Old Town Victorville will host a car show and block party along Seventh Street next Saturday, September 12, marking the 100th anniversary of Route 66, with more than 110 show cars featured, live music, a beer garden and a doggie fashion show packed into a single afternoon along the historic corridor.
The Route 66 100th Anniversary Car Show & Block Party runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Seventh Street between C Street and Forest Avenue, according to VVNG. The City of Victorville is putting on the celebration in Old Town, and the outlet reports the day will include live music, contests, food and family activities. Seventh Street itself is part of the historic Route 66 alignment, the same stretch that put Victorville on the map when U.S. Route 66 was established along Seventh and D streets in 1926, according to the City of Victorville.
What's Happening on Seventh Street
The day kicks off with a welcome and car show judging at 10 a.m., per the VVNG report. Rock 'n' roll revival band Acme Time Machine will play three separate sets throughout the event — 10:15 to 10:55 a.m., 11:20 a.m. to noon, and 12:30 to 1:10 p.m. — throughout the event. A dance competition open to children and adults, including individual dancers and duos, is set for noon, followed at 1:10 p.m. by a doggie fashion show hosted by the Victorville Animal Care & Adoption Center featuring adoptable pets.
Car show trophies will be handed out at 1:30 p.m., with awards such as Mayor's Choice, Police Choice, Fire Choice, Best Muscle and Best Hot Rod, according to Victorville Recreation. Car show judging begins at 10 a.m. ahead of the ceremony. Attendees can also register on-site at the recreation booth near the stage for a costume contest, with organizers encouraging outfits inspired by the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s.
Registration, Vendors and a Live Mural
Registration for the car show costs $30 and includes a souvenir T-shirt and custom challenge coin, but the window closes once the event hits its 200-vehicle limit; VVNG reports registration has been extended through this Saturday, September 5. Beyond the cars, the block party includes a food truck hub, themed shopping, a coloring station for children, and a beer garden operated by the Kiwanis Club of Victorville. Artist Vanessa Gomez will create a live mural installation throughout the day. The City of Victorville's Route 66 event page has additional details on contests and vehicle registration, and questions can be directed to the city's Public Information Office at 760-955-1681.
Why Seventh Street, and Why Now
The 2026 date is not a coincidence tied only to Victorville. Congress enacted the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act in December 2020, establishing a 15-member presidential commission to study and recommend national activities honoring the 100th anniversary of the 2,448-mile highway, which originally stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles, according to the Route 66 Centennial Commission. Victorville was founded in 1885 as “Victor” along the California Southern Railroad before being renamed in 1901, and it later became a key High Desert stop once Route 66 arrived in 1926, per the city.
That highway heyday eventually gave way to a different era. Now Victorville is using the centennial as a backdrop for an active redevelopment push: the city remains in the design phase for plans to shrink Seventh Street from four lanes to two, widen sidewalks, add pedestrian landscaping and install a roundabout at Forest Avenue, transforming the corridor into a walkable shopping district, according to IE Business Daily. The funding source and amount are unclear.
Old Town's Living History
Old Town already houses the California Route 66 Museum on South D Street. The article also mentions Emma Jean's Holland Burger Cafe.
Victorville is also mentioned in connection with Route 66 events.
