Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival takes over Main Street in Butler

It was total Jeep takeover of Main Street in Butler on Friday night as the annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival was underway. 

The annual "invasion" of Main Street brought thousands of Jeep enthusiasts to Butler as the first day of the festival at Coopers Lake Campground was well underway.

The annual festival is a tribute to the father of all Jeeps, along with the history and the birthplace of the vehicle.

The Bantam Jeep, designed in Butler County, is credited with helping the Allies win World War II.  

More than 85 years after it first rolled out of Butler, the Bantam Jeep is still turning heads.  

Some Jeep owners say they come back for the festival year after year.

"Awesome," said Kimberly Jones, of Mercer County. "Jeep people are so awesome. We'll help each other out if we need to. We stick together."

The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.