The Truth Staff
The Toledo Jeep Fest, which started nine years ago and has seen a steady growth in attendance over the years, will return this summer during the weekend of August 2 and, according to event organizers, this year’s attendance will be even greater.
“This is the biggest event of the summer,” said Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken during Monday’s announcement. Gerken, a Jeep retiree, was accompanied during the announcement by representatives of the partners and sponsors of the event: Laura Kowproski, CEO of TARTA, Lindsey Bond, senior director of Operations & Marketing for Tony Packo’s, fellow Commissioner Lisa Sobecki, Bruce Baumhower of UAW 12 and Doug Kearns of Yark Jeep.
TARTA is returning as the official transportation sponsor, Yark Jeep will be the All-Jeep Parade Sponsor.
Last year’s Jeep Fest brought in over 72,000 attendees, from 40 different states and several different countries and had an impact of $5.5 million on the local economy, said Sobecki. She also noted that the event “honors the men and women in these plants who are so essential to our economy.”
Jeep history begins in 1941 when it was designed under contract by the United States military ad a four-wheel drive utility vehicle for use in world War II. Dana is credited as the co-inventor of the Jeep, along with the U.S. Army, Bantam, Ford and Willys-Overland.