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Welcome
to the website of the only annual conference dedicated to Route 66! Miles of Possibility was founded in 2015 in Edwardsville, IL, by author/historian Cheryl Eichar Jett. With Illinois icons Terri Ryburn and Debyjo Ericksen, we produced 10 more conferences, including the Centennial event sponsored by Visit Springfield!
What's next for 2027?
We don't know the exact shape and the location of our 2027 conference event yet, but you can bet that you'll enjoy what you've come to expect from us: a great slate of speakers, networking, and social time with a great group of Route 66 aficionados, roadies, historians, preservationists, tourism professionals, and enthusiasts! Stay tuned, and follow us on Facebook for updates!
Testimonials
from Marian Pavel:
from Marian Pavel:
from Marian Pavel:
MOPCON 2026 was one of the real highlights of this Route 66 year.
The quality of the entire conference was exceptionally high. Every presentation brought something meaningful, relevant, and well prepared to the Route 66 community. It was a privilege to be part of it, and I am already looking forward to the next one.
from Penny Black:
from Marian Pavel:
from Marian Pavel:
The Miles of Possibility Conference (lovingly & lazily called MOPCon) is one of the best gatherings of passionate Route 66 Roadies. An annual October conference on Route 66 Illinois.
from Jim Hinckley:
from Marian Pavel:
from Jim Hinckley:
The annual Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference is about the business and preservation of Route 66. It is a one of a kind networking opportunity, and a lot of fun with friends and friends yet made. It is also a tangible link to the annual US Highway 66 Association conventions of the 1930s that played a pivotal role in the transformation of Route 66 from highway to icon.
Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference -- Past Locations
2026 Springfield, IL President Abraham Lincoln Hotel
2025 Joliet, IL Joliet Area Historical Museum
2024 Edwardsville, IL Wildey Theatre
2023 Bloomington-Normal, IL Uptown Station
2022 Pontiac, IL Eagle Performing Arts Center
2021 VIRTUAL
2019 Bloomington-Normal, IL Uptown Station
2018 Carlinville, IL Blackburn College
2017 Joliet, IL Joliet Area Historical Museum
2016 Bloomington-Normal, IL McLean County Museum of History
2015 Edwardsville, IL Wildey Theatre
Past and current presenters and sponsors:
Event History
The first conference was held at the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Illinois, in 2015. Subsequent conferences were held in Bloomington (2016), Joliet (2017), Carlinville (2018), Normal (2019), all-virtual (2021), Pontiac (2022), Bloomington-Normal (2023), Edwardsville (2024), Joliet (2025), and Springfield (2026). Each event has featured a combination of some of the biggest names on the contemporary Route 66 scene - historians, authors, explorers, photographers, artists, and cartographers - and also experts, academics, and professionals featuring the local history and culture of each host city. Each year, social and networking activities plus great music, film, or other cultural opportunities round out the weekend schedule. The event rotates along Route 66 to showcase different communities, each supported by the area convention and visitors/tourism bureau!
Event Highlights
From the first conference held at the historic Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville in 2015, we knew this was a special kind of event. Gathering Route 66 aficionados, historians, authors, artisans, travelers, and explorers from across the U.S. and around the world, the annual event offers presentations, programs, workshops, Route 66-focused arts and entertainment, and social and networking activities.
It is the only annual conference that focuses on the history, preservation, and economic development of Route 66. "Route 66 Miles of Possibility" is a nonprofit organization. Looking forward to its twelfth year in 2027!
Contact Us
Do you have questions or comments about the event? Do you need special accommodations? Send me a message, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.