Get ready to unleash your creativity!
The 2025 Santa Monica Parade celebrates the Arts! Join us as we showcase the vibrant artistic spirit of our community. Participate, sponsor, volunteer, or attend – the choice is yours!
This isn’t just a parade—it’s a living timeline of the American automobile.
The procession will feature 50 carefully selected vehicles representing key moments in automotive history, from competition machines that dominated racetracks to cars that became icons of popular culture.
With ocean sports competitions, live music, food and drinks, interactive games, sampling by some of your favorite brands and so much more, Santa Monica Pier 360 offers a peek into iconic SoCal beach culture and brings together thousands of guests for a day of good vibes. Whether you're hanging with the family, competing on land or at sea, or partying with your friends–Santa Monica Pier 360 Beach Festival has got it all! The festival opens at 9AM and ends at 5PM.
Participate in Santa Monica's take on the global Make Music Day festivities with a unique World Cup theme. Enjoy free live music, hands-on music workshops, soccer-inspired activations, Route 66 tributes, and free family fun, and head to Reed Park for additional activities in the afternoon.
Mark your calendars for the Annual Summer Soulstice Festival on Main Street!
ALL AGES, FREE ADMISSION!
A Celebration that transforms the street into a car-free pedestrian paradise!
As you know, the 2026 Great Race will follow the legendary “Mother Road” from Illinois all the way to California. Now, with the centennial designation, our journey takes on even greater meaning. Together with racers, crews, and sponsors, we’ll be celebrating 100 years of America’s most iconic highway — one community at a time.
Route 66 has always been about adventure, history, and connection. Those same values are at the heart of the Great Race. From neon-lit main streets to roadside diners, the 2026 event will showcase the charm and character that has made Route 66 a symbol of the American spirit for nearly a century.
We are honored to partner with the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission as part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Planning is well underway, and we can’t wait to share more about the special activities and experiences that will make the 2026 Great Race an unforgettable part of the Route 66 centennial.
Stay tuned — the road to 2026 is shaping up to be one for the history books!
Sunset Picnics are back at the Beach House! Join us for the first of the summer, featuring a special Route 66 theme.
Navy Pier and Santa Monica Pier Unite for Historic
Route 66 ‘Pier to Pier’ Celebration on 6/6/26
Free Ferris Wheel Rides for 66 Minutes at the
Beginning and End of America’s Most Famous Highway
SANTA MONICA, Calif. / CHICAGO, Ill. (June 1, 2026) — Two of America’s most iconic piers — the historic Santa Monica Pier and Chicago’s Navy Pier — will unite coast-to-coast on Saturday, June 6, 2026 (6/6/26), for a special Route 66 “Pier to Pier” celebration honoring the Centennial anniversary of the legendary highway connecting Chicago and Santa Monica.
Beginning at 10 a.m. local time, free rides will be offered for 66 minutes aboard the world-famous Navy Pier Centennial Wheel and Pacific Park Pacific Wheel in celebration of Route 66.
The one-day event celebrates the historic connection between Chicago and the recent dedication of Navy Pier as the new symbolic eastern starting point of Historic Route 66, and Santa Monica, home to the iconic western terminus and “End of the Trail” at the Santa Monica Pier.
“Like Navy Pier, Route 66 has always represented adventure, discovery, and the spirit of exploration,” said Marilynn Gardner, President and CEO of Navy Pier. “As the symbolic starting point of Historic Route 66, Navy Pier is proud to join Santa Monica Pier in celebrating the road that has connected generations of travelers from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean.”
The Navy Pier Centennial Wheel, which celebrated its 10th Anniversary on May 27, continues Chicago’s historic legacy as the birthplace of the Ferris wheel, first introduced by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
“The connection between Chicago and Santa Monica has always been at the heart of Route 66,” said Jim Harris, Executive Director and Historian at the Santa Monica Pier. “This celebration brings together two iconic destinations linked by history, nostalgia, and the timeless excitement of reaching the end — or beginning — of America’s most famous highway.”
At Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, which celebrated its 30th Anniversary on May 26, guests can also experience the Route 66 West Coaster roller coaster, featuring vintage gas pumps and license plates in the loading zone. The ride vehicles are inspired by classic American touring cars, creating the feeling of stepping back into a bygone era of road travel.
The Santa Monica Pier is also home to the nostalgic “End of the Trail” sign, while Pacific Park features two dedicated Route 66 photo spots where guests can capture the moment as soon as they arrive at the Park. Together, the locations are visited by millions of travelers each year.
The Pacific Wheel at Pacific Park is recognized as the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel and features more than 174,000 LED lights capable of displaying dynamic animated lighting entertainment above the Pacific Ocean.
Free Centennial Wheel rides will be offered for 66 minutes to registered guests from 10 to 11:06 a.m., local time. Guests interested in redeeming the complimentary ride must RSVP at https://navypier.org/pier-events/route-66-day/. Quantities are limited and available first-come, first-served.
Free Pacific Wheel rides will be offered during the 66 minutes from 10 to 11:06 a.m., local time to guests who RSVP at pacpark.com/route-66-day. Quantities are limited and available first-come, first-served. Additional riders may purchase individual tickets or use an Unlimited Ride Wristband.
To commemorate the occasion, guests who ride the Centennial Wheel or Pacific Wheel during the complimentary 66-minute celebration may purchase souvenir ride photos for just $6 from 10 to 11:06 a.m. local time. The limited-time offer provides a memorable keepsake from this unique coast-to-coast Route 66 event.
About Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier Corporation (SMPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to preserving and enhancing the Santa Monica Pier experience for every visitor. Through impactful, location-specific programming offered year-round, SMPC ensures that the Pier remains a vibrant, world-class destination that is accessible to all. For more information on happenings at the Pier, please visit santamonicapier.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, or Threads.
About Navy Pier
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the most visited destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and welcoming more than 8 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases over 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities, and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. Today, Navy Pier continues to usher in its second century with ongoing redevelopment efforts including the 223-room Sable hotel, the all-transient Navy Pier Marina, and thrilling new attractions such as Flyover Chicago. The Pier is proud to present free programming designed to inspire and engage communities across the city and globe, including the #1 Fireworks display in the nation. For more information, visit NavyPier.org.
About Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, LA’s only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 amusement rides, 14 midway games, Snackville with five fun food offerings and seaside retail shopping. The park is home to the world-famous Pacific Wheel, the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, and the Route 66 West Coaster roller coaster overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Prices and operating hours are subject to change. For more information and operating hours, please call 310-260-8744, visit pacpark.com, and go to Facebook.com/pacificpark, Instagram.com/pacpark or X.com/pacpark.
The Main Street of America Route 66 Centennial Caravan, organized by the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, provides an opportunity to highlight preservation success stories in all eight states that make up the Mother Road. It also serves as a Call to Action for future preservation needs that can be supported by the Road Ahead's Route 66 Centennial Preservation and Economic Development Grant Program.
Santa Monica Travel and Tourism is pleased to invite you to the 17th Annual Tourism Summit: The Road Ahead: Inspired by Route 66. Driven by What’s Next.
Locals' Night wraps up its spring season with a May finale that's got it all: the roar of classic engines, live music filling the ocean air, a Fleet Week run honoring Rick Crocker, and the voices of the Pico neighborhood sharing stories that have shaped Santa Monica for generations.
Welcome Fleet Week to the Pier in partnership with the Rick Crocker 5K, featuring the Marine Corps Band, and recognition of Marines and Sailors from the 1st Civil Affairs Group.