SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Railyard in Springfield hosted its opening weekend on Route 66 Saturday.

The Railyard is an outdoor food court with open air seating, live music and locally-made food.

Brad Martin, owner of Oakview Barbeque, said the Railyard provides an opportunity that can be rare for small business owners.

"The costs add up for brick and mortar, that a lot of people don't even realize are there," said Martin. "This just gives you the opportunity to start out slow, and if you did want to go to brick and mortar down the road, you could, but [this can be] just to get your feet wet to start a small business and get into that." 

The restaurants at the Railyard are The Drinking Well, El Dorado, Best Day Ever Bakehouse, Oakview BBQ, Elevated Appetites, Söl Station, & Lewis Street Food Co.

For updated event schedules and menus, you can visit the Railyard's Facebook page or website.

Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.