SILVER LAKE, Mich. — The 10th annual Silver Lake Sand Dunes Jeep Invasion has returned to Silver Lake, filling the small lake town with passionate Jeep enthusiasts from across the country.
WATCH: Silver Lake Sand Dunes Jeep Invasion draws thousands for 10th annual event
Organizers expect this year's event to be the biggest yet.
"We're probably expecting I would say about 1,100 Jeeps that are going to be here this weekend, which is breaking our record that we've ever done," Jeep Invasion organizer Angela Todd said.
The event draws thousands of people and around 1,000 Jeeps each year, and the tradition of Jeeps at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes goes back decades.
"We've been coming here for 40 years. We just love the dunes and love to go up, drive around, and have a good time," members of the White family, longtime Jeep Invasion attendees, said.
For many, the appeal of the dunes spans generations. When asked about their favorite part of the event, members of the White family pointed to being in the dunes and going up test hill.
For others, this weekend marks their first time at the Jeep Invasion. Amy Wallace and her son attended for the first time, drawn by the sense of community and what has become an American tradition.
"Anymore the world is kind of a scary, sad place, and it's nice to see people coming together for stuff like this, kind of as a community," Wallace said.
The Jeep's roots run deeper than recreation. John Hansen, executive director of the Classic Car Club of America Museum at Gilmore Car Museum, said Jeep represents rugged independence — and a legacy forged in World War Two.
More than 600,000 Jeeps were built to put the military on wheels during the war, with the lightweight vehicles playing a pivotal role in the Allied effort.
"Well, we have a country. You know, you look at the era in which Jeeps were being produced, in order to go fight against invading forces like the Nazis. Japanese invading forces. And what their victory meant to America, had those fighting forces been successful in their attacks globally. Without our armed forces pushing back and resisting that, our society today could be completely different, had the outcome of World War II been different," Hansen said.
Hansen said the Jeep's contribution to that effort was nothing short of essential.
"Jeep was vital. It was absolutely vital in moving our troops and getting our troops into the places they needed to go, to win the battles they were fighting," Hansen said.
Todd said the Jeep Invasion captures something bigger than off-roading.
"Everyone thinks of a Jeep Wrangler or Jeeps in general as being just absolutely American, and we are excited to have everybody come out today, and this entire weekend," Todd said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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