Route 66 Christmas Chute To Light Up Downtown Sapulpa For 2nd Year

Sapulpa's Route 66 Christmas Chute will light up for the holiday season on Thursday, November 16 at 6:15 p.m.

Since the song's release, people have been getting their kicks on Route 66. However, only in the last two years did that include a kick into the holiday spirit. Business owners and city officials in Sapulpa changed that.

"We were no different than any other small town and we wanted a reason to bring people here," said Route 66 Christmas Chute committee member Will Berry.

In its first year, people came from all over the United States and even other countries. "We did not have a clue the success that it was going to have and the crowds we were going to have," said Berry.

The Route 66 Christmas Chute is a walkable Christmas experience. Overhead is an 800-foot-long canopy decorated in ten holiday themes: Route 66, Elf, Rudolph, Let it Snow, Patriotic, Gingerbread, Snowman, Candyland, Nativity, and Santa's Workshop.

Berry said they made a few upgrades this holiday season like adding decorations to the chutes and purchasing a sound system. "What we wanted to do for this year was not necessarily to get bigger, it was to get better," he continued saying, "It was to enhance everything that we had."

Also inside each chute are several new photo opportunities. Berry said every detail was carefully thought out to bring the magic of Christmas to life.

"We have a committee of around 10 people that we meet every single Thursday and we have been doing that for 2 years. It has not stopped," he added.

It took hours of planning and more than two weeks of building and decorating leading up to this moment - Lights On.

"When you are down here, the countdown goes, the lights come on, everybody's heads are looking up, and the smiles are on people's faces," Berry continued saying, "I think that is what the Christmas spirit is all about."

The Christmas Chute is just another example of the Mother Road doing what she does best, bringing people together.

The chute is free and open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through December 31st. Activities including photos with Santa, live reindeer, and free hot chocolate are planned throughout the season. You can find the full schedule HERE