9TH ANNUAL WILLIAMS HISTORIC ROUTE 66 CAR SHOW

The first weekend in June each year is home to the Williams Historic Route 66 Car Show. As you enter through the Steel Arch, “Williams Gateway to the Grand Canyon – 1881” gives you a hint of what’s to come. This event is held in the middle of the old town historic area, listed in the National Register of Historic Places. What better place to have an event, enjoy your classics, talk to fellow participants, and visit with throngs of spectators and tourists? This was my first time at the event, and I talked to hundreds of spectators, both tourists and those who drove here as a day trip to see and be part of the show and enjoy the event. Being a car person, it was humbling to have so many fellow motor heads there to share the experience of the event and be able to share our pride and joys with everyone.

Williams, known as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” was bypassed by I-40 in 1984, one of the last towns on Route 66 to be bypassed since the inception of Route 66 in 1926. Today, the town thrives on tourism and historic significance, including Bennett’s Texaco, Cheshire, Olson Motors, Harvey House, Red Cross Garage, and Union Station, to name a few. Being over 6500 feet, the weather is a welcome relief from the summer valley heat! Surrounded by forest, the town of Williams is named after nearby Williams Mountain, which was named after William Sherley Williams, a mountain man and explorer. If you wonder why Williams has three I-40 exits, well, lawyers got involved and convinced the state this would mitigate the town and Route 66 being bypassed—a bit of local history.

We arrived on Thursday for the event and already counted over 400 classic cars in motel parking areas, on the street, and cruising Route 66. Small groups of participants were gathering to stake out their territory for the first event day. We cruised around to take in the history of Williams and to get a feel and understanding of the lay of the land. We stayed at the KOA north of town, which is in the woods with an abundance of outdoor smells, including campfires and clean, fresh air. It was only 10 minutes to the show from our campground, which made everything close and easy!

Friday at dark thirty, we got up and went to pick up our registration packet and park our classic, a 1950 Mercury Sled. Participants were in line, and some serious motor head oratory was going on before registration opened, as well as meeting lots of new car folks. Once we parked, that was our space for the entire event. The spectators kept coming and coming. The day seemed to fly by, and toward the end of the day, the famous Route 66 Cruisin’ the Loop was about to happen. We staged and did about three laps, about three miles each lap, with spectators on the sidelines, 8 to 10 deep, enjoying the classics. The nearly 1-1/4 mile stretch northbound of Route 66 was full of classic vehicles, customs, trucks, hot rods, vintage, and almost every classic you can think of. I really enjoyed this part, and it was fun to share with others. We felt welcomed by the downtown businesses, who all came on board to make this event a success.

On the last day of the event, the intensity of spectators seemed to be an endless line of motorhead aficionados as the day progressed. Yes, the event did have awards, and the ceremony was held at the World Famous Sultana with standing room only. Many awards were given, with a very distinctive design of Route 66, and prized by those who won one. The last activity was live entertainment at the Sultana, standing room only, of course, and lots of motorhead conversations as well as bench racing discussions! A big thank you goes out to Williams Auto Supply, Car Quest Auto Parts, the event’s title sponsor, for their strong presence and support.

The event was hosted by The American Legion, Cordova Post 13, Williams, Arizona. The American Legion Family—American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, and American Legion Riders—all worked together to make this event one of the most memorable in recent history. They did an outstanding job in hosting one of the premier classic car events in Northern Arizona. The support from participants and spectators for our veterans was evident in the turnout all around.

Proceeds from the event will be used for local veteran needs on a one-to-one basis, helping our veterans in immediate need. This includes the Veterans Home in Flagstaff, veteran programs local to the area, the veterans cemetery, and sponsorship of local community activities including high school and youth sports.

If you are planning on participating next year, get your registration in early and make your reservations for accommodations as soon as possible. This event is one of the premier events in Northern Arizona—don’t miss it!