Category: Event News

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.

Toledo Jeep Fest isn’t just an event to show off all things Jeep. Organizers and one of the event sponsors, Columbia Gas, wanted to make sure a charitable aspect was incorporated as well.

According to WTOL 11, the groups partnered with Connecting Kids to Meals to put together weekend food packs before the start of school next week.

“That’s what we wanted to do,” Columbia Gas Public Affairs Manager Cheri Pastula said. “When we heard about the work that they are doing to feed so many kids in northwest Ohio, our employees jumped at the chance to be able to help out, volunteer and help support those kids to make sure they have food in their homes.”

After all the meals were packed, volunteers loaded them into Jeeps to be dropped off at the Kent and Lagrange Branch libraries.

For more information, check out the story at https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/jeep-fest-columbia-gas-partner-to-pack-meals-for-kids/512-03f43353-3967-4558-963e-80acc24c1ed7.

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