PONTIAC - The 90 miles of old Route 66 that stretch from Joliet to Towanda will become a tourist trip next spring.

Pontiac Tourism and 12 other towns along the Mother Road are planning the Red Carpet Corridor Weekend Experience, billed as 90 miles of family fun on Route 66, for May 5 and 6.

Tourism Director Ellie Alexander said organizers started the project over the summer as a way to promote the sites and towns in the area.

"Everyone is planning on doing something different," Alexander said. "It should be an event that draws people from all over."

Pontiac is hosting a meeting on Monday for people who would be interested in the event and hope to be a part of the Pontiac portion. A corridor meeting is planned for January.

Each town along the way is planning its own event, with the hope of drawing visitors and residents over the two days. The tour will be self-guided.

"It is a destination event for the entire corridor," Pontiac City Administrator Bob Karls said.

Several of the towns will be hosting communitywide garage sales, crafters, antiques, food and entertainment. Alexander said each town's events should be finalized in the coming months.

Alexander said organizers hope the event is like the Spoon River Drive in Fulton County or the Covered Bridge Festival in Parke County, Ind. She said it will take time for the Route 66 event to grow into the same size, but she believes it will be successful.

The corridor is named for a group of towns that have agreed to "roll out the red carpet" for visitors. Pontiac has an actual red carpet placed for visitors when they exit tour buses or enter tourist destinations.