Registration is now closed for the 8th annual Rendezvous Back to Route 66 car show, which will take place on Saturday October 3, 2020. More details about this year's show are coming soon, according to the announcement made on Friday September 11, 2020.
"We are happy to be able to maintain the same event area this year. The event borders are "E" Street to the West, 5th Street to the North, Arrowhead to the East and 2nd Street to the South," said the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce.
The cruise route will wind itself around and through the event area. The approved route is 2nd St to Arrowhead Ave., north to 5th, West on 5th to "E" St, to South on "E" St, East on Court St. to D St, South on D to 2nd St., East on 2nd to Arrowhead Ave.
The Rendezvous Back to Route 66 came about after the San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau's Route 66 Rendezvous lost their funding from the City after 22 years. Throughout those years, the Rendezvous brought thousands of people to the four day event. The San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce, in 2013, decided to keep the spirit of the Route 66 Rendezvous alive by putting together a two day classic car show held at San Manuel Stadium that brought in fewer cars and a smaller audience. With the success of the Great Race event this past June 2015, the City offered to help bring the Rendezvous back to the streets of Downtown on the same foot print as the Great Race.
The San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau conceived the Route 66 Rendezvous in 1990. The Bureau still owns the Route 66 Rendezvous name and registered trademark.
The first Rendezvous took place in 1990 at Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore with 300 vehicles and about 4,000 spectators enjoying the cars. A cruise down “E” Street and a concert were highlights of that first event.
In 1991, the event moved to the National Orange Show grounds and expanded with the help of the Over the Hill Gang.
The Rendezvous moved to the heart of downtown San Bernardino in 1992. That year, more than 700 vehicles filled the streets in celebration of the 66th anniversary of Route 66 “The Mother Road.”
The turning point that put the Rendezvous on the map as a major celebration for nostalgia buffs nationwide came in 1997. Stater Bros. Market, a locally owned supermarket chain, came on board as the title sponsor.
Attendance continued to grow each year with a estimated attendance close to 500,000 for the last event in 2012.
The Cars Are The Stars
Car buffs from all over the country gather in San Bernardino to get their “Kicks on Route 66.” The Route 66 Rendezvous was a 4-day and 3-night cruisin’ classic car show that encompassed 35-blocks of downtown. Open to vehicles from 1900-1974, classics, muscle cars, hot rods, and trucks cruised the historic streets of San Bernardino.
Though the current Rendezvous Back to Route 66 event is only held on one day and does not cover 35 blocks, this grass-roots, community effort is bringing the excitement of the original Rendezvous back to the streets of San Bernardino.
View 25 years of Route 66 Rendezvous posters
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