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Noting Jeep’s fundamental imprint on Toledo’s heritage, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said that it is fitting to have a large downtown festival celebrating the iconic vehicle that began rolling off of Toledo’s assembly line more than 80 years ago.

“The history of the Jeep is so intertwined with the history of Toledo that you can’t tell the story of Toledo without telling the story of Jeep,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “It is a proud part of who we are, and it is part of the history that Jeep Fest celebrates. It’s the biggest annual event in the city and it’s getting bigger and bigger.”

At a news conference Thursday at Glass City Metropark, Mr. Kapszukiewicz joined with representatives from businesses and groups supporting Toledo Jeep Fest 2022 to discuss highlights of this year’s event.

Read the full article in The Blade.

Photo – Doug Hinebaugh

This past summer’s Toledo Jeep Fest was a resounding success, drawing an estimated 65,000 attendees and putting over $5 million into the area’s economy. Jeep fans from 37 different states visited Toledo for the event— an impressive number during a pandemic. But Jeep Fest’s organizers are always aiming to make the event even bigger.

On October 7, they unveiled their grand plan and theme for the fifth edition of Jeep Fest in 2022: They want to draw attendees from all 50 states.

“We want 5 for 50. Five years, we want 50 states. We can do it. Everybody knows somebody somewhere. We all met a bunch of people on Facebook in the pandemic,” said Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken.

“Let’s bring them and show them what the real truth is— that Jeep was born, built and produced, still here in North Toledo, and it’s going to stay here, and we’re going to show the world what it’s worth.”

The plans were discussed at a news conference held as part of an event held honoring the volunteers who helped make Jeep Fest 2021 a success in the parking lot of United Auto Workers Local 12 on Thursday night.

“Today, we wanted to get our volunteers together and do a little recognition,” said Jerry Huber, Toledo Jeep Fest board member. “But the other reason we wanted to get everybody together, and before the big party starts, is to make sure that everybody marks their calendar for August 12, 13 and 14 next year— that’s the Jeep Fest date.”

Huber revealed that the organizers behind Jeep Fest have already started to hold meetings planning next year’s event, and teased a few ideas for 2022, including an expanded partnership with Toledo Metroparks and working with Imagination Station to display Jeep videos on the big screen at the KeyBank Discovery Theater.

“With our volunteer base, who knows what we can accomplish?” Huber said. 

For more information, check out the story at https://toledocitypaper.com/online-exclusives/jeep-fest-2022-wants-visitors-from-all-50-states/.

TOLEDO, Ohio — It’s one of the biggest events for Jeepers in the United States. Get your calendars ready because Toledo Jeep Fest returns for its fifth year in 2022.

Event planners tease “bigger and better entertainment” for the weekend of Aug. 12, 2022, right here in the city of Toledo, HOME of the Jeep. 

A formal announcement regarding the best grille in the business took place Thursday, during a volunteer appreciation barbecue honoring over 100 volunteers that make the event a success.

During the announcement, event organizer and Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken announced a new challenge to reach Jeepers across the entire country.

“We want five for 50. Five years, we want 50 states. We can do it. Everybody knows somebody somewhere. Let’s bring ’em, show them what the real truth is: that Jeep is born, built and produced, still here, in north Toledo,” Gerken declared. “And it’s gonna stay here and we’re gonna show the world what it’s worth.”

The celebration of Jeep’s 80th anniversary in 2021 drew more than 65,000 attendees from over 37 states, Canada, the District of Columbia and Mexico. The All-Jeep Parade included over 1,300 Jeeps rolling through the streets of downtown Toledo. 

A kickoff concert featuring country stars Josh Turner and Lauren Alaina brought more than 6,500 people to Promenade Park, tied into ProMedica’s Summer Concert Series.

Toledo Jeep Fest took a year off in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and saw slightly higher attendance numbers in 2019 than 2021, but planners have a lot in store for 2022. 

For more information, check out the story at https://www.wtol.com/article/news/community/go-419/jeep-fest-returns-august-2022-toledo-ohio/512-d049314e-8357-4bba-9beb-299c9ba1eb44

Toledo Jeep Fest’s 2022 edition will be bigger than ever and has been scheduled to coincide with Toledo Mud Hens home games that should help boost attendance, its lead organizer said Tuesday.

“We’ve created an event that’s in demand and we are going to make it bigger,” said Pete Gerken, a Lucas County commissioner who also is chairman of the festival’s board. “Our goal is to have participation from all 50 states. We are going to make it an All-American year.”

And while Toledo cherishes its place as the birthplace of Jeeps, it’s also celebrated as the home of the Mud Hens, whose homestand against the Omaha Storm Chasers scheduled for Aug. 9 through Aug. 14 guided the scheduling of Jeep Fest 2022 for the weekend of Aug. 12-14.

“That’s the real double bag. As iconic as Jeep is nationally, the Mud Hens regionally are the biggest draw,” Mr. Gerken said, noting that the festival’s economic impact grows almost every year.

The combination of attractions, he said, should translate into a record Jeep Fest crowd exceeding 75,000, which in turn should boost the event’s economic impact for Toledo.

The first Toledo Jeep Fest in 2016 attracted 40,000 people, a second in 2018 drew 60,000, and in 2019 an estimated 70,000 attended, spending money on vendors, restaurants, bars, and hotels.

The fourth festival two months ago generated an estimated $5.1 million in local economic activity and attracted 60,000 to 70,000 people to downtown Toledo, including visitors from 36 other states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Mexico, after the event skipped 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

At least 90 local and national vendors and more than 300 volunteers were involved in this summer’s event, while at least 1,300 Jeeps drove in the All-Jeep Parade through downtown Toledo.

All of that occurred despite the pandemic’s lingering impact on public participation in large gatherings and other constraints, which makes the 2022 goal of at least 75,000 visitors from all 50 states realistic, Mr. Gerken said.

Whitney Rofkar, Toledo Jeep Fest’s event director, said festival organizers usually announce the event dates at the beginning of the year, but chose to do it earlier this time around to capitalize on the pre-pandemic momentum the event rekindled this year, reaffirm their commitment to downtown as the festival site, and attract even more people, including from more states, and more countries, especially once the coronavirus pandemic is over.

“Toledo Jeep Fest attendees from around the country like to plan ahead – book hotel rooms, plan stops as they drive across America in their Jeeps, et cetera,” Ms. Rofkar said.

“Similarly, event vendors and sponsors also like to plan ahead, so there is a need and demand from event partners to open up vendor registration, sponsor opportunities, and even parade registration as soon as possible,” she said.

Organizers are exploring creating a mobile app that would help attendees “tailor their Jeep Fest experience and navigate the downtown footprint,” according to the spokesman.

Other details of the fest will be released at a news conference scheduled at 5 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot at United Auto Workers Local 12, 2300 Ashland Ave.

Along with Mr. Gerken, speakers will include Jerry Huber, a retired Jeep Plant manager and Toledo Jeep Fest board member, and Bruce Baumhower, Local 12’s president.

“We’re very excited to take Toledo Jeep Fest to the next level in 2022,” Ms. Rofkar said. “… In Year Five, our fans will not be disappointed.

For more information, check out the article at https://www.toledoblade.com/local/community-events/2021/10/05/jeep-fest-mud-hens-2022/stories/20211005132.