Your Adventure Awaits
Whitney Rofkar joins the show to talk about the 2025 Toledo Jeep Fest – an annual free festival celebrating northwest Ohio’s workforce with fun events and a parade. See the full video on WTOL.
Beep! Beep! Jeep Fest Express is ready for August 2 – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is the Transportation Partner of TJF. TARTA’s Jeep Fest Express will allow customers to enjoy the parade without worrying about parking or traffic.
+ Just $1.50 each way
+ Park at Franklin Park Mall or Starr Elementary School in Oregon
Learn more TARTA Jeep Fest Express.
Question: “Where Can I park for Toledo Jeep Fest?”
Answer: There is reserved parking for All-Jeep® Parade and Park-N-Shine registered Jeepers, after that, it is first-come, first-served street and structure parking in downtown Toledo. Go to our website and check out Helpful Toledo Jeep® Fest Maps. Look for those big squares on the map with the letter P! You can also park n ride using the Jeep Fest Express.
The Epic Willys Adventure (EWA) group races classic jeeps around the country for gold coins and bragging rights. One of EWA’s upcoming events is the Great Mitten Race – an epic 7-day journey starting at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, sweeping through Michigan’s outer Great Lakes and iconic Toledo, Ohio and then back to Butler, Pennsylvania.
Epic Willys Adventure 6 – the Great Mitten Race – will start at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival on Thursday, June 5. By late afternoon, these jeeps will arrive in Toledo (10-12 teams in race jeeps) and will be camping at Middlegrounds Metropark in downtown Toledo – the Toledo Jeep Fest Basecamp.
The event will bring together 12 teams competing in EWA approved stock – 1941-1964 Willys Jeeps with lots of country, historic landmarks and a series of unique challenges to win the Great Mitten Race. This attraction is a slow-paced, high-energy celebration of Jeep Heritage, camaraderie and adventure.
EWA has been racing and adventuring since 2016, rolling from Canada to Mexico (2,135 miles), through the Great Divide (1,506 miles in 2018), Oregon Trail (1,888 miles in 2021), the Concord Cup (1,729 miles in 2023), the Moonshine Run (1,516 miles in 2024). This year’s event in June is the Great Mitten Race, rolling through scenic byways and farm roads in Michigan and then finally down to Toledo, Ohio.
Race commander Jonah Hodgkins recently told Toledo Jeep Fest that Toledo, Ohio – Home of the Jeep – will be a checkpoint during their Great Mitten Race to celebrate and prepare for Toledo Jeep Fest on Aug. 1-3.
Are there rules for the Epic Willys Adventure? Well, let’s start with rule No. 1 – No GPS Allowed! Only maps and compasses are permitted for race teams. Other Epic Willys Adventure rules include no use of Interstate Highways. Racers must stick to backroads, scenic byways and farm roads. No Excuses are a rule. Breaking down, getting lost and running out of fuel for these stock Willys vehicles (1941-1964) is part of the challenge. Self-reliant repairs are a staple of Epic Willys Adventure. If mechanical issues occur, teams are expected to handle repairs on their own.
Teams earn gold coins along the route. Coins are earned for finishing first for the day, arriving at a checkpoint, photographing a historical marker, capturing a photo of Bigfoot or an imaginary animal sighting, getting a photo with another Willys Jeep, and Good Samaritan Points for helping another team with mechanical repairs.
Mercy Health has been delivering compassionate, high-quality care in Toledo for 170 years — a legacy that continues to shape the health and well-being of our region. Just nearby, the Toledo Jeep complex has stood as a symbol of innovation and pride since 1941. These are not merely historic institutions; they are cornerstones of Toledo’s identity.
Mercy Health is honored to serve as the title sponsor of the 2025 Toledo Jeep Fest — a celebration of our city’s rich history and the people who bring that legacy to life every day. The employees of both Mercy Health and Jeep are more than workers — they are skilled, dedicated professionals who take deep pride in their work, knowing that their efforts have a lasting impact on the lives of their neighbors, families, and fellow community members.
At its core, Mercy Health’s mission has always been about service — caring for the sick, uplifting the vulnerable, and advancing the long-term well-being of our community. Likewise, Jeep’s founding purpose — to build a vehicle in service of our country during wartime — reflects those same values of commitment, resilience, and purpose. Together, these two institutions represent the very best of Toledo: a city built on hard work, shared values, and a deep responsibility to care for one another.
Share the legacy of service with other Toledoans during Toledo Jeep Fest (Aug. 1-3) in downtown Toledo.
Calling all Jeep lovers and dog lovers: Toledo Jeep Fest is back this August, and it’s bringing something extra adorable along for the ride!
From August 1–3, Jeep fans will gather once again in downtown Toledo to celebrate everything Jeep: the vehicles, the community, the spirit of adventure. But this year, there’s a new addition we’re really excited about—introducing the Paws Playzone, a brand-new area just for our four-legged friends!
The Paws Playzone is the perfect place for pups to play, explore, and maybe even pick up a new trick or two. Sponsored by Rudolph Libbe Group and the Associated General Contractors of Northwest Ohio (AGCNWO), this space is designed to celebrate our most loyal co-pilots. Our new partner, Dale Carnegie, will also be a vendor in the playzone.
Expect a tail-wagging good time with:
Lucas County Canine Care & Control (LC4) will be onsite with adoptable dogs looking for loving homes. So, if you’ve been thinking about adding a new pup to your crew, this might just be your moment.
“Many Jeep enthusiasts are known for bringing their dogs along on every adventure — whether it’s hitting the trails or cruising to a festival like Toledo Jeep Fest. In the new Paws Playzone, we can show how agility training is a fantastic way to build your dog’s confidence and improve their fitness,” said Amanda Bebeau, Zoom Room Toledo.
All dogs are welcome to participate in the agility course. You’ll just have to sign a liability waiver first.
The Paws Playzone isn’t just fun and games, it’s also a celebration of the community spirit that makes TJF so special. “We’re proud to help shape the future of downtown Toledo,” says Sarah Helbig, Marketing Director at Rudolph Libbe Group. “Whether it’s building facilities like LC4 or sponsoring Paws Playzone, it’s about giving back to the place we call home.”
Of course, TJF 2025 has even more in store. Check out the brand-new WaughStrong Competition, a strongman competition supporting mental health services for veterans and first responders. Plus, the All-Jeep Parade, the Vendor Midway, Indoor and Outdoor Jeep exhibits, a 4-Mile Run, and plenty of live entertainment, food trucks, and family fun zones.
Whether you’ve got a Jeep, a dog, or just a love of community events, TJF has something for everyone. Come for the Jeeps, stay for the pups—and be part of the adventure in the city where it all began: Toledo.
