5 Festivals to Attend in Toledo This Summer

From German traditions and Jeep pride to world-class jazz and local art, Toledo's late-summer festival lineup offers something for every interest. These five celebrations showcase the city's rich heritage, creative spirit and welcoming community while drawing visitors from across the region and beyond.

German-American Festival

Seven Toledo ethnic clubs joined forces in 1966 to launch the German-American Festival, which has grown into a a three-day celebration in Oregon that draws thousands of people to enjoy authentic German food, beer, music, dancing and games. 

In 2026, the festival celebrates its diamond anniversary by adding even more to the festivities. The Old-World Bier Garten will feature a curated list of 60 beers, including German imports. Grammy-nominated musician Alex Meixner, who is known nationally for his German music ranging from polka to rock played on the accordion, performs Aug. 28. 

“He can play anything,” says Mike Willinger, festival chairman. “You have not heard music until you’ve heard him play rock ’n’ roll on an accordion — like [Ozzy Osbourne’s] ‘Crazy Train’ and songs you didn’t think you could do on an accordion.”

The authentic German food made fresh for the festival include schnitzel and a variety of bratwursts. Attendees can try their hand at German games like Swiss Steintossen (stone-throwing) and Masskrugstemmen (a stein-lifting contest in which participants see who can hold up a liter of beer as long as possible). 

“There are two reasons why we’ve lasted 60 years,” Willinger says. “No. 1 is that people enjoy the food, the beer, the atmosphere, the bands ... The second reason is the people who have volunteered and worked at our festival.” Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Rd., Oregon 43616, germanamericanfestival.org


Toledo Jeep Fest

When the U.S. military needed a sturdy utility 4-by-4 vehicle for World War II, it turned to the Willys-Overland plant in Toledo. Ever since that first Jeep rolled off the factory’s assembly line in 1941, Jeep and Toledo have been inextricably linked. 

Eight-five years later, Jeep remains an integral part of Toledo’s history and identity, as well as a source of pride, as Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators are still made at the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex. 

“So many people who have worked there for years get it and know all of the components that go into one Jeep,” says Whitney Rofkar, organizer of  Toledo Jeep Fest. “It’s a huge ecosystem.”

Toledo Jeep Fest celebrates that rich history each summer with three days of festivities regarding all things Jeep, including live music, a Jeep parade, Strongman contest, a kids zone, vendors, food trucks and more. For the Jeep’s 85th anniversary in 2026, the festival is taking over Party in the Park at Toledo’s Promenade Park, featuring a Garth Brooks cover band and a drone show customized to Jeep. The festival, which started in 2016, is in its ninth year, having only took a break in 2020. 

Last year, more than 100,000 people attended from across the United States and around the world, including Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Some drive their Jeeps from as far as California, Montana and Florida.  

“Bringing your Jeep home to where it all started is really special for Jeepers,” Rofkar says. “There’s a camaraderie there unlike any other group I’ve been around.”

One of the festival’s signature events, the Jeep parade sees 1,400 Jeeps drive through downtown Toledo each year. The rides range from tricked-out and lifted Wranglers and Gladiators to standard Patriots and Cherokees. Visit toledojeepfest.com for more information. 


Glass City JazzFest

Since 2021, thousands of people have gathered at Glass City Metropark to celebrate Toledo’s deep jazz roots during the Glass City JazzFest. This year, the festival expands to a day and a half and will include a focus on Toledo jazz legend Art Tatum, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest jazz pianists ever. 

“We’re trying to showcase Toledo’s rich history,” says Cheryl Catlin, one of the festival’s organizers. “We like to make sure we showcase different genres in jazz and different instruments and international and regional artists. We’re not just smooth or traditional or contemporary. Every act is different. It brings a different flavor and a different kind of jazz.”

The festival starts Aug. 14 at the Toledo Zoo Amphitheater with performances by nationally known vocalist Lindsey Webster, jazz pianist Bob Baldwin and saxophonist Mike Williams. (The only paid event, tickets are $10 in advance, and $20 at the door.) 

The music continues Aug. 15 with free jazz performances from noon to sunset at Glass City Metropark. Performers include British jazz guitarist Chris Standring, jazz duo Minas, singer Michon Young and jazz pianists Johnny O’Neal and Kandace Springs. Food trucks with a variety of cuisine will be on-site, and beer and wine will be available. For more information, visit glasscityjazzfest.com.

Toledo Lighthouse Festival

Sitting 5 miles from shore, the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse has guided ships through the Port of Toledo and Maumee Bay for more than a century. The self-contained, four-story residence standing atop a crib in the middle of Lake Erie captures the imagination. 

Perhaps that’s why the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society has been so successful in its efforts to preserve the structure. Each year, the society celebrates the lighthouse’s history, restoration and conservation with its Toledo Lighthouse Festival at Maumee Bay State Park. This year features live music, a silent auction, a food truck, lighthouse-themed apparel, arts-and-crafts vendors, kids’ activities and lighthouse presentations at the state park’s nature center. 

“There’s a lighthouse fan club, if you will,” says Sandy Bihn, president of the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society. “People just go to lighthouses as a destination for their trips. We’ve had people from the East Coast and Ireland. [The Toledo Lighthouse] is so unique and so different that it’s attractive to the lighthouse-loving community.”

If a project to install new dock access is completed on time and weather allows, tickets will be sold for a boat trip to the lighthouse that will take people inside the structure for the first time in a decade.

“We’ve had people begging to go out,” Bihn says. “People just love it.” Maumee Bay State Park, 1400 State Park Rd., Oregon 43616, toledolighthouse.org


Artomatic 419

For three days in September 2025, 330 artists of every skill level assembled at the Erie Street Market to display their work. There were films, dance groups, bands, musicians, painters, puppetry artists and poets. First timers shared their works alongside seasoned artists who regularly show in art galleries. 

The Arts Commission brought the festival back, after it had been gone for almost a decade. (It had previously been held in 2006 and then every other year from 2007 to 2015.) This year, the popular festival, which drew 3,000 people in 2025, returns to the Erie Street Market and is expected to draw even more attendees this time out. 

Artomatic 419 is special for members of the public because it allows them to interact with the artists beyond the typical art gallery or museum setting, while the artists have more of any opportunity to discuss and share their work. 

“Everyone was just so excited to be the same room with the like-minded people who were just excited to make stuff and show their passions,” says Tess Healy, Artomatic 419 organizer and events manager for The Arts Commission. “There’s a lot of buildup for this year. Folks kind of want to up the ante this year and create new ideas.” For more information, visit theartscommission.org.  

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