5th Annual Bike Blessing and Mill Museum Open House April 28th & 29th in Lincoln
Both Events Located on Original Alignment of Route 66 in Lincoln
 

[April 23, 2018]  LINCOLN - The 5th Annual Bike Blessing in Lincoln, Illinois will be held on Saturday, April 28th, 2018, beginning at 1:00 p.m. This is event is the first official Illinois Bicentennial in Lincoln (illinois200.com/ events/5th-annual-bike-blessing-illinois- bicentennial-event). The Bike Blessing gives bikers peace of mind, knowing they are protected by God. Everyone is welcome.

“We have people coming from all over for this event, including as far away as Texas and Wisconsin,” said Ron Thornton, event organizer and co-founder.

“Salt Creek ABATE is also joining us as an event sponsor this year, and we are glad to have them on-board”.

Pastor Bigfoot does the blessings each year, and a free lunch is provided to all. This year’s blessing will be held at the local VFW/Foxhole Pub & Grub, located at 915 5th Street (Old Route 66) in Lincoln. Live music from Sundown Band will begin at 3:30 p.m., with the event wrapping up around 5:30 p.m.

The sponsors for the 5th Annual Bike Blessing include event founders Ron & Lois Thornton, Salt Creek Chapter of ABATE of Illinois, Foxhole Pub & Grub, Bond-Slaves Christian Motorcycle Club of Decatur, Loie’s Custom Bike Shop & Charlie Lee from Lincoln IGA, who is supplying buns and a cooker for the event.

Last year, Governor Rauner attended the event, and it was a great honor to have him there on behalf of the State of Illinois and as a member of ABATE of Illinois.

The next day, on Sunday, April 29th from 1pm to 4pm, is an Open House at The Mill Museum on 66 in Lincoln. This will mark the one-year anniversary of the opening of the museum. There will be a 50/50 drawing, door prizes, and a 10% discount on all gift shop merchandise.

“This is also a great informal opportunity to meet with members of the team that keeps the Mill alive,” said Geoff Ladd, board member of the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County. “You’ll also get to see the new artifacts on display in the museum, such as our vintage 1926 Gilbarco Gas Pump, and of course, some of our more popular featured items – the Mill Siren, Illy the Illico Robot and the mechanical leg hanging from the ceiling.”

Proceeds from The Mill event, as well as memberships, help with annual expenses of the museum. The foundation that owns The Mill Museum is a 501c3 non-profit organization. The Mill is also home to the official Salt Creek ABATE memorial, and the chapter is known for their community involvement and has done significant volunteer construction work over the years at The Mill. Salt Creek ABATE also hosts several annual community events, including an Easter Egg Hunt, the Veterans Memorial Run, a Duck Race Weekend and a new safety awareness event on May 12th this year in Lincoln.

[Logan County Tourism Bureau & Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway]