Uptown 23rd District Association, said the movie night reflects the neighborhood's identity. “This event is everything we love about Uptown 23rd,” Perry said, per the Journal Record's reporting.
More Screenings on the Way
The August 24 event is only the opening chapter. A September screening will feature Grease, and a third Route 66 centennial event is planned for October, though further details on that final installment have not yet been released. The series arrives during a year already packed with Route 66 centennial programming across the state. The Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission has organized flagship events including the Kickin' It Birthday Bash at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City and the Route 66 Capital Cruise in Tulsa, held on May 30, per Capitol Beat OK. Uptown OKC also hosted its own Cruisin' 23rd block party in April, a free Route 66-inspired street celebration along NW 23rd Street presented by Friends of Uptown and Leadership OKC, according to MetroFamily Magazine.
The centennial marks 100 years since U.S. Route 66 was designated on April 30, 1926, and officially commissioned that November, with Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery playing a key role in shaping the federal highway's alignment. Oklahoma holds more drivable miles of the historic route than any other state along its 2,448-mile path from Chicago to Santa Monica, with 51 of those miles running directly through Oklahoma City, per Capitol Beat OK. In 2022, the Oklahoma Legislature backed that heritage with a $6.6 million annual revolving grant fund through the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission, supporting preservation and economic development projects ranging from $25,000 to $2 million along the corridor, according to OKC VeloCity.
