Toledo, OH, July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Summertime in Toledo means one thing is on the horizon: Toledo Jeep Fest. This year’s festival, running Thursday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 9, is special because it celebrates the 85th anniversary of Jeep, the vehicle that made it all possible.
The festival will once again take over Toledo with a four-day lineup that includes the All-Jeep Parade, the Vendor Midway, the Indoor Jeep Exhibit, live music, a Sunday run/walk and family-friendly activities throughout the festival footprint.
For the first time, Jeep and parent company Stellantis will join Mercy Health as co-presenting sponsors of the festival, organizers announced at an April press conference in Promenade Park.
Last year’s event drew more than 100,000 attendees from 40 states, generating an estimated $8.3 million in economic activity for the region, according to festival organizers.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for Toledo Jeep Fest,” said Whitney Rofkar, Toledo Jeep Fest Event Director. “We’ve added new features and made new partnerships. This year’s event—marking 10 years of Toledo Jeep Fest—will be better than ever.”
WHAT’S NEW IN 2026
Saturday’s Grand Marshal for the All-Jeep Parade will be Brad Kowitz, founder of the popular off-road and overlanding YouTube channel TrailRecon and a retired Navy master chief. The parade, sponsored by Yark Jeep, steps off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8, heading west on Monroe Street and north on Huron Street, with up to 1,400 Jeeps expected to roll through downtown.
Friday night brings a brand-new Jeep-themed Party in the Park at Promenade Park, sponsored by North Star BlueScope Steel. Visitors will enjoy a Garth Brooks tribute band and a drone show honoring Jeep’s 85th anniversary.
TARTA returns as the festival’s Official Transportation Sponsor, and Circle K joins as Official Fuel Sponsor, with a booth on the Vendor Midway offering free snacks, games and photos with Cuppie, the 20-foot Polar Pop inflatable.
The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority will present a special military flyover tribute during Saturday’s Official Program, featuring the Scream N’ Rebels War Birds, a squadron based at Flint Bishop International Airport that has performed since 1992. The squadron preserves historic military training aircraft—including a Vultee BT-13 SNV-1, one of only two still flying in the U.S.; a North American AT-6 Texan; and a T-34 Mentor—while honoring the men and women who have served.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Aug. 6 — Welcome Party at Monroe Superstore
3–7 p.m. | 15160 S. Dixie Hwy., Monroe, Michigan
Enjoy free rides on the 18-obstacle Jeep off-road course, plus a DJ, live entertainment, raffle giveaways, vendors and food trucks.
Friday, Aug. 7 — Festival Kickoff
The Glass City Crawler Block Party officially opens the festival, featuring car crushing, RTI and balance blocks, vendors and a DJ.
The Block Party also includes the return of the WaughStrong Competition, showcasing incredible feats of strength and endurance with challenges inspired by Jeep vehicles and the off-road lifestyle.
The Vendor Midway, presented by Optima by Clarios, is open 5–9 p.m. The Indoor Jeep Exhibit at the Glass City Center, sponsored by KeyBank, is also open 5–9 p.m. Visitors can also enjoy Jeep Base Camp at Middlegrounds Metropark, presented by Foundation Steel, and the new Party in the Park at Promenade Park.
Saturday, Aug. 8 — Signature Parade Day
The All-Jeep Parade rolls from 10 a.m. to noon through Monroe and Huron streets.
Following the parade, downtown transforms into the Outdoor Park-N-Shine (10 a.m.–5 p.m.) on Madison Avenue and N. Superior Street, showcasing more than 2,000 customized Jeeps, presented by Directions Credit Union.
The Glass City Center Speaker Series runs noon–4 p.m., followed by the Official Program and Commemoration at 4 p.m.
The Vendor Midway and Indoor Jeep Exhibit are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9 — Run the 419
The Med1Care Jeep 4-Miler (9:30 a.m.) and MOBIS 1-Mile Walk (9:15 a.m.) close out the weekend. Hosted by Run Toledo, both events begin at 310 N. Summit St.
The Vendor Midway and Indoor Jeep Exhibit are open 9 a.m.–noon.
FUN FOR ALL
Festival-goers can enjoy the Kids’ Zone at Imagination Station (10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday), hosted by Imagination Station and sponsored by Bubba’s 33, featuring a Jeep Power Wheels course, science experiments and hands-on activities.
The Paws Playzone is another family-friendly attraction, presented by Associated General Contractors and Rudolph Libbe Group.
Unique Jeeps, spanning 85 years of history, will be on display at the Indoor Jeep Exhibit, alongside an RC Rock Crawling Course sponsored by The Lathrop Company.
About Toledo Jeep Fest
Toledo Jeep Fest celebrates decades of Jeep’s partnership with the City of Toledo. Jeep vehicles have been built in Toledo by generations of Toledoans since 1941, and every Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator manufactured today is built in the Glass City. Toledo Jeep Fest is a way for people to celebrate that rich history, their love for Jeep and an adventurous way of life in the city where Jeep was invented and where its heart beats every day. Learn more at toledojeepfest.com.
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