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Bantam offers bevy of new activities

The on-site trails are one of the festival's most popular activities. Now, participants will have the chance to go off-road on longer trail rides.

A new “blue” trail and an extended “blue” trail for modified Jeeps will offer even more off-road fun for attendees with Jeeps capable of traversing more challenging terrain.

In addition, the “black” or “extreme” trail will be enhanced with an exciting rock climb for Jeepers who want to test their Jeep's ruggedness even more.

The Jeep Playground will enable Jeep owners to test their driving skills in new ways. A more challenging rock crawl, new dirt features and stair climbs will complement the existing mud pit, a crowd-favorite.

Rough Riders is a new off-site trail that will give all Jeepers a fun experience. The trail will accommodate all Jeeps fitted with quality all-terrain tires and tow hooks.

The trail will offer a variety of experiences for novice drivers as well as those who enjoy driving through various elevation changes and muddy conditions. Bypasses will enable Jeep owners to avoid any sections of the trail that might have more challenging conditions than desired.

The State Park Scenic Tour features historic sites at Moraine State Park and Jennings Environmental Education Center.

The tour is an on-road experience for all Jeeps and includes stops and informative talks at three different locations within the parks.

Bantam Poker Run allows Jeep owners to play poker Bantam style. Participants will visit six different locations outside of the festival grounds and one location within the grounds.

After getting stamps at all seven locations, participants will be dealt their hand. Those with the best and worst poker hand will win gift cards to Sheetz and spend with Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau business members.

Ride-on Jeeps are not just for kids. The Bantam Barbee Jeep Race is a Saturday evening activity at Cooper's Lake Campground that is sure to add some hilarious excitement to Bantam.

Those who register to bring ride-on Jeeps that meet all rules and requirements can race other riders down the hill in a slalom-style course. Multiple heats will enable participants to advance to the final race for cash prizes.

A Losers Dash for Cash race will give all previously disqualified participants one last shot at some prize cash. The activity is free for all spectators to watch.

Lights are one of the most popular Jeep accessories. The Bantam Festival of Lights allows Jeeps to show off their light packages on Saturday night at Cooper's Lake Campground and win prizes for the “Most Colorful” and “Best Use of Lights.” The activity is free for spectators who want to see the night sky lit up by bright, colorful lights.

On Saturday, night there will be a cornhole tournament at 6 p.m. The tournament is open to all attendees, and they can sign up at registration on-site. A $300 prize from Skyjacker Suspensions will be awarded to the top teams.

Every attendee will receive a Bantam Bingo card, and will be eligible to win a prize by visiting 30 booths during the festival. Earn a stamp by visiting the booths on the Bingo card. Randomly selected winners will receive $250, $150 and $100 cash.

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