From staff reports
news@joplinglobe.com
RIVERTON, Kan. — The annual Route 66 Celebration will mark a first this year when its parade rolls over the “Mother Road” in the state of Kansas.
Mary Ann Talbot, a festival organizer, said that to her knowledge, the parade Saturday morning will be first to travel all 13.2 miles of the historic road in Kansas.
Michael Wallis, author of “Route 66: The Mother Road” and other Route 66 books, and the voice of Sheriff in the Disney movie “Cars,” will serve as grand marshal for the parade that begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Kansas-Missouri border east of Galena.
Talbot said the celebration promises to be “bigger and better” this year in large measure because of the Disney movie.
“‘Cars’ has had a tremendous impact on this area and on interest in Route 66,” she said, “and I want to keep that interest alive.”
Wallis and his wife will preside over the police-escorted procession on wheels astride the Anaconda Limo, which Talbot says is billed as the “world’s only 10-passenger motorcycle.”
Motorcycles in the parade, which will feature at least 75 entries, will travel at the back of the procession, with their participation being dubbed the “Freedom Ride” in honor of military veterans.
Cars in the parade will be grouped according to decades in which they were manufactured.
After the parade, a program recognizing area veterans is planned in the Riverton High School auditorium.
The celebration actually begins at 7 p.m. todayFriday with announcement of the Little Mr. and Miss Route 66 winners at the school.
Registration for a 5K run begins at 7 a.m. Saturday at Rainbow Bridge, west of Riverton on old Route 66. The race begins at 7:30 a.m.
Sausage, biscuits, gravy and coffee will be served from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Riverton Fire Station and Community Center.
Registration for a car, truck and motorcycle show will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on the north parking lot at the high school.
Another first this year, Talbot said, will be a carnival attraction that will operate all day Saturday on the school parking lot. Various vendor and craft booths will be in operation.
Wallis will sign copies of his latest book, “Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride” at 1 p.m. Saturday in the commons area at Riverton High School. Fred Deaver will display his art from 2:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the high school.
The festival, with a theme of “Yesteryear and Today,” also will serve as a tribute to all veterans, Talbot said.
“There are a lot of them around here, many of them serving right now in Iraq, and I don’t think they get enough recognition with just Veterans Day,” she said.
Inspiration
Dean Walker, who is said to have inspired Larry the Cable Guy’s voice interpretation of Mater in the Disney movie “Cars,” will be riding in the parade in an old wrecker that was the inspiration for the Disney character.
Local News
<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border="0">Route 66 Celebration includes 13-mile parade<font color="#ff0000"> w/ link to state-by-state Route 66 slideshow </font>
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