Gilroy Garlic Festival — If You Can Stand the Heat!
Wow! It’s hot as …. at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Just the ideal temperature to celebrate one of California’s beloved crops, the humble garlic. This gourmet event takes place July 26-28, 2019, welcoming thousands of garlic fans who come to sample free garlic ice cream. Menu items sold by food vendors include garlic fries, garlic bread (the best!), garlic shrimp, garlic calamari, garlic veggies, burgers and more.
In addition to Garlic Chef Jr. competition for kids, there’s Saturday’s 41st annual Great Garlic Cook-Off. Professional chefs take the stage on Sunday for the Garlic Showdown. And BBQ pros and amateurs compete in the Gilroy Garli-Que BBQ Challenge on Saturday and Sunday.
With constant musical entertainment on multiple stages, this year’s headliner is Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat with her new band Gone West.
While the new signature cocktail for 2019 is Whiskey Daisy (similar to a whiskey sour,) you can also still get the Garlic Festival Mule served in a souvenir copper mug.
Even though they say, “If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen,” Gilroy Garlic Festival has plenty of places to chill. It’s a gourmet thrill in late July. Here are some more food festivals where you can savor the July flavor.
Garlic Gossip
- Throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties.
- One ounce of garlic contains RDA: 23% Manganese, 17% Vitamin B6, 15% Vitamin C, 6% Selenium, plus calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.
- Raw apples, lettuce and mint leaves are said to help eliminate garlic breath.
