Month: July 2023

Sunday Warm-up Session Hosted by Renegade Fitness

We are thrilled to announce that Renegade Fitness, the leading personal training business in the 419, will be taking the spotlight on Toledo Jeep® Fest on Sunday, August 6 at 8:45 a.m. in Promenade Park!

Renegade Co-Owner Jen Rhoades will be leading Toledo Jeep® Fest 4-Miler and 1-Mile Walk participants in a free, fun and dynamic warm-up session at 8:45 a.m. in Promenade Park by the WRQN Radio stage. All fitness and age levels are welcome!

“As avid supporters of active lifestyles and passionate about promoting health and wellness within our community, we are excited to lead the warm-up session for all the walkers and runners participating in this year’s 4-miler race and 1-mile walk events,” said Rhoades.

With a proper race warm up, Jen and the Renegade Team will set the perfect tone for the race, ensuring that each participant is adequately prepared and primed for their best performance. Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a first-time runner, Renegade Fitness is committed to motivating and energizing you for a memorable race day.

Join Toledo Jeep® Fest staffers and the Renegade Team as we unite in the spirit of fitness, fun, and camaraderie on the starting line! Let’s make this 4 mile race an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”

You can still register for Sunday’s race at Run Toledo.

Hope to see you – and many … many Jeeps – on Sunday!

Opening Day: Jeep® Off-Road Course Welcome Party – Aug. 4

Baseball has its opening day and Toledo Jeep® Fest has its opening day Jeep® Off-Road Course Welcome Party at Monroe Superstore on Friday, August 4 (12 p.m. – 5 p.m.).

The Jeep® Off-Road Course Welcome Party features free rides on the 18-obstacle off-road course located at 15160 S Dixie Hwy, Monroe, MI 48161, which is just north (24 minutes and 19.9 miles) of downtown Toledo.

The Jeep® Off-Road Course Welcome Party is free to the public and family-friendly and will also feature:

  • Car Crushing, RTI Ramp & Balance Blocks Opportunities
  • Raffle Give-aways
  • Vendors
  • DJ
  • Food Trucks

Questions: Follow TJF social media (FacebookTwitter and Instagram) for more info and updates.

Swag: Need to update your Toledo Jeep® Fest gear for the Invasion, check out all the swag in our Toledo Jeep® Fest merchandise store.

Jeep Fest App

Mobile App: Get our mobile app that’s available on the Google Play and Apple App Store. Search for Toledo Jeep Fest to download the app. 

Also Friday: Adams Street Invasion (6 p.m. – 10 p.m.) is hosted by Glass City Crawlers and sponsor Jeep County Federal Credit Union. (Adams Street between 12th Street and 16th Street, Toledo, OH 43604).

#tjf2023 #toledojeepfest

Shirley, Upton Lead Speaker Series

Inside the friendly confines of the Glass City Convention Center on Saturday, August 5, our Speakers Series will present six very unique versions of the Jeep story.

The official Speakers Series, presented by Local 351, will feature Tedd Long, Dean Shirley, Patty Upton, Grant Robinson, Paul and Kerri Porter and Jess Soffee and will run from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the main stage in the Glass City Center.

Tedd Long (12:30 p.m.) is a Chief Storyteller and Tour Guide, an Emmy award-winning author, photographer, lecturer, and curator of www.HolyToledoHistory.com. As a local author and master storyteller, Tedd’s unique appreciation for the city is shown through his self-guided GPS audio tours, blog posts, documentaries, and his books, including his most recent, “The Toledo Papers,” which will be published this fall by The University of Toledo Press. Tedd will speak about Toledo’s iconic symbol of American ingenuity (Jeep) and its history in Hollywood productions.

Dean Shirley (1 p.m.) is a popular Podcaster and Author, affiliated with East Coast Overland Adventures, Echoes of Adventure, No Highways Tour and 4Low Digital Labs. Shirley comes to the 2023 Toledo Jeep Festival with his customized LS V8 powered 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and home-built Off-Road Camping Trailer to share his life long passion for overland adventure travel. You can also see Shirley and his rig at Toledo Jeep Fest Base Camp. Starting as a Boy Scout in his teenage years, and with over 20 years in the off-road industry, he has spent a lifetime honing his skills and sharing his knowledge with his fellow adventure travelers. This year on the main stage he will be discussing the Jeep Badge of Honor trail system and the resources you can use to help you conquer your next Jeep Trail!

Patty Upton (1:30 p.m.) is an iconic overlander who will be presenting: A World Odyssy – The Epic Voyage of the Sand Ship Discovery. A bridge builder and secretary, Loren and Patty Upton have lived their dream. Loren was a seeker of romantic high adventure, his goal was to take a 1966 CJ-5 Jeep around the world from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Punta Arenas/Chile, Cape Agulhas, South Africa to Gamvik, Norway all on land except for crossing the Atlantic Ocean. This overland journey was over 56,000 miles and provided a lifetime of memories: first all-land crossing of the Darien Gap of Panama and Colombia by a motor vehicle, 741 days and 125 miles of no roads, an entry in the 1992 Guinness Book of Records, 4,000 miles of four-wheeling in Africa, and more. Sadly, Loren passed away in August 2022, and Patty is attempting to fulfill their goal to showcase their Guinness Book of Record Jeep.

