Every spring, several hundred classic cars line up on the main street of Seligman, Arizona and set out west along the longest unbroken stretch of Historic Route 66 still in existence. They are running the Historic Route 66 Fun Run — a three-day, 140-mile caravan from Seligman to Topock that is the oldest Route 66 celebration in the United States, and the event that grew directly out of the movement to save the road itself.
For anyone planning a trip to the area, the Fun Run is the single biggest thing that happens on this part of the Mother Road all year. Here is what it is, how it started, and how to be part of it — whether you bring a car or simply come to watch.
What Is the Route 66 Fun Run?
The Fun Run is an annual classic-car rally and road event organized by the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Participants gather in Seligman and travel a 140-mile stretch of preserved Historic Route 66 west to Topock, on the Arizona–California state line, over a single weekend. Communities all along the corridor — Seligman, Peach Springs, Kingman, Oatman, and others — host activities, vendors, and gatherings, and the weekend closes with an awards ceremony in Topock.
It is not a race. The “run” is a leisurely procession down the old two-lane highway, built around the cars, the towns, and the road itself rather than speed. In recent years the event has drawn participants from across the globe and several hundred vehicles, making it both a celebration of mid-century car culture and a significant tourism event for the small towns it passes through.
How the Fun Run Began
The Fun Run is inseparable from the story of how Route 66 was saved. In 1987, a Seligman barber named Angel Delgadillo organized the meeting that founded the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, launching the grassroots campaign to give the bypassed highway legal recognition and bring travelers back. Read the full story of Angel Delgadillo and the preservation movement.
The following year, the new association invited the public to drive the newly designated Historic Route 66 between Seligman and Topock. That first event, held in April 1988, drew 152 entrants; Arizona Governor Rose Mofford cut the ceremonial ribbon, and Will Rogers Jr. served as grand marshal. It was popular enough that the association made it an annual tradition — and it has run as the Fun Run ever since, making it the oldest continuously celebrated Route 66 event in the country.
That origin is the reason the Fun Run feels different from a typical car show. It is, in a real sense, a victory lap for a road that was nearly erased.
The Route: Seligman to Topock
The Fun Run follows the same stretch of highway that gave the preservation movement its first win — the corridor west from Seligman through Peach Springs and on to Kingman, then down toward the Colorado River at Topock. This is the longest remaining uninterrupted segment of Route 66 anywhere, and driving it is the heart of the event.
If you want to experience this part of the road outside of Fun Run weekend, the Seligman-to-Kingman drive covers the same scenery — the high-desert grasslands, the Hualapai country around Peach Springs, and the long straightaways that make this stretch a favorite among Route 66 travelers year-round.
When Is the Route 66 Fun Run?
The Fun Run is held annually over a weekend in early May. The 2026 edition ran May 1–3. Future editions follow the same early-May pattern, typically over the first weekend of the month, though exact dates are confirmed each year by the organizing association — check the official Fun Run page before planning travel.
Early May is also one of the best times to be in Seligman generally: comfortable high-desert temperatures and peak Route 66 driving season. If you are timing a broader trip, our complete guide breaks down the best time to visit Seligman season by season.
How to Take Part
If you want to drive it: Participation requires registering a vehicle with the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, which publishes a registration form and schedule each year. Packet pickup is typically offered in both Seligman and Kingman over the event weekend. Classic and vintage vehicles are the tradition, but the event is fundamentally a community celebration rather than a juried concours — the association’s official page is the authoritative source for current entry rules, fees, and deadlines.
If you want to watch: Spectating is free. The towns along the route — especially Seligman at the start and Kingman at the midpoint — are the best vantage points, with the cars, vendors, and community events concentrated there. Arrive early, bring cash for the local shops and diners, and book lodging well in advance, because rooms in Seligman, Kingman, and Williams fill up fast on Fun Run weekend.
For a fuller picture of the town itself, our complete Seligman visitor’s guide and our roundup of things to do in Seligman cover where to eat, where to stay, and what else to see while you are in the area.
Why It Matters
The Fun Run is more than a car event. It is a living expression of the same idea that saved this highway in the first place: that an old road and the towns along it are worth preserving, celebrating, and traveling. The National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program exists for the same reason the Fun Run does — to keep the Mother Road, and the communities that depend on it, alive for the travelers who keep coming.
For Seligman, a town of roughly 450 people, the weekend is both a tribute to its own history and a reminder of why it still matters on the map of American road culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Route 66 Fun Run 2026?
The 2026 Historic Route 66 Fun Run was held May 1–3, 2026. The event runs annually over a weekend in early May, typically the first weekend of the month. Confirm upcoming dates on the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona’s official Fun Run page before booking travel.
Where does the Route 66 Fun Run start and end?
The Fun Run begins in Seligman, Arizona — the birthplace of the Route 66 preservation movement — and travels 140 miles west along Historic Route 66, finishing in Topock, near the Arizona–California state line, where the weekend’s awards ceremony is held.
How long is the Route 66 Fun Run?
The route covers about 140 miles of preserved Historic Route 66, the longest uninterrupted stretch of the original highway still in existence. The event itself spans three days, with activities in the communities along the corridor, including Seligman and Kingman.
Do you need a classic car to join the Route 66 Fun Run?
The tradition centers on classic and vintage vehicles, but the Fun Run is a community celebration rather than a strict juried car show. Entry requires registering with the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona; consult their official registration form for current rules, fees, and vehicle guidelines.
Is the Route 66 Fun Run free to attend?
Watching the Fun Run is free. Spectators line the route through Seligman, Kingman, and other corridor towns to see the cars and community events. Drivers who want to participate must register their vehicle and pay an entry fee set by the organizing association each year.
Who organizes the Route 66 Fun Run?
The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona — founded in Seligman in 1987 by barber Angel Delgadillo and others — organizes the event. The association launched the first Fun Run in 1988 to celebrate the newly preserved highway, and it has run annually ever since.