Tag Archives: Garlic Festival

“The Garlic Capital of America” to Host Annual Garlic Festival This Weekend

Garlic Stuffed Olives, Local, , , , , , , ,

What could possibly draw an estimated 100,000+ people to Gilroy, CA every summer for the past 36 years? Garlic of course!

The Gilroy Garlic Festival, one of the largest food festivals in the country, is a 3-day celebration of Gilroy’s robust garlic crop filled with incredible garlicky food,  beverages, arts & crafts, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, a children’s area and so much more. This year’s festival is happening this weekend, July 25-27, 2014 at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy, about 30 miles south of San Jose off Highway 101.

We, at Jeff’s Naturals, are fans of this festival not only because it raises millions of dollars for various local charities, but because each of our delectable Garlic Stuffed olives are hand stuffed with plump and savory cloves of garlic that were grown in nearby…..you guessed it……Gilroy, California, the garlic capital of the U.S.

If you ever have a chance to go, we highly recommend it! Here are 10 Garlic Festival attractions you must see:

1: Gourmet Alley Food
2: Free Garlic Ice Cream
3: Flame-ups by Gourmet Alley Pyro Chefs
4: Cook-off Theater
5: Arts & Crafts
6: Children’s Area
7: Gourmet Alley Demonstration Stage
8: Wine Pavilion
9: Amphitheater
10: Mercantile

The “Pyro Chefs” in Gourmet Alley put on a spectacular flame-up show while preparing garlic-laced calamari and scampi in huge iron skillets. Photo Source: gilroygarlicfestival.com
Learn how garlic is harvested in the field by watching local experts compete in the garlic topping competition.
Learn how garlic is harvested in the field by watching local experts compete in the garlic topping competition. Photo Source: gilroygarlicfestival.com
Carla Hall of ABC-TV’s “The Chew” hosted the Garlic Showdown and charmed Cook-Off Theater attendees with a cooking demonstration.
Carla Hall of ABC-TV’s “The Chew” hosted the Garlic Showdown and charmed Cook-Off Theater attendees with a cooking demonstration. Photo Source: gilroygarlicfestival.com

So when you are enjoying one of our garlic stuffed olives, take a moment to appreciate the family farms in Gilroy where these plump and savory cloves of garlic came from. To learn more about this unique festival, it’s history and the wonderful work these volunteers do for their community, visit gilroygarlicfestival.com.

Photo credit: besighyawn via photopin cc