Who's performing at Springfield's national Route 66 centennial kickoff

Springfield, known as the Birthplace of Route 66, is set to host the start of a national celebration of the Mother Road's centennial. Over the course of four days, the Queen City will set the stage with several events, including a concert hosted by actor John Goodman.

On Thursday, April 30, Springfield, alongside the rest of the nation, will celebrate 100 years since the telegram proposing the name "U.S. Route 66" was sent from Springfield to federal highway officials. This 100-year anniverary will include a kickoff concert, live broadcast of the TODAY Show, and a plethora of other events this spring.

Who's performing at the Route 66 centennial kickoff concert?

The centerpiece of the centennial celebration will be the kickoff concert set to take place at the Great Southern Bank Arena on April 30 from 5-11 p.m.

The concert will be hosted by actor John Goodman and Springfield Councilwoman Callie Carroll with a lineup of six musical artists to celebrate "music, stories and shared experiences inspired by the Mother Road," a news release from the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission announced.

Images from the official opening of the new John Goodman Amphitheatre at Missouri State University on October 30, 2022.

Goodman attended Missouri State University, at the time Southwest Missouri State University, and is known for his roles in "Roseanne," "The Big Lebowski," and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and as the voice behind Sulley in "Monsters, Inc." He has continued to play an active role as an MSU alum, establishing the Professional Performance Award scholarship and chairing the university's major "Onward Upward" fundraising campaign," according to the release.

Here's the lineup for the concert:

• Little Big Town: One of country music's enduring and celebrated groups, Little Big Town has delivered hits including "Boondocks," "Pontoon," and "Day Drinking;"
• Chris Janson: Blending traditional country, Southern rock and modern Americana, the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter is known for hits such as "Done" and "Buy Me a Boat;"
• Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts: Lead vocalist of Rascal Flatts, LeVox's voice helped define a generation of country-pop music. With more than 23.4 million albums sold, Rascal Flatts is known for songs like its cover of "Life is a Highway" and "Bless the Broken Road;"
• Gretchen Wilson: Known for her unapologetic authenticity and blue-collar storytelling, Wilson rose to prominence with her Grammy-winning anthem "Redneck Woman;"
• Ozark Mountain Daredevils: The celebrated band, formed in Springfield, is one of the most influential roots-rock bands to emerge from the Midwest, blending country, rock, folk and blues;
• The Haygoods: Known for their high-energy live shows and innovative instrumentation, this Branson family-based group combines tight harmonies, genre-spanning music and inventive staging that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Other events set for centennial celebration

NBC's TODAY Show will originate its "3rd Hour" live from Springfield at 8 a.m. April 30, according to the release. Hosts Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer and Craig Melvin will showcase the Queen City's role in American transportation history, cultural legacy of Route 66 and how communities are preparing for the centennial. The broadcast will feature live interviews, historical storytelling and scenes from the kickoff event.

A formal dedication ceremony of the Birthplace Plaza in downtown Springfield will take place at 4 p.m. April 30. This will mark the precise time and location, at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and St. Louis Street, where the telegram proposing the name of Route 66 was sent out.

Queen's Gate Sculpture, a new public art landmark created to honor the cultural, artistic, and historical significant of Route 66, will be unveiled and dedicated at the intersection of St. Louis Street and Glenstone Avenue on May 1 at 11 a.m. The sculpture will serve as a symbolic gateway to Springfield's Route 66 corridor.

Rendering of the design proposed for a gateway Route 66 monument to be installed on St. Louis Street for the Mother Road centennial celebration.

More than 100 classic, vintage and iconic automobiles will travel through Springfield's streets in the Celebrate America on Route 66 Parade at 6 p.m. on May 1.

The long-awaited restorations of the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge will be the backdrop for the Red, White & Bridge Bash from 6-9 p.m. May 1 featuring live music and family-friendly entertainment. The historical bridge on Commercial Street will stand as a symbol of city's industrial past and create a space where history, music and community converge. The official lighting of the footbridge, accompanied by a choreographed light, sound and drone show over Commercial Street, will take place at 7:30-8:30 p.m. The Red, White & Bridge Bash will continue into May 2, taking place 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Stars and Stripes on Route 66 reception will take place at 7 p.m. at the Savoy Ballroom. The event will include drinks and hors d'oeuvres from Commercial Street restaurants. Tickets are $66 and go on sale Friday, Jan. 30.

Springfield's annual ArtsFest on Walnut Street will be particularly Route 66-themed this year, celebrating creativity inspired by the Mother Road. The festival will take place on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To explore the road's historical significance and enduring appeal, Ozarks Public Television will present a special free public screening of a Route 66 documentary on May 2 at 3-5 p.m. at the Historic Fox Theatre.

The 100th anniversary celebration will conclude with the National Telegraph Ball, an evening event at the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque. The Saturday night ball will combine live entertainment by the Angel City Swing Orchestra, dining and period-inspired flair while raising support for Route 66 awareness and preservation initiatives. The black-tie event general admission tickets are set at $500 that will go on sale Friday, Jan. 30.

Springfield was selected as the host city for the national celebration out of a national pool of applicants last year.

“This kickoff celebration is more than a look back — it’s a launch point for the next century of Route 66,” said Cora Scott, city of Springfield's chief spokesperson and chair of the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission, in the release. “Missouri has invested years of planning, collaboration and preservation to ensure the centennial reflects the road’s historic importance and its ongoing impact.”

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at [email protected].