If you read Tuesday’s Brickly newsletter, you got the scoop on all the entertainment options in the offing for the Texas Route 66 Festival, which runs June 4 to 13.
But Kashion Smith, executive director of Visit Amarillo, also chatted with me about the food options available at the Festival Finale, set for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 13 in the Historic Route 66 district between Georgia and Belleview streets.
We also chatted about Amarillo’s panoply of food options, not only along two major segments of the Mother Road, but also throughout the city. (This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)
Chip Chandler: You’ve got a huge lineup of food trucks for the finale. But talk to me about the food that’s available on Route 66 and how it’s going to be celebrated during this festival.
Kashion Smith: The way we do the finale, we actually bring the food trucks out to alleviate, not to compete with, (Route 66 restaurants) because we think we’ve got such good food down there, and we try to highlight them and support them so that they can do really well for the day.
CC: What else is special this year?
KS: You know, this is a quirky year with the centennial, and what I’m loving is seeing some of the quirkiness come out. So, The Big Texan is doing their steak-eating challenge in cities from Santa Monica to Chicago, so they will be in Amarillo on June 15 and celebrating their 66th birthday at the restaurant. We will also be doing (a challenge) on stage.
CC: What’s special about food along our stretch of Route 66?
KS: We’re a surprise to most travelers because you go into these other Route 66 towns, and you get just exactly the influence of the area that you’re in. There’s only a few towns like Amarillo along the Route that you’re really finding so much food. I love the Historic District, but if we’re going to talk about good food on Route 66, it’s the Boulevard. That’s our hidden gem. That’s where our refugee communities really shine and really bring all the flavors and dishes from all over the world. And that’s what really shocks people when they visit Amarillo is just the amount of really good ethnic food that we have.
CC: I imagine this is a chance to introduce not only our visitors, but also our residents to some of that food as well, right?
KS: Absolutely. One of our biggest goals when we started talking about this was that we had to quit being so literal about the pavement and all of the years of saying, if you’re not on Route 66, you can’t use the shield. Well, we’re a Route 66 community. And for the last few years, we’ve been really inviting the community to come in, to share in the branding, to share in the events. And that goes with the food, you know? A lot of people don’t leave their own neighborhoods. The’ve got one or two restaurants along I-40 that are their favorites, but these exercises of getting out and doing these different events are an invitation for us to taste our own flavors around town as well.
For the full scope of activities, visit TexasRoute66Festival.com.
Cameron James Smith: 6 p.m. June 4; Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux, 3506 Soncy Road; 806-398-2003
Rock Bottom String Band: 6 p.m. June 4; High Fidelity Records, 2818 S.W. Sixth Ave.; 252-220-4729
Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo: 7 p.m. June 4 to 6; dinners at 5 p.m.; chuckwagon lunch noon June 6; Amarillo National Center on the Tri-State Fairgrounds, 3301 S.E. 10th Ave.; tickets $30 adults, $20 children; 806-376-7767
Music in the Gardens featuring Insufficient Funds: 7 p.m. June 4; Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive; admission $10 nonmembers, $5 members; 806-352-6513
Celebrating 100 Years of Route 66: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 5; The Shops at Wolflin Square, 1932 Civic Circle; 806-355-6131
Helium Heights Route 66 Centennial Market: 4 to 8 p.m. June 5 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6; 10001 W. Amarillo Blvd.; heliumheightsamarillo.com
Art Café: 6 to 10 p.m. June 5 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6; Stoex Design Gallery, 723 S. Georgia St.
