A Route 66 centennial celebration is coming to Kingman and you are invited. On the evening of October 15, 2026 at the Beale Street Theater, 302 E Beale Street in Kingman, award-winning documentary filmmaker John Paget will be introducing Route 66: The Main Street of America. This acclaimed feature-length documentary was officially selected by the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission as part of the national commemoration of the highway’s 100th anniversary.

The film and its accompanying roadshow premiered on September 1 at the Art Institute of Chicago to a sold out crowd. This was the first sceeening in a series of showings along Route 66 that will culminate on November 7 in Los Angeles.

A Route 66 Centennial Celebration

Paget has been chronicling the evolution of the Route 66 renaissance since 1994. That was the year he took to the road with a camera and a 1969 Cadillac Coupe de Ville convertible. This was the first of many trips along Route 66 where he focused on the people that were tangible links to the highways history. He also documented people that were pioneers in the Route 66 renaissance, and the people that were working to ensure Route 66 remained relevant into the centennial and beyond. Using film shot during that first trip John directed, shot, and edited Route 66: An American Odyssey.

That was followed by Route 66: Return to the Road with Martin Milner. Milner had a starring roll in the now iconic television show Route 66. This documentary film is revered among Route 66 historians and enthusiasts.

In his travels to research and shoot these films, as well as Route 66: The Main Street of America, Paget met, interviewed and worked with many key figures in modern Route 66 history. The list includes Bobby Troup, composer of the song Route 66, Angel Delgadillo, the barber from Seligman, Arizona that is credited with sparking the Route 66 reniassance movement, and Michael Wallis, author of Route 66: The Mother Road and voice of the sheriff in the animated film Cars.

A Route 66 Time Capsule

Working with Producer Chris Elisara, and  Co Producer Robin Paget, John Paget traveled the road extensively during development of Route 66: The Main Street of America. He interviewed a new generation of Route 66 stewards. Preservationists, business owners, authors, historians and community leaders became a part of the story. Blending older interviews with these, Paget created a sweeping portrayl of the Route 66 renaissance, and the highways history. The film highlights why Route 66 has been proclaimed the Main Street of America.

Paget’s Route 66: The Main Street of America is already garnering a great deal of national attention. It was recently recommended as one of the best Route 66 films by the The Saturday Evening Post. Attesting to the attention to detail Paget gave this film, the list of movies recommended by the Saturday Evening Post includes Cars, The Grapes of Wrath and Easy Rider. 

This film is a time capsule of the Route 66 renaissance for future generations. Each of he showings in theaters along Route 66 are historic Route 66 centennial clebrations.

Learn More

On September 13, John Paget will be the guest on Coffee With Jim, the weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley’s America. This will be the second time that John has joined host Jim Hinckley to talk about Route 66 and documentary film making. On the September 14, 2025 episode, Paget discussed his career, his frist trip on Route 66 and work on Route 66 The Main Street of America.

On this episode that conversation will continue. But the focus will be on Paget’s latest film. There will also be a discussion about the roadshow, the film tour, and how Route 66 has changed since that first tirp in 1994.

Kingman

If you are new to the Kingman area, or would like to include this Route 66 centennial celebration as part of a weekend getaway, the Visit Kingman website will provide all the information needed. There is a Yodel AI powered event calendar as well as an interactive planning guide. The website also contains detailed information about area attractions, dining, and hiking,

Developed by Talisman Magic Marketing, Visit Kingman, is a multifaceted interactive planning tool for trips to the Kingman area.