Plenty of free family fun at Toledo Jeep Fest

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Jeeps are about to take over the streets of downtown Toledo as this year’s edition of Toledo Jeep Fest hits high gear Friday. While most of the event focuses on the iconic vehicle, there will also be plenty of fun activities for the “junior Jeepers.” Festival Park and the new upper-level space at Imagination Station will be transformed into Kid’s Zone this weekend.

“I think this last year has been so difficult for so many people, especially the kids who have been in and out of school,” says Amy Mohr, Senior Information Officer at the science center. “This will give them a chance to hang out with other kids and have a lot of fun. But it also encourages learning.”

The theme for this year’s Kid’s Zone is construction.

“We are going to be encouraging kids to come out and get creative, work with their hands and build a number of structures,” says Mohr. “This is an opportunity for kids to come in and harness their creativity, see what they can build, make mistakes and modify their work. We want them to enjoy working with their hands and being budding engineers themselves.”

The science center always has what’s called a tinkering activity, and it changes every month. The theme for August is connected to the Glass City River Wall, which is a mural that’s being painted on 28 ADM silos in Toledo. Visitors to the Kid’s Zone this weekend will be able to be part of an interactive project that’s tied to the massive mural along the Maumee River.

“Our tinkering project this month is creating a community mural,” explains Mohr. “We are asking people to come share a Toledo story on a small piece of paper. It could be anything like your favorite restaurant or an attraction you enjoy visiting. We will bring that outside this weekend so people at Kid’s Zone have a chance to be part of the project.”

While Kid’s Zone is at Imagination Station, Hensville will be turned into Family Zone. The street will be shut down, and the area will be full of things like inflatables and a rock-climbing wall. There will also be activities inside the ballpark including a mobile paddling pool.

The hope is that some important lessons are tucked in with all the fun at Jeep Fest.

“If we can inspire just one kid to say this is fun or this is cool, then we’ve done our job,” says Mohr.

The fun at Imagination Station and Hensville is free. There will be a number of community organizations taking part in the events at the two sites. There will be activities both Saturday and Sunday. Click here for all the details.

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