Jeep Beach Jeeps At the Rock returns for two-day party at Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach
DAYTONA BEACH — A parade of Jeeps usually unfolds early along the shoreline behind Hard Rock Hotel for the annual “Jeeps At the Rock” party, a popular midweek fixture at Daytona's Jeep Beach.
On Wednesday, the ocean had a different idea, as a 9 a.m. high tide closed beach access for nearly two hours. Fortunately, Jeep owners are an adaptable lot.
“We’re resilient, that’s for sure,” said Brent Clevenger, 55, who had convoyed to Jeep Beach with an armada of nearly a dozen other brand loyalists from Anderson, Indiana. “We can still take chairs and coolers and sit on the beach.”
And, so they did, parking their customized vehicles in a neat row near the University Boulevard beach ramp, where about half a dozen later arrivals caused a brief Jeep traffic jam around the corner south along Atlantic Avenue.
For Clevenger and his friends, this is the sixth year that they have traveled to Jeep Beach, beckoned by the prospect of camaraderie with like-minded SUV fans and more hospitable weather — despite occasional uncooperative tides.
“Back home, it’s cold,” said Clevenger, unloading a collector’s item Jeep brand cooler that matched the eye-catching gecko-green paint job on his 2021 Jeep Gladiator 3.0 Diesel. “It was down to 35 degrees this morning. Here, it’s just the Jeeps and beach. It’s an adult spring break, without the college kids.”
On the beach, the Indiana entourage marked their presence with a long row of plastic pink flamingos, a colorful, if smaller-scale replacement for their prized Jeeps.
On the deck at Hard Rock, the event’s host hotel, DJs were spinning high-energy dance tunes as other vendors set up for the two-day event that continues on Thursday at the hotel and along the beach behind it.
Over more than two decades, Jeep Beach has established itself as one of the destination's marquee annual events, said Androse Bell, the hotel’s general manager.
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He expected the party to again shift into high gear by afternoon.
“This lets these guys sleep in,” Bell said. “The event is generating really good occupancy for us, with rates up a bit, about 2%, over last year.”
Jeep Beach attracts more than 200,000 visitors
Jeeps At the Rock is among an array of events that power Jeep Beach, an annual 10-day celebration that typically draws tens of thousands of attendees, according to organizers.
In 2023, the event attracted more than 225,000 visitors and 25,000 Jeeps to Daytona Beach, a throng that represented all 50 states and 34 countries, according to the event’s official website.
In addition, a staff of more than 300 volunteers works a cumulative total of more than 6,700 hours over the event week, beyond time spent in year-round preparation.
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Now in its 21st year, Jeep Beach has continued to expand, adding the inaugural daylong Jeep Beach Radio Music Fest on Friday on the infield at Daytona International Speedway to kick-off the closing weekend of the event that runs through Sunday in Daytona Beach.
Music fest celebrates connection
On Friday, the music festival will feature the lineup of country singer-songwriter Lee Brice (“One of Them Girls”), country star Craig Morgan, the Wailers, singer-songwriter Maggie Rose and California-based sibling duo the Wheeland Brothers.
Those registered for Jeep Beach can buy reduced price tickets to the music fest during registration. For others, general admission tickets are available for $75 at jeepbeach.com.
The multi-act music festival expands on a "post-Main Event" concert by pop singer-songwriters Colbie Caillat and Tim Montana on the closing weekend of last year’s event.
Jeep Beach built on charitable mindset
Incorporated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity in 2017, Jeep Beach Inc. has donated over $4.1 million to area charities over the past decade through the event’s annual weeklong fund-raising efforts. Recipients include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia & Flagler Counties; the NASCAR Foundation; the Childhood Cancer Foundation, as well as more than 70 additional nonprofit groups.
On its closing day, the event’s community-oriented approach is reflected in the traditional Jeep Beach parade along the sands of Daytona Beach, where an armada of Jeep owners pick up and dispose of trash to leave the beach better than they found it.
What’s the schedule of Jeep Beach events?
Here are highlights on the schedule as the event heads into its closing weekend:
Jeeps At The Rock, beach party on the sand behind Hard Rock Hotel: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday; Hard Rock Hotel, 918 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.
JB24 Main Event Show, with vendors, obstacle course and more, sponsored by Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 26 and 27; Daytona International Speedway, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach.
World Famous Jeep Beach Parade: 6:45 a.m. April 28; The annual closing-day Jeep Beach Parade illustrates the event’s community-oriented mindset. Jeeps start cruising the beach early for the annual “Jeep Beach Sweep” to pick up and dispose of trash to leave the beach better than they found it.
If you go
WHAT: Jeep Beach
WHEN: April 19-28
WHERE: Throughout Daytona Beach and Volusia County, including Daytona International Speedway, One Daytona and Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach.
ONLINE: jeepbeach.com
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Jeep Beach Jeeps At the Rock returns to Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach
