Festival Friday: Gilroy Garlic Festival

Time to head south into Santa Clara County’s ag land for the annual homage to the stinking rose. Prepare those taste buds, not to mention your nose, for a truly unique culinary experience in all things garlic. The Gilroy Garlic Festival is celebrating its 30th year, and is expecting several hundred thousand people over the course of three days.

Gourmet Alley, the central focus point of the festival, with 60 vendors serving up the famous garlic fries, shrimp scampi, pastas, stuffed mushrooms, candied garlic, garlic ice cream, and more. (All available in full servings from $2-10.) You’ll see cooking demonstrations, held every hour, on the Demonstration Stage. Saturday brings the Great Garlic Cook-Off with 8 finalists vying for the coveted award and $1000 prize.

Three stages are erected throughout the venue, providing constant entertainment. You can enjoy rock, blues, country, Motown, surfabilly, reggae, alternative, swing, and just about everything else you might want. They even throw in belly dancers. If you bring the kids, there is a whole area set up just for them with games, arts and crafts, and storytellers. A stage is set up providing puppet shows, magicians, music, and a ventriloquist.

The weather is slated to be mid-80s, so bring the sunscreen and a hat, wear your walking shoes, and enjoy several acres of food and entertainment.

When: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Time: 10 am to 7 pm
Where: Christmas Hill Park, Gilroy
Cost: $12 General, $6 Senior and Children 6-12 (Under 6 are free)

Getting There: The two options this year are car or VTA. There will be no CalTrain service this year. Directions can be found here.

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