Author: Marianne Vanderbeke

Toledo Jeep Fest finished up their fourth annual event after three days filled with food, fun and of course Jeeps.

Organizers estimate 60,000 to 70,000 people attended Jeep Fest over the weekend and generated an estimated $5.1 million in economic activity and included visitors from 36 other states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Mexico, according to the Toledo Blade.

For more information, read the story at https://www.toledoblade.com/local/community-events/2021/08/10/number-of-people-at-jeep-fest-2021/stories/20210810142.

For Jeep fans, Toledo Jeep Fest is one big family reunion.

“This is like family to us Jeepers,” said Mark Kinsey, of Toledo, who has been attending Jeep gatherings for almost 20 years. “We’ve known them all for years.”

Festivities kicked off Friday afternoon as Jeep aficionados gathered for the Jeep Off-Road Course Welcoming Party at Monroe Superstore according to the Toledo Blade. Per the event name, there was an off-road course for attendees to take their Jeeps on as well as food trucks, disc jockeys, showcases, and lots and lots of Jeeps.

Old models, newer models, miniature models for children to drive around — the party had it all. Brian Young, general manager for Monroe Superstore, said this is the third or fourth time the business has hosted the event, which was canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

See the full story at https://www.toledoblade.com/local/community-events/2021/08/06/jeep-fest-welcome-party-attracts-young-and-old-friday/stories/20210806135

There will be more than 300 volunteers on the ground for Toledo Jeep Fest weekend helping to make the event run smoothly according to WTVG, 13 ABC in Toledo.

“All our volunteers are community based and they understand what Jeep means to this city. At first, they’ll sign up for only three hours. Then they come back and say what else can I do?” said Jo An Matney, Volunteer Coordinator for Toledo Jeep Fest. “Jeep is a passion, you get caught up in it. It’s not hard to rope anybody in.”

While many of the volunteers have ties to the Toledo Jeep Plant through the UAW, others are drawn in by their love of the iconic Jeep or from a sense of community service.

“There is more to Jeep than just the vehicle. It really is a family, and it involves a lot of the city because of all the companies that build parts for the Jeep. Jeep affects everybody in some way. We are going to have an exhibit inside the SeaGate Centre of Jeep’s rich history. It’s been fun putting it together,” said Diana Spalding, a third generation Jeeper who worked at the plant for thirty years, and is now the UAW Local 12 historian.

Check out the full story at 13ABC.com

This year’s festival is almost certainly the most anticipated ever. In addition to acting as a celebration of Jeep’s 80th anniversary, the 2021 Jeep Fest will see the event’s triumphant return following its forced COVID-related cancellation last year, according to the Toledo City Paper. Plans for the event began to tentatively take shape in the fall, but really got rolling as soon as gathering restrictions began to be lifted earlier this year.

It all began in 2016. A group of … Read More