Yahoo Autos Jeep Fest 2018 Invades Toledo
Considering the sheer number of Willys and Jeep vehicles produced in Toledo over the past 77 years, the city sure took its time getting around to celebrating the legacy. Jeep Jamborees have been held for years; Butler, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of the Bantam Reconnaissance Car prototype that spawned the original vehicle, has the Bantam Jeep Festival; but Toledo didn’t get in on the action until 2016. With more than 1000 vehicles registering for the parade and an estimated 40,000-plus people in attendance, the inaugural Toledo Jeep Fest proved to be so successful that the city was slightly overwhelmed and had to sit out 2017 in order to regroup for 2018. This time around, T Town left no detail to chance, finding rooms, vendor space, food, Porta-Johns, and entertainment for all. Attendance is still being calculated, but early estimates are that 1600 vehicles took part in the parade and more than 60,000 people from all corners of the continent-as well as a few from the other six-were in attendance.
More than just another product churned out in the once thriving industrial powerhouse, Jeep has touched the lives of generations of Toledo residents ever since Willys-Overland started cranking out the Willys MB in 1941. Since then, “Toledo Jeep,” as the locals call the assembly complex, has been the birthplace of vehicles with names including CJ, Willys, Jeepster, FC, Cherokee, Comanche, Gladiator, Compass, Liberty, and Grand Wagoneer, plus Wranglers YJ, TJ, JK, and the new JL. Check out our gallery of some of this year’s highlights.
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