TOWANDA - Attendees strolled from booth to booth, looking at everything from baby clothes to jarred olive salad in downtown Towanda on Saturday at the third annual Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival.

Towanda was one of 12 towns along a 90-mile stretch of Old Route 66 participating in this year's festival dedicated to the Mother Road.

While festival-goers enjoyed Towanda's 35 vendors, the Bloomington band Velvet Groove entertained the crowd with a playlist of oldies. In addition, 23 garage sales took place in the Towanda area between Thursday and Sunday along the historic route.

"We've got some great vendors, said Sharon Arteman, co-chair of Towanda's committee. "We're really pleased."

"It's a nice day, a nice way to kick off the season," said Atlanta-based artist Nathan Bassett. Bassett had entertained crowds throughout the day by using spray paint to create paintings.

Also popular at the festival was the Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, based in Peoria, which provided space-related exhibits. Attendees could launch a miniature rocket or see a model of the Big Dipper.

Vendors' fees from Towanda's festival will go toward the Pontiac Tourism Bureau to pay for advertising the festival.

Chenoa residents in attendance enjoyed two musical groups. The Minonk-based Double D Acoustics performed. Ashley Nagel, 15, and Lexie Nagel, 13, of Chenoa and several of their friends also took the stage and sang along to popular songs from a stereo system. The girls, who had received temporary tattoos earlier from a vendor, seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"Most of my vendors said they had a good day," said Joyce Nagel, member of the Chenoa Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival committee.

About 15 vendors sold items such as jewelry, candles and wood crafts. Proceeds from Chenoa's festival will be donated to the Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Committee.

"The weather was great, which was our biggest worry," she said.

About eight members of Tae Kwon Do Black Belt Academy in Pontiac gave a demonstration to attendees.

The festival continues today.