Colton Amerson: 7 p.m. Friday; Patio Vista at The Barfield, 600 S. Polk St.; 806-414-2200
Dave McNeir and Bergundi Rose: 7 p.m. June 5; Beef O’Brady’s, 7306 S.W. 34th Ave.; 806-358-0997
The Rien Nash Band: 7 p.m. June 5; Shark Beach Burgers, 1505 E. Farm-to-Market Road 1151; free; 806-335-5644
Midnight Special: 8 p.m. June 5; Old Tascosa Brewing Company, 3100 S.W. Sixth Ave.; 806-681-4050
All About Alice: 9 p.m. June 5; Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave.; cover; 806-374-9237
Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys: 9 p.m. June 5; Western Horseman Club, 2501 E. Interstate 40; cover; 806-379-6555, Ext. 2999
Kickback 2: 9 p.m. June 5; Blind Pig, 609 S. Independence St.; no cover; 806-412-4251
Canyon Farmers Market Opening Day: 8 a.m. to noon June 6; continues through Sept. 26; Fourth Avenue and 15th Street in Canyon; 806-567-0746
Sunset Marketown: 8 a.m. to noon June 6; continues through Sept. 19; Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd.; 806-354-8802
Colton Amerson: 6 p.m. June 6; The Food Park on 25ninety, 13130 Soncy Road; 806-420-0582
Spirits on 66: 6 p.m. June 6; Bomb City Distillery; 306 S. Cleveland St.; 806-220-2662
Moon Dog: 7 p.m. June 6; Shark Beach Burgers, 1505 E. Farm-to-Market Road 1151; free; 806-335-5644
Tracy Byrd: 8 p.m. June 6; The Lumberyard, 850 N. 23rd St. in Canyon; tickets $43.30, plus fees; 806-804-3000
9 Eyes: 9 p.m. June 6; Western Horseman Club, 2501 E. Interstate 40; cover; 806-379-6555, Ext. 2999
Waves in April with Mourning in Peril and Divided Me: 9 p.m. June 6; Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave.; cover; 806-374-9237
Leading Women Brunch: 11 a.m. June 7; Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive; tickets $45 plus fees; 806-414-5235
Alamo Park Live with Deztinado, Boss Texas and Touching Voodoo: 3 p.m. June 7; El Alamo Park, 16th Avenue and Roberts Street; free; 806-676-5160
Amarillo Film Society Screening: 7 p.m. June 7; Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave.; 806-374-9237
June Truckin’ with St. Andrews: 6 p.m. June 10; St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1601 S. Georgia St.; free; 806-376-6316
Wibby Wednesday with Swamp Rats: 7 p.m. June 10; Six Car Pub & Brewery, 625 S. Polk St.; 806-576-3396
Fire Slice Pizzeria’s 8th Sliceaversary: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 11; 7306 S.W. 34th Ave.; 806-331-2232
Music in the Gardens featuring Big G & The Tradewinds: 7 p.m. June 11; Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive; admission $10 nonmembers, $5 members; 806-352-6513
Austin Brazile: 6 p.m. June 12; Bar Z Winery, 19290 Farm-to-Market Road 1541; 806-488-2214
The Chad Feemster Band: 7:30 p.m. June 12; Shark Beach Burgers, 1505 E. Farm-to-Market Road 1151; free; 806-335-5644
Pat Green: 8 p.m. June 12; The Lumberyard, 850 N. 23rd St. in Canyon; tickets $43.30, plus fees; 806-804-3000
The Buster Bledsoe Band: 9 p.m. June 12; Western Horseman Club, 2501 E. Interstate 40; cover; 806-379-6555, Ext. 2999
Giddy Up Go: 9 p.m. June 12; Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave.; cover; 806-374-9237
Canyon Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to noon June 13; continues through Sept. 26; Fourth Avenue and 15th Street in Canyon; 806-567-0746
Sunset Marketown: 8 a.m. to noon June 13; continues through Sept. 19; Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd.; 806-354-8802
Double Vision and Dallas Boston Experience: 7:30 p.m. June 13; Shark Beach Burgers, 1505 E. Farm-to-Market Road 1151; tickets $24.33 and up; 806-335-5644
Criminal Minds Trivia: 7 p.m. June 15; Pondaseta Brewing Co., 7500 S.W. 45th Ave.; 806-418-6282
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