FESTIVAL | Remarkable rides

International Route 66 Mother Road Festival and Car Show returns to Springfield, Sept. 26-28. More than 80,000 folks are expected to filter downtown to see more than 1,000 cool cars and listen to some rockin’ live music. The festival kicks off Friday night at 6:15 p.m. as the Route 66 City Nights Cruise for Crime Stoppers, a parade of classic cars, makes its way from Capital City Shopping Center, on to Stevenson Drive to Sixth Street, to downtown. Make sure to check out the Travel Illinois Expo and burnout contest, among other activities. Headlining musical acts are the St. Louis-based Sh-Boom, playing 7:30-10 p.m. Friday and The Blue Suede Crew who play 7-10 p.m. on Saturday. If you want to enter your car, register online or onsite beginning Sept. 25. For a full schedule of events, visit www.route66fest.com.