SAPULPA, Okla. — The famed Sapulpa Route 66 Christmas Chute is preparing to open for its second year on Nov. 17.
Nearby business owners are excited to welcome visitors and show them the must-stop town on the historic Route 66.
2 News spoke with local business owner David Reed who shared just how much pride lies in Sapulpa.
"Everybody in town is putting on their best efforts to not just make the chute an amazing experience but everything around the chute," Reed said. "You know this is our opportunity to showcase Sapulpa and what Sapulpa has to offer. Our rich history as well as what our future looks like.”
Chute organizers are counting down the days until they flick the switch during their "Light's On!" ceremony. 2 News Chief Meteorologist Mike Collier is honored by being one of the people turning on the lights Thursday.
Christmas Chute Coordinator Tami Fleek said all are welcome to make memories at the free festivities.
“My favorite aspect, and it has been from the beginning, is that if you are a family on a limited budget, you can come to Sapulpa and you can have a Christmas experience for your family, and you don’t have to spend any money.”
In 2022, the chute was featured on NBC's TODAY Show during their Merriest Main Street segment. Fleek said that propelled crews to make 2023's bigger and better.
Events like the Christmas Chute bring people from all over the country to visit. This opportunity is a way for businesses to share special aspects of the town. Reed said all around town are permanent murals that share the town's history.
"Sapulpa’s been blessed with close to 40 murals around town. And some of them date all the way back to 1910, 1920s," said Reed. "It just seems that people connect to them and say, 'Oh, I remember having our senior pictures taken here,' you know. And then their children are raised here in town, and they say, 'Well, let's have our senior pictures taken here.' It’s just that connection to time and sense of timelessness.”
Reed told 2 News just how historical his building is. It progressed from horse stables to glass-blowing studios and now to his offices, all preserved in the mural on the building's outside wall.
Along the chute, visitors can spot some of the town's most prominent wall art. The ghosts signs are old hand-painted billboards on the side of Sapulpa's Dewey St. Some of the signs date back 100 years.
Christmas Chute organizers hope visitors support all aspects of Sapulpa while at the experience.
To learn more about the Christmas Chute, visit its website here.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
