The longest line of toy cars on record has 24,189 vehicles. The Route 66 Toy Drive wants 25,000 or more at Burr Ridge Park District this weekend. That's a margin of 811 cars, and it depends on donations from the people who live here.
A local Eagle Scout candidate organized the drive. Setup is Saturday, November 14, and the official Guinness World Record attempt is Sunday, November 15. After the count, every car goes to children in need through Kiwanis in time for the holidays. Five days later, Burr Ridge Village Center lights its tree and opens a two-day Winter Market. That makes November 14 to 21 the busiest week of the village's early holiday calendar, and it starts with a line of cars that only reaches its goal if the community fills it.
The Number Harvester Park Has to Beat
Guinness World Records credits the current record to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, England. It set the mark on May 5, 2014, with 24,189 vehicles in a line about 2 kilometers long. The record has stood for more than 12 years. The Burr Ridge drive is aiming just past it.
| Beaulieu, 2014 record | Burr Ridge, November 2026 goal | |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 24,189 | 25,000+ |
| Length | About 2 kilometers | About 1.5 miles, projected |
| Location | National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, UK | Burr Ridge Park District, 15W400 Harvester Dr. |
| Where the cars go | Not stated | Donated through Kiwanis to children in need |
The organizers projected a line of about 1.5 miles, which works out to roughly 2.4 kilometers. That's a little longer than the Beaulieu line, carrying only slightly more cars. The difference that matters is the count. Guinness measures this record in vehicles, and 811 cars is a narrow cushion when the whole supply comes from donation boxes, closets and toy bins.
The sponsorship tiers on the Willowbrook Burr Ridge Chamber of Commerce post make the scale easy to picture. A $350 Car Section Sponsor pays for one section of 250 cars, so the 25,000-car goal is 100 sections laid end to end. The 811 cars that separate a new record from a near miss come to just over three of those sections.
Why Route 66 Is in the Name
The Chamber describes the drive as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Route 66, combining "cars, community and service." That explains why the drive collects only toy road vehicles: no action figures, no stuffed animals, just cars and trucks small enough to line up bumper to bumper across a park.
The Chamber's sponsor levels carry the same theme. They run from the $350 Car Section Sponsor through a $500 Community Sponsor, a $1,000 Cruiser Sponsor and a $2,500 Route 66 Sponsor, up to a $5,000 Premier Sponsor. Each level above the car section adds logo placement on the event T-shirt and signage.
Getting Cars to Harvester Park Before Sunday
This post goes up on Thursday, November 12, so setup at Harvester Park is two days away. If you have a bin of outgrown toy cars in the basement, the organizers' details are below:
- What they accept: new and gently used commercially available toy road vehicles
- Pickup: the Chamber says local pickup can be arranged
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (630) 590-3640
- Organizer page: MAGICATION's Route 66 Toy Drive page
- Volunteering: individuals and groups are welcome, and volunteers who need community service hours can earn them for their time
The Chamber's call goes out to businesses, families, schools, Scouts and community organizations. Businesses can also host a collection box or gather cars from employees and customers. A single classroom or office collection box could cover a large share of those 811 cars.
Five Days Later, the Village Center Takes Over
Once the cars leave Harvester Park, the next big date is Friday, November 20, at Burr Ridge Village Center. Two events overlap that evening, and the market continues Saturday.
| Date | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Route 66 Toy Drive setup | Not posted | Harvester Park, Burr Ridge Park District |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Guinness record attempt | Not posted | Harvester Park, Burr Ridge Park District |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Winter Market | 4 to 8 p.m. | Entertainment District, Village Center |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Deck the Green tree lighting | 5 to 7 p.m. | Village Green, Village Center |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Winter Market | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Entertainment District, Village Center |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Photos with Santa | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | The Hampton Social, Village Center |
Deck the Green is the Village Center's annual tree lighting, presented with the Village of Burr Ridge. It's free and open to the public. The lineup includes hot cocoa, a holiday train circling the Green, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, lighted jugglers, face painting, live caroling and holiday music.
The Winter Market, run with Chicago Street Markets, opens an hour before the lighting and stays open an hour after it ends. Its Friday hours of 4 to 8 p.m. cover the whole Deck the Green program. Vendors set up in the Entertainment District, with food and drink from the center's restaurants. If you'd rather shop without the tree-lighting crowd, the market's Saturday session runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 21.
Dinner Around the Lights
Deck the Green ends at 7 p.m., and the Winter Market closes at 8. That leaves Friday evening open for dinner at the Village Center. The center's current restaurant directory lists these spots:
- Aria's Kitchen
- Bar Poca Madre
- Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant
- Kilwins
- Kohler Waters Spa Cafe
- Olive Tree Mediterranean
- Stix & Stones Wood Fired Pizza
- The Bakery Box
- The Bridewell Tavern
- The Hampton Social
- Topaz Cafe
Aria's Kitchen at 590 Village Center Drive is the newest name on the list. It took over the former Wok n Fire space and serves breakfast and lunch daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Patch. Since it closes at 3 p.m., it fits the Saturday market session better than the Friday lighting.
The Hampton Social comes back on the calendar on Saturday, December 5. It hosts free Photos with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with holiday treats and activities. Families who miss Santa and Mrs. Claus on the Green on November 20 get a second chance two weeks later, at a quieter brunch-hour time.
The Order of the Season
The season starts at Harvester Park on November 15 and ends up at the Village Center on November 20, 21 and December 5. Only the park weekend depends on what the community brings. The tree will light on November 20 whatever happens, and the Winter Market will open on schedule. The line of cars needs 25,000 donated vehicles, at least 811 more than the record from Beaulieu. Every car will go to a child through Kiwanis either way.
For more about where these events happen, see our Burr Ridge neighborhood page.
At Latitude Realty, we love seeing Burr Ridge neighbors rally around a goal like this one, and we'll be cheering for that line of cars to pass 24,189 on Sunday. If a holiday cleanout this season has you wondering what your own Burr Ridge home is worth, Mindy and our team are glad to help. Request your free home valuation whenever you're ready.
