Route 66 Centennial Drone Show to Light Up Downtown Joliet’s New City Square

Downtown Joliet will host a Route 66 Centennial Drone Show on Friday, June 26, as part of the statewide commemoration of Route 66's 100th anniversary. Produced by Sky Elements Drone Shows in partnership with the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission and the Illinois Office of Tourism, the aerial display will feature 400 drones lighting up the night sky with Route 66 animations and iconic Joliet imagery.  

The free drone show will begin at 9 p.m. above City Square, the city’s new public gathering space in downtown Joliet. The best viewing area will be along Van Buren Street facing east toward Slammers Stadium. 

The drone show will serve as the Friday evening finale of Joliet's two-day City Square Opening Celebration Weekend. The festivities begin Friday morning with the Chicago Street Farmers Market and continue throughout the day with live music, family-friendly entertainment, and cultural performances. Evening performances by The Nick Moss Band and The Selectones will lead into the drone show. 

The Route 66 Centennial Drone Show is part of a broader statewide celebration coordinated by the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission. Heritage Corridor Destinations President & CEO Robert Navarro serves on the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission, which coordinates official Route 66 centennial events, programs, and initiatives along Route 66 communities in Illinois.  

Joliet's drone show is one of four Route 66 Centennial Drone Light Shows across Illinois. The first drone show took plae in Springfield, IL on June 18. There are two more drone shows scheduled during the centennial year: 

• Friday, Sept. 25, 2026: SIU Edwardsville Cougarfest in Edwardsville, IL  

• Saturday, Oct 3, 2026: Illinois State Redbirds Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois. 

For more information about Route 66 Centennial events along The First Hundred Miles of Route 66, visit TheFirstHundredMiles.com.