Route 66: Main Street of America at Normal Theater
September 6 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
One hundred years after Route 66 first connected communities across America, a new feature-length documentary invites audiences to discover the people and places keeping its story alive – including Bloomington-Normal and Central Illinois.
“ROUTE 66: THE MAIN STREET OF AMERICA,” a documentary by award-winning filmmaker John Paget, begins its Roadshow on September 1, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois, the starting point of Route 66. This rolling premiere will travel to seven Illinois locations, including Normal Theater on Sunday, September 6. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the show starting at 7 p.m.
“Showing the film at the Historic Normal Theater feels right as it’s one of the many stops along Route 66 that Normal is proud to present and preserve,” said Beth Whisman, Town of Normal Director of Cultural Arts. “We’re honored to play a part in bringing the community together for a nostalgic and inspiring moment – on screen and off.”
The Main Street of America Roadshow will bring the film directly to the communities that define Route 66. The stop in Normal will center around a screening followed by live conversations with Paget and an Illinois Route 66 panel featured in the film, offering the audience an opportunity to connect with the stories shaping Route 66 today.
“Route 66 has always been about more than pavement – it’s about people,” said John Paget, the film’s director. “Route 66 is not simply about what has been preserved. It’s about what people are still building. In every town, we met people who believe history is more than something to remember – it’s something that inspires what comes next.”
As Route 66 continues to celebrate its centennial, the film looks beyond nostalgia to explore the resilience, creativity, and determination of the people carrying America’s Main Street forward.
“Route 66 is an important part of Bloomington-Normal’s story, and the Centennial gives us an incredible opportunity to celebrate that history while introducing a new generation of travelers to our community,” said Melissa Chrisman, President & CEO of VisitBN. “We’re proud to welcome John Paget and this special roadshow to Normal and to give our community the opportunity to see its place in the larger story of America’s Main Street.”
Designated an Official Project of the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission, the film has garnered support from national and community partners committed to preserving, celebrating, and promoting The Main Street of America.
“My hope is that this film inspires people to see Route 66 as a story still being written,” said Paget. “The next chapter will be shaped by the people who believe these places—and these stories—still matter.”
The road show will cover more than 2,400 miles through the eight Route 66 states, concluding with Los Angeles, California, on November 7. For the complete screening schedule and ticket information, visit: www.MainStreetofAmerica.com.
Whether you’ve driven Route 66 or only imagined it, this film takes you there—creating an immersive and heartfelt portrait of an American icon that’s full of humor, warmth, and discovery.
Following the film, stay for a conversation with director John Paget and some of THE MAIN STREET OF AMERICA’s real-life characters—the everyday heroes and enduring spirit of Route 66. NR / 120 min
