Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Route66 Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tourism director outlines 2025 Route 66 events and recommends $25,000 sponsorship request for barbecue-bluegrass festival
Summary
Tourism staff described a slate of 2025 Route 66 programming — including a quilt trail, murals, banners honoring hometown heroes and a proposed Route 66 Barbecue Bluegrass Festival (May 30–June 1 at Liberty Field) — and said staff may apply for up to $50,000 in sponsorship but recommended requesting $25,000.
The tourism director presented the office’s monthly director report and a program of 2025 Route 66 activities, and asked for support to pursue sponsorship for a proposed Route 66 Barbecue Bluegrass Festival.
The director described a festival package that could run May 30–June 1 at Liberty Field with sanctioned barbecue competition, bluegrass performers, family activities and a possible drive-in movie night. Sponsorship rules require organizers to pay expenses upfront and seek reimbursement, so the director said staff can apply for up to $50,000 in sponsorship but recommended seeking $25,000 to match probable cash-flow capacity: "We can apply for up to 50,000, but I'm suggesting 25," the director said.
The director also outlined Route 66 programming beyond the festival: a quilt-trail where painted quilts are displayed with a map for visitors; a mural grant opportunity; banners on St. Louis Street honoring "Pacific Heroes"; historical plaques for about 40 buildings; and additional photo-op installations for downtown. The director noted an operational constraint: Route 66 shields cannot be placed on the highway because it is a MoDOT road and has been decommissioned, so staff are exploring alternative marker options that businesses could display at entrances.
Board members discussed sanctioning groups for the barbecue competition and past examples where a private organizer retained a share of proceeds. A director said the city intends to manage the event directly to avoid a third-party middleman taking revenue. Several non‑policy details — event dates, exact budgets and final sanctioning agreements — remain to be finalized and are contingent on whether aldermen approve a sponsorship application.
Next steps: if aldermen allow the tourism office to apply and the sponsorship is awarded, staff will develop event contracts, finalize sanctioning group agreements, and proceed with promotional outreach and volunteer recruitment. Many planned activities were described as volunteer-dependent.
