Route 66

The annual Red Carpet Corridor Festival has activities at communities along Route 66 from Joliet to Bloomington-Normal.

The Department of Justice released guidance that state and local governments must create fully accessible websites and social media presences to avoid lawsuits related to the American with Disabilities Act.

Bloomington native Melissa Chrisman moved back to her hometown to lead the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Planning for the Route 66 Centennial in 2026 is her biggest project so far.

The Town of Normal authorized a contract with Ravenswood Studio to fabricate a “Farm to Healthy Me” exhibit on the second floor of the museum during Monday’s council meeting.

Melissa Chrisman succeeds Crystal Howard, who led Bloomington-Normal tourism for two decades. Chrisman will join the agency in February, as preparations ramp up for the Route 66 centennial.

The federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity [RAISE] grant program has approved $675,000 to plan and design the final nine miles of the 47-mile trail.

The tour will visit cities like Chicago, Bloomington, Springfield, Brooklyn, and East St. Louis. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear and learn about the historical events pertaining to African American history through virtual reality.

The long-anticipated grand opening begins Friday with a new addition to the museum's "giant" collection.

The unofficial kickoff to market season presents opportunities to shop in Bloomington, Hudson, Towanda and Downs.

The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau received $180,400 from an additional $3.3 million in grants awarded for Route 66 projects throughout the state, ahead of the Mother Road's centennial anniversary in 2026.