5 New Things in Springfield 2025

March 3, 2025
Visit Springfield

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What's new and exciting for 2025?

We have 5 fun and exciting new things ranging from special celebrations to new Route 66 attractions and of course awesome special events & exhibits too!

Check them out and plan your visit. We are excited to see you in Springfield in 2025!

1. History Comes Alive Spring Break Edition

In addition to the popular History Comes Alive summer program in Springfield, 2025 offers a History Comes Alive Spring Break Edition. It's all the fun of the summer program, condensed down into a two week period (March 16-30). Enjoy meet & greets with the Lincolns at the Lincoln Home and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Learn more about the Civil War on the Old State Capitol grounds. Make some family memories with crafts at the Dana-Thomas House. There is so much to see, so much to do, and so much to learn!

Learn more about History Comes Alive Spring Break Edition here AND find out more about the History Comes Alive summer program here.

2. Springfield Park District Celebrates 125 Years of Parks, People, and Possibilities

The Springfield Park District celebrates their 125th anniversary in 2025 and they are making it a year-long celebration. Dedicated to creating and maintaining accessible, vibrant spaces for everyone to enjoy, the park district offers a wide range of parks, facilities and programs.

Find out more about their 125th celebration here and look for special park district events on our UPCOMING and ONGOING event pages (just look for the balloon logo).

3. New Route 66 Attractions - Route 66 Mural Trail and Route 66 Wayside Exhibits

Telling tales of the Mother Road one colorful wall at a time, the trail is a series of eight beautifully painted murals in and around Springfield. Get your phones ready because the murals are great for snapping some amazing selfies.

Find out more about the Route 66 Mural Trail here.

Twelve new wayside exhibits adorn various locations in and around Springfield. The exhibits give the histories and tell the stories of the location. Several of the exhibits include audio stories that allow you to hear legends of the road and the proprietors tell their story.

Find out more about the Route 66 Wayside Exhibits here

4. Thomas Rees International Carillon Festival – Memorial Day Weekend

While the Carillon Festival isn’t new, it is held on a new date this year…Memorial Day weekend! The festival features carillonists from the United States and Europe. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the nightly concerts at beautiful Washington Park. Look for food vendors, family fun, and even fireworks.

Find our more information about the festival here.

5. Stewards of Route 66 – Oral History

The Mother Road holds so many memories and meaning for so many people, however, with each passing generation the stories risk extinction. The Oral History project is an effort to preserve some of those legacies. The project features interviews on a wide variety of subjects about Route 66.

Find out more about the project here.

Roaring back into the capital city in 2025, with new twists and surprises, the 24th Annual International Route 66 Mother Road Festival, September 26-28! Now is the time to make plans for a weekend of nostalgia, cars, food, fun, music and of course the ever popular Burnout Contest! Registration now open, start your engine HERE!