On June 5, the grounds of Little America Flagstaff came alive with something a little prehistoric. Dino Days, a free community celebration hosted at our hotel and travel center, drew nearly 200 guests for an afternoon of burgers, balloons, and one very distinguished green guest of honor.
Two Milestones, One Celebration
The occasion? Sinclair Oil’s 110th anniversary. Founded in 1916, Sinclair has been a fixture of American road culture for over a century, and its iconic Brontosaurus mascot, affectionately known as Dino, has become one of the most recognizable symbols on American highways. It was only fitting, then, that the celebration found a home in Flagstaff, a city woven into the fabric of American road history as a landmark stop along Route 66. As it happens, 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road herself, making this particular party a double milestone worth raising a burger in honor of.
A Day Worth Showing Up For
Despite temperatures climbing to 81 degrees, a notable feat in a city that wears its cooler climate as a point of pride, the Flagstaff community showed up in force. Families spread out picnic style across the grounds, kids bounced off energy in the bounce house, and a prize wheel kept the excitement spinning all afternoon. And then there was Dino himself, the life-size Sinclair Brontosaurus, posing patiently for photos with guests young and old.
The food was a true team effort. Vendor partners, including Coca-Cola and Shamrock Foods, helped make the spread possible, contributing to a burger service that proved so popular the kitchen ran clean out before the afternoon wrapped up. Running out of burgers at a free community cookout is, by any measure, a success.
Representatives from Visit Flagstaff also made an appearance, a fitting nod to the broader community spirit the event embodied.
A Little America Kind of Day
Events like Dino Days reflect something central to what Little America has always been about. Since S.M. Covey opened the original Wyoming waystation in 1932 as a refuge for travelers on a long road, hospitality has been the throughline. The Flagstaff location carries that same spirit forward, serving both guests passing through on their travels and the local community that has made this property a home away from home for decades.
Sinclair’s century-plus of American road history and Little America’s own deep roots in the traveler’s journey are, in many ways, a natural pairing. Both have been part of the American road trip story for generations, and both showed up for Flagstaff in a big way on June 5.
Here’s to 110 years of Sinclair, 100 years of Route 66, and a community that knows how to celebrate.