Detroit 4Fest: Ford Hands Order Holders the Keys for Some Filthy Fun

Oct 07, 2021
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Recently, order holders tasted what it’s like to spend a weekend getting the 2021 Bronco downright dirty. Ford invited local owners-to-be out to Detroit 4Fest for some quality time behind the wheel of the vehicle people can’t wait to get. Many drivers combined their first experience with the SUV with their inaugural trip off the pavement –– and you can bet a love for the hobby was born.

The Festival

Detroit 4Fest, a massive off-roading event held at Michigan’s Holly Oaks ORV Park, ran for its third year on September 25-26. Off-road enthusiasts gathered to wheel, look at new vehicles, shop parts, and attend skills sessions and equipment demos.

The Trails

Holly Oaks gives off-roaders access to 100+ acres of rock and rubble, sand, mud, and gravel, with another 200+ acres opening by 2023. If you’re in the area, you need to try out the park. Ford gave order holders the keys and let them sample the tech and power in this glorious playground. Trail Turn Assist and G.O.A.T. modes were tested, and customers returned declaring the Bronco better than they could have imagined. Some even came back with a plan: to test as many trims and powertrain options as possible. Even steady morning rain couldn’t stop the smiles of those waiting in line to head out again, and dozens upon dozens of other people stopped by for a Ford Ride and Drive in the 2021 Bronco and 2021 Bronco Sport.

The Trends

The event, title-sponsored by Jeep, had a serious presence of Ford fans –– but good competition didn’t get in the way of a community goal: to enjoy increasingly capable vehicles off-road and educate one another about using the outdoors responsibly.

Read: Bronco and Wrangler lock horns at Detroit 4Fest

In the last couple years, the number of people purchasing trucks, SUVs, RVs, and UTVs with the purpose of getting outside has exploded. That brings both a blessing and a burden to the off-road/outdoor adventure community: It forces manufacturers and suppliers to bring their best, but it also loads the land with a new group that may not know of best practices in stewardship.

To facilitate discussion, 4Fest hosted panels focused on collaboration and the future. Ford, Tread Lightly, King of the Hammers, Jeep, and more spoke to how they are pushing technology and knowledge forward … with a healthy dose of good-natured ribbing, because as Ford’s North American Passenger Vehicle Communications manager Jiyan Cadiz says, off-roading brings an upbeat camaraderie. The activity is engaging; it’s trial and error. It always leaves something more to tackle and return to try again.

And certainly, for our group here and those who experienced the trails at the event, the Bronco is the vehicle to do it in.

Looking for your own off-road adventure before you take delivery? The four Off-Roadeo locations have been valuable in helping the community experience the 2021 Bronco right away.

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