GARLIC FESTIVALS
According to L.J. Harris, author of The Book of Garlic, which now unfortunately is out of print, the first known public garlic "event" in the U.S. was held at the Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, CA on 4 July 1976.
The first civic festival, the Gilroy Garlic Festival, was first organized in 1979. It has since grown to major event. Held on the last full weekend of July, well over 150,000 devotees of the "superb herb" descend on the sleepy little town south of San Jose, California. They have a very good time indeed, eating garlic sushi, garlic beef sandwiches, drinking garlic wine, and scarfing down garlic ice cream and garlic escargot - sometimes in that order, depending on which way you tour the booths!
But Gilroy is not alone. We have links to a number of other festivals that are popping up all over the country, dare we say world. If you see one that interests you, give it a click:
Organizers: Please send us your updated information.
If you're going to Eastern Europe, you might want to join the more than 120,000 people who went to the Romanian Garlic Festival in Copalau (near Botosani in Northern Romania) to get their garlic fix last year.
FEBRUARY 2019 Dates TBD
South Florida Garlic Fest
Delray Beach, FL
http://garlicfestfl.com/
JUNE 16-17th, 2018
26th ANNUAL NORTHWEST GARLIC FESTIVAL
Ocean Park, WA
http://nwgarlicfestival.org/
JULY 27 - 29th, 2018
GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL
Gilroy, CA
Gilroy Garlic Festival Association
https://gilroygarlicfestival.com/
August 10th - 12th, 2018
SUMMER FEST & GARLIC OUT WEST
Elephant Garlic Festival
North Plains, OR
http://funstinks.com/
AUGUST 11-12th, 2018
PERTH GARLIC FESTIVAL
Perth, Ontario Canada
www.perthgarlicfestival.com
AUGUST 4-5th, 2018
GLORIOUS GARLIC FESTIVAL
Penn Yann, NY
Fox Run Vineyards
https://foxrunvineyards.com/events-garlicfestival.asp
JULY 7th, 2018
LAVENDER IN THE VILLAGE
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
https://holdmyticket.com/event/310595
AUGUST 11th, 2018
MINNESOTA GARLIC FESTIVAL
https://www.sfa-mn.org/garlicfest/
AUGUST 18-19TH, 2018
ISLE OF WIGHT GARLIC FESTIVAL
United Kingdom
http://garlicfestival.co.uk/
AUGUST 19th, 2018
GRINDROD GARLIC FESTIVAL
Grindrod, BC Canada
https://grindrodgarlicfestival.ca/
AUGUST 24-26TH, 2018
CHEHALIS GARLIC FESTIVAL
Chehalis, WA
www.chehalisgarlicfest.com
DATES TBD FOR 2018
KEYSTONE STATE GARLIC & HERB FESTIVAL
Drums, PA
http://www.zanolininursery.net/Plant-Nursery-Events-Drums-PA.html
AUGUST 26th, 2018
TOMATO AND GARLIC DAY
Phipps Conservatory & Garden
Pittsburg, PA
412.441.4442
https://www.phipps.conservatory.org/calendar/detail/tomato-and-garlic-day
DATES TBD 2018
KEYSTONE STATE GARLIC & HERB FESTIVAL
Drums, PA
http://www.zanolininursery.com/Garlicfestivals.ivnu
SEPTEMBER 1-2nd, 2018
GARLIC AND HERB FESTIVAL
Bennington, VT
http://www.lovegarlic.com/
AUGUST 31st – SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2013
POCONO GARLIC FESTIVAL
Shawnee Ski Area/Shawnee, PA
570.369.6814
http://www.poconogarlic.com/welcome.html
AUGUST 25-26th, 2018
CLEVELAND GARLIC FESTIVAL
Cleveland, OH
http://www.clevelandgarlicfestival.org/
SEPTEMBER 7-8TH, 2013
HILLS GARLIC FESTIVAL
New Denver, BC Canada
250.358.2459
www.hillsgarlicfest.ca
SEPTMEBER 7-8THth, 2013
STRATFORD GARLIC FESTIVAL
Stratford, Ontario Canada
http://www.stratfordgarlicfestival.com
SEPTEMBER 14th, 2013
MOHAWK VALLEY GARLIC FESTIVAL
Little Falls, NY
315.823.0718
http://mvghf.com/
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2013
15TH ANNUAL MDI GARLIC FESTIVAL
Bar Harbor, ME
207.288.0269
http://www.nostrano.com/garlic.html
SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2013
THE ANNUAL GARLIC & TOMATO FESTIVAL AT NORTHWEST ORGANIC FARMS
Ridgefield, WA
360.573.4868
http://www.northwestorganicfarms.com
SEPTEMBER 21-22nd, 2013
9TH ANNUAL CUBA GARLIC FESTIVAL
It will be held at the historic McKinney horse stables of Empire City Farms, Route 305, Cuba, NY. This 350 ft. long beautiful stable was built in the early 1900's from individual, handmade, fire proof concrete blocks and has an eye catching brick-colored ceramic tile roof. It sits majestically on 100 acres of pasture, woods, and farmland. Cuba is home to the famous award-winning Cuba Cheddar Cheese. The festival will have lots of live music with plenty of garlic and farm-themed contests and activities for all ages throughout the weekend.
Cuba, NY Chamber of Commerce 585-968-5654
http://www.cubanewyork.us/garlicfestival.htm
SEPTEMBER 21-22ND, 2013
10TH ANNUAL LONG ISLAND GARLIC FESTIVAL
Riverhead, NY
631.722.8777
www.gardenofevefarm.com
CANCELLED THIS YEAR
8th SHARON SPRINGS GARLIC FESTIVAL
Sharon Springs, NY 13459
518.284.2203
http://www.flushitsolutions.com/ssfest.htm
SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2013
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY GARLIC FESTIVAL
Woodbull Antiques - Milford, NY
(Between I-88 exit17 and Cooperstown)
http://www.svgarlicfestival.com
SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2013
TORONTO GARLIC FESTIVAL
Evergreen Brick Works
Toronto, Ontario, CA
416.888.7829
www.torontogarlicfestival.ca
SEPTEMBER 29-30th, 2018
HUDSON VALLEY GARLIC FESTIVAL
Saugerties, NY
http://www.hvgf.org
OCTOBER 5-6TH, 2013
15th ANNUAL NORTH QUABBIN GARLIC AND ARTS FEST
Orange, MA (near Amherst)
www.garlicandarts.org
OCTOBER 5-6TH, 2013
EASTON GARLIC FEST
Easton, PA
610.252.1188
www.eastongarlicfest.com
OCTOBER 6-7TH, 2018
GARLIC & HARVEST FESTIVAL
Bethlehