SANTA FE, N.M., July 14 (Our New Mexico Times) — New Mexico is putting a Route 66 label on a snack aisle promotion. The New Mexico Tourism Department and New Mexico Magazine said they are working with Chex Mix on limited-edition Chex Mix BOLD packaging and a New Mexico Route 66 road-trip sweepstakes tied to the highway’s 100th anniversary.
What is the Chex Mix campaign?
According to the department and New Mexico Magazine, the special packaging will appear in convenience stores across the United States and will be paired with Route 66-inspired point-of-sale displays and signage. The release says the effort is meant to help mark the 100th anniversary of Route 66, which it says will be officially recognized on Nov. 11, 2026.
New Mexico Magazine, which the release describes as the original state magazine publication since 1923, is the sponsor of the sweepstakes. The magazine is a division of the New Mexico Tourism Department and is based at 495 Old Santa Fe Trail in Santa Fe.
What does the sweepstakes include?
The sweepstakes, titled “Chex Mix™ Hits the Road in New Mexico,” runs from June 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2026. It is open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., who are 21 or older and have a valid U.S. driver’s license. No purchase or payment is required.
The grand prize package includes five nights of hotel accommodations across Gallup, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Tucumcari; a VIP experience at Acoma Pueblo Sky City; passes from the Museum Foundation of New Mexico; a $1,000 airline gift card; and a mid-size rental car for the trip.
The release names Hotel El Rancho, El Vado Motel, La Fonda on the Plaza, Roadrunner Lodge and Sky City Cultural Center & Haak’u Museum as participating hospitality and cultural partners.
Why is Route 66 part of this?
New Mexico has been building a broader Route 66 Centennial campaign for 2026. The Tourism Department says that effort includes festivals, public art installations, restored neon signage, new visitor experiences and cultural programming.
The department’s Route 66 grant program also invited New Mexico communities and organizations to apply for funding to support marketing campaigns, special events and infrastructure tied to the centennial. The department said marketing and promotions projects could cover creative production or advertising deployment, and that some successful applications may receive up to $250,000.
Other official Route 66 projects are already on the calendar too. New Mexico MainStreet launched the NMMS Route 66 Centennial Passport program for 2026, and New Mexico Magazine’s Route 66 Centennial Challenge runs through Aug. 31, 2026, with multiple prize drawings scheduled in 2026.
The Chex Mix partnership is another sign that state tourism officials are using Route 66 as a yearlong marketing theme. In this case, the hook is a familiar snack brand, but the message is New Mexico road-trip travel: historic stops, local stays and a centennial celebration built around one of the state’s best-known tourist corridors.
