“We can’t let the Beach beat the Birthplace.”

This slogan quickly became a marketing message for the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival after learning that a Florida Jeep event in April broke its record for the largest Jeep parade. The record to beat is 1,846 Jeeps.

Festival organizers have worked to motivate Jeep owners to be part of the Friday parade and bring the record back home to Butler.

“The Florida event has created a friendly rivalry, and we’re using it to our advantage,” said Patti Jo Lambert, festival director. “Jeep enthusiasts know that the Guinness record needs to stay in Butler, and we’re hoping that Jeep owners who didn’t preregister their vehicle will be motivated to register on-site and be part of this history-making event.”

Lambert stressed that any Jeep can be part of the parade.

“Liberty, Compass, Patriot, Grand Cherokee — as long as it says Jeep, we need it to be in the parade so we can prove that you can’t find any more Jeep pride and enthusiasm than in the birthplace of the Jeep,” she said.

The Jeeps will stage at Butler County Community College and the parade begins at 2:30 p.m.

Leading the parade will be one Jeep representing each of the 75 years the Jeep has been produced. Vehicles were nominated by Jeep owners who wanted their vehicles to be part of this group by sending in photographs of their Jeeps. The festival committee selected from a wide variety of models to showcase how the Jeep has both changed and remained the same during the past eight decades.

Jeeps will leave the college and drive north on Route 8. The Jeeps will continue through town, and the last part of the parade will park on designated downtown streets for the Jeep Invasion street party where 1,200 Jeeps will invade town.

“We hope the community comes out to see the Jeeps and watch the parade,” she said.

“When we did the parade back in 2011, the Jeep owners commented numerous times about how much they enjoyed seeing everyone coming out for this event. They loved the small-town feel and the community pride they experienced here.”