Jeep Fest invites community to join in Saturday night fun
Ray Shumaker, interim festival director and board member for the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, said Butler lights up at 5 p.m. after earlier festivities for Saturday night activities associated with the annual event.
Jeep enthusiasts look forward to the festival’s 15th year, when the Saturday night festivities will offer a chance to mingle with fellow owners, participate in challenges and enjoy goods from the vehicle’s birthplace.
BBQ and Brews, featuring North Country Brewery, is just one of the staples of the night.
“We have a tent set up, some music playing and lots of folks have dinner,” Shumaker said.
At 6:30 p.m., the vibe switches from socialization to competition. The Charity Duck Dash makes for a friendly contest between peers and also serves as a way to give back to the Butler area. Participants spend the days before getting their ducks in a row and when Saturday comes, the race is on.
Spectators line the course as a large plastic sheet is laid on a hill, a truck pours water down on top and the ducks are sent soaring to the finish line in a Slip ’N Slide-fashion race.
Ducks are sold by volunteers beforehand. Each duck costs $5 and Bantam matches the price of each, donating an extra $5. Shumaker said proceeds go to local nonprofits, giving back to the Jeep’s hometown.
“We give money from the total festival back to local Butler charities, nonprofits and support groups,” Shumaker said.
Benefits this year are going to the Butler Outdoor Club and the Knights of Columbus Butler Council #866, as well as other organizations that are a part of the Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association’s financial gift program.
Keeping that competitive spirit going, on the same hill, the Barbee Jeep Race adds an extra dose of fun into the mix. After removing the battery and motor, adults over 18 ride plastic, children’s Jeeps in groups down the hill until a winner is named.
Shumaker said part of winning the race is doing it in style. Contestants get style points by dressing up for the race, leading quite a few interesting costumes to zip down the hill past the spectators.
“So people wear anything from suits to wedding dresses to Elvis costumes to SpongeBob SquarePants costumes, all sorts of stuff,” Shumaker said.
The race has three prizes of $300, $200 and $100 for first, second and third place, respectively. The Loser’s Dash for Cash gives previously disqualified racers a chance to experience the zoom down the hill for a $100 prize, while the ultimate outfit is decided by the crowd’s applause, granting the winner a $50 prize.
For America’s 250th anniversary, competitors can attempt to snag the new America 250 Patriotic Powerhouse Prize.
Jeep hobbyists show off their shining vehicles one last time for the night at the Light Bars & Brews. Up to 150 Jeeps set up in a big square with all their lights on, illuminating a field of cars in, what Shumaker calls, the most photogenic moment of the weekend.
North Country Brewing, Helltown Brewing, Recon Brewing, Johnny’s Distillery and plenty of food trucks will be set up in the area. In the middle, a custom-made RedBull Energy Drink DJ truck will provide music.
“They’re gonna be spinning music and all kinds of stuff going on, lots of folks dancing,” Shumaker said.
Festival vendors serve as judges, wandering the field to pick the winners of the evening headlight contest. Shumaker said creative light displays are a common staple on Jeeps, giving a variety of setups to admire during the contest.
“Some people put lights underneath them, they put them in the fenders, they put them on the roof, they do lights that change colors or lights that strobe to the music in their vehicle on the outside,” he said.
The contest’s multiple categories give insight into the broad spectrum of creative light arrangements owners can choose. Shumaker said there will be a most impressive lights category, a least impressive lights category and the most patriotic lights category for the most enthusiastic display of red, white and blue for the semiquincentennial.
“For three hours, we just kind of go through this process. There’s judges that walk around, but it’s kind of a big old party,” Shumaker said.
Cash prizes will be awarded for the winners of the best use of lights category and the most patriotic lights category. First place receives $150, second place wins $125 and third place gets $100.
Least impressive lights, named the out of the dark category, will receive a special prize from Experience Butler County, the event’s sponsor.
Shumaker said the activities have been added over the years and the group is looking forward to coming years to upgrade or switch around some of the events.
“It’s been this kind of same lineup for the last four to five years, so we’re hopefully working on some changes for 2027 to change it up a little,” Shumaker said.