Grant Robinson (2:30 p.m.) is a Senior Manager at the Toledo South Assembly Plant (Stellantis), home of the Jeep Gladiator. A lifelong Toledoan, Grant is a recognized subject matter expert in automotive paint processes, automotive assembly, continuous improvement, professional maintenance, and energy management. His leadership earned him the 2021 Energy Star Partners Award for reducing energy use at the Toledo Assembly Complex. He has experience in multiple manufacturing applications and Jeep vehicle platforms built in Toledo, originally starting with the launch of the Cherokee in 2013. With both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Toledo, Grant is President of the U.T. Alumni association’s Jeep Affiliate. Grant will speak about the people and processes of Toledo Jeep and the connection to the community.

Paul and Keri Porter (3 p.m.) are Founders of Discover 4X4 Adventures. Together, Keri and Paul Porter have spent nearly the last 20 years living the #jeeplife. In 2021, they began living their dream life and turned their hobby into a full-time business, Discover 4×4 Adventures. Their mission is to build knowledge and confidence for all new off-road enthusiasts through beginner and advanced drivers’ training, while also offering private guiding and fully planned adventure trips. Discover 4×4’s intimate classes and trips are ideal for learning to understand your specific vehicle’s features and how to properly navigate different terrains safely. Come enjoy the stories the Porters have to share about how they got started 20 years ago, the lessons they’ve learned and the unforgettable memories they’ve made along the way.

Jess Soffee (3:30 p.m.) is an Extension Educator for 4-H Youth Development for Lucas County. She is new to the Toledo area but no stranger to Jeep! She has owned multiple Jeeps and feels right at home in Jeep Country. In fact, her LJ has become the icon for the Lucas County 4-H program. As the 4-H educator, Jess works with youth 5 – 18 years of age providing positive youth development programs to Lucas County youth. The local 4-H program is a proud partner with Apple, allowing Jess to bring STEM curriculum to both in-school participants and traditional 4-H members. Be sure to sign up your future Jeeper this fall! Enrollment for the Lucas 4-H program starts in November. Give her a wave when you see her around!

TARTA Ready With Jeep Fest Express

As the Official Transportation Partner for Toledo Jeep Fest, Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) puts the Jeep Fest Express on the road for the third straight year on Saturday, August 5, delivering customers to the festival footprint downtown for just $1.50 per ride or $3 round trip.

In addition to a park-and-ride from Franklin Park Mall, TARTA is expanding the service this year to include Jeep Fest Express service from Starr Elementary School in Oregon.

“We want to take advantage of any opportunity we can to put families in touch with this great event, and direct service from Franklin Park and Oregon will help our customers enjoy the parade, expo, music, food, and everything else without worrying about parking,” said TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski.

“We are so excited to be bringing service to Oregon next year, and there is no better way to introduce ourselves to that community than to provide special transportation like this. We can connect riders to one of Toledo’s biggest events. We are proud of our continuing partnership with Jeep Fest, and expanding that partnership and this service made all the sense in the world.”

As an added attraction at the Franklin Park Mall location, early morning customers will be able to select a TARTA-branded duck from a prize pool and receive discounts from mall businesses.

Direct trips from both Franklin Park Mall and Starr Elementary to the downtown dropoff point – near the corner of Erie Street and Jefferson Avenue – will begin at 8:30 a.m. and run every 30 minutes until 1 p.m. Trips headed back to park-and-ride locations will leave downtown starting and 10:30 a.m. and depart every 30 minutes until 2 p.m., with additional rides back to Franklin Park and Starr at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Customers can pay with cash, through the EZFare app or with cash on-board. Customers will also be able to take TARTA’s fixed-route vehicles, which will be running on a Saturday schedule, downtown to Jeep Fest. Trips to Jeep Fest for paratransit customers can be arranged by calling TARPS at 419-382-9901.

Adams Street Invasion Is Opening Night – Aug. 4

Can’t wait for the big All-Jeep Parade on Saturday, August 5, then get started early and kick-off your Toledo Jeep Fest with the Adams Street Invasion on opening night Friday, August 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Our 6th Toledo Jeep Fest event gets off and running with this pre-Jeep Fest thanks to hosts Glass City Crawlers and sponsor Jeep County Federal Credit Union. The Invasion is located on Adams Street between 12th Street and 16th Street in downtown Toledo.

The Adams Street Invasion will feature:

  • Car Crushing, RTI Ramp & Balance Blocks Opportunities
  • Raffle Give-aways
  • Jeep Photo Opportunity
  • Vendors
  • DJ
  • Food Specials at Local Restaurants & Food Trucks including Duce’s Dawgs and Maybe Cheese Born With It!

Vendor Lineup

These vendors will be set up at the Adams Street Invasion:

Other Kick-Off Events – Aug. 4

Questions: Follow TJF social media (FacebookTwitter and Instagram) for more info and updates.

Swag: Need to update your Toledo jeep Fest gear for the Invasion, check out all the swag in our Toledo Jeep Fest merchandise store.

Jeep Fest App

Mobile App: Get our mobile app that’s available on the Google Play and Apple App Store. Search for Toledo Jeep Fest to download the app. 

Also Friday: Jeep Off-Road Course Welcome Party (12 p.m. – 5 p.m.) hosted by Monroe Superstore (15160 S Dixie Hwy, Monroe, MI 48161). Tackle 18 obstacles, live music, unique give-aways and more! Monroe Superstore is located 19.8 miles (26 minutes) North of downtown Toledo.

#tjf2023 #toledojeepfest