ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – Arts, live music, family-friendly entertainment and food come together in the 2nd annual Route 66 Summerfest presented as a partnership between the City of Albuquerque, Nob Hill Main Street, and New Mexico Jazz Festival. Festivities will take place throughout the day on Saturday, July 23rd in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill district.

The signature event will kick off with a 5k run at 8:00a.m. Through out the day and into the evening, local musicians, artisans, classic cars, and culinary specialists will entertain visitors of all ages throughout the walkable Nob Hill neighborhood. The festival will wrap up with internationally renowned jazz musician Maceo Parker through a partnership with New Mexico Jazz Festival.

Attendees will have the chance to tour the eclectic Nob Hill neighborhood, enjoy locally produced wine and beer, shop at a local arts and artisans market, sample cuisine from a variety of local chefs, view a vintage auto show, listen to live music performed by a variety of local and national bands, take part in an early morning run, and enjoy a myriad of family friendly activities throughout the day.

On Saturday July 23rd, Central Avenue (Historic Route 66) will serve as the venue for the street fair and will be closed to all vehicle traffic from Girard to Washington Streets.

Route 66 Cork & Tap
This year is the inaugural year for Route 66 Cork and Tap, a showcase of local brewers and vintners. All of Nob Hill’s 30+ diverse restaurants will be serving during the festival and the festival is a perfect opportunity to sample cuisine from a variety of local chefs.

Classic Cars
A Classic Car Show, presented by New Mexico Route 66 Association, will be held on Central Avenue from Washington to Solano, including the greaser round up – a show case for rat rods, hot rods, and all things Rock-a-Billy. The Route 66-themed events culminate with the 10th Annual New Mexico Motor Tour & Neon Cruise at dusk, featuring classic vehicles, which will begin their cruise with a classic car parade in Nob Hill.
 
Art Showcase

For art lovers, an Arts and Artisans Markets will be open to the public, featuring some of the region’s best talent. Vendors will sell their wares on the sidewalks with musicians performing throughout the district. Walking tours of the area will illuminate the colorful history of the old Route 66.

Family Activities
There will be plenty of activities for the family including face painting for children, engaging creative arts programs, athletic challenges and more.

Musical Centerpiece
Route 66 Summerfest is a partnership with the New Mexico Jazz Festival. The Nob Hill event is the kick-off weekend for the festival with local and national acts performing on multiple stages throughout Nob Hill. The headliner is Maceo Parker – best known as James Brown’s band leader. New Mexico Jazz Festival is one of New Mexico’s premier musical events and is a collaboration of the Outpost Performing Arts Space and the Lensic, Santa Fe Performing Arts Center.

Visit http://rt66central.com/rt66summerfest.html for complete details.

This year’s kick-off weekend pairs the City of Albuquerque with New Mexico Jazz Festival, plus Nob Hill Main Street, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Nob Hill District on historic Route 66 in Albuquerque.