Some things old, some things new and they all add up to the best yet International Route 66 Mother Road Festival, Sept 24-26, 2004, in downtown Springfield said Mayor Tim Davlin. �We are gaining recognition as one of the top car shows in the Midwest. This year, festival planners have made some important changes that will help solidify our position as a premier car show venue,� said Davlin.

According to Kim Rosendahl, president of the festival�s board, Illinois Route 66 Events, Inc., those changes include wider promotion among car owners to bring in more show cars and adding a second car show parade on Saturday night. In addition, this year�s festival coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Ford Mustang.

�We are still working out the details, but we have a few surprises that will make the 40th anniversary a real celebration,� said Rosendahl. The Friday night parade of cars will follow the Dirksen Pkwy-to-downtown route of past years. The second parade will be Saturday night, from downtown to the Illinois State Fairgrounds, where the World�s Largest Sock Hop will be staged.

Rosendahl said this second parade in the north end of town gives people an additional opportunity to view the cars. �It�s great to see the cars lined up downtown, but it�s absolutely awesome to watch 100s of cars parade through the city,� she said. Rosendahl added that last year�s celebrity car show judge was so popular that this year�s judging will also have a celebrity heading the committee. In addition to the judges� awards, a new category has been added. The �People�s Choice� award gives festival goers an opportunity to vote for their favorite cars. This year�s World�s Largest Sock Hop has also been revamped. �We want to give the feeling of a true sock hop and get everyone out on the dance floor,� said Rosendahl, so this year�s sock hop will be at the Exposition Building at the state fairgrounds.� The sock hop begins at 8pm and will be a tribute to the Motown Sound and the Disco era, which is expected to broaden attendance and bring in more age groups.

Other festival favorites will return, including free continuous music and other entertainment Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday. There will also be lots of festival food and drink, plus plenty of commercial vendors with Route 66 souvenirs and memorabilia.

Television and movie actor Martin Milner and the Route 66 Authors & Artists Expo, featuring Michael Wallis and other Mother Road Warriors, will again be on the Old State Capitol Plaza. Milner and Wallis are festival favorites according to Rosendahl. �They are both great ambassadors for Route 66 and our festival, and we�re fortunate to have them back,� she said. The �Route 66 Last Mile to Reno� regional chili cook off will again take place at the festival. It�s a qualifying round for the International Chili Society�s world championship cook off held in Reno.

The Illinois Route 66 Association will also sponsor the annual car cruises to the festival along the northern and southern routes of Route 66 on Friday, Sept 24.

In 2003, the Mother Road Festival brought about 50,000 people from around the world into downtown Springfield, along with more than 700 vintage show cars from more than 30 states and Canada. According to show promoters, �We expect the event to get bigger and better every year.� The International Route 66 Mother Road Festival is sponsored by Illinois Route 66 Events, Inc.

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Media Cotact: Sharon Johnson +1 (217) 789-2360, ext 136 sjohnson@springfield.il.us