It’s an honor and a thrill for Butler County to host the fourth annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, which gets into full swing today with the Jeep Invasion downtown. Events will be ongoing through Sunday at Cooper’s Lake Campground at the county’s western border, with plenty of entertainment and attractions for Jeepers and the general public.

Nearly 1,500 Jeeps have registered in advance this year, a number that represents a 35 percent increase from the 2013 festival. Several hundred more Jeepers are expected to register on site sometime this weekend.

Last year, 1,068 people registered early and another 489 registered at the gate, breaking its previous records with 1,557 registered Jeeps from 31 states and Canada. Jeepers had a blast at Cooper’s Lake Campground in the mud pit, on the playground and on the trails.

Festival director Patti Jo Lambert and her organizers are preparing for another record-breaker with an larger crowd this year.

“The numbers continue to grow and we’re really, really excited about that. We’re looking forward to everyone coming to town and having a great time,” said Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, in a recent interview. “We continue to build upon that rich history of Jeeps and to get Jeepers here to enjoy a great weekend.”

For those not familiar with the history, in 1940, the U.S. Army asked 135 tractor and auto manufacturers to design a four-wheel drive, 40 horsepower, 1,300 pound reconnaissance car that could haul soldiers as well as heavy artillery. The challenge: to have a working prototype available for a test run within 49 days. The American Bantam Car Company of Butler won the contract on a pledge to have the car ready in 45 days. Bantam made good on that promise and delivered the prototype.

While the story of the Jeep’s origin is a source of great local pride, so too are the multitudes of Jeep models and Jeep enthusiasts that have sprung from that prototype. The rapid growth of the festival resembles the growth of the Jeep brand over 74 years.

The number of festival components keeps growing, from mud pits and riding trails to historical exhibits, display of new Jeep models, a parts market, even hot air balloon rides.

It’s heartening to see the festival sustaining a pattern of growth from year to year, and it’s likely only to get bigger in years to come. Consider that next year the Bantam GP will celebrate its 75th birthday, an event that lends itself to special diamond jubilee-themed events.

Welcome, visiting Jeepers. We look forward to three days of homecoming celebrations. Let’s all have a great time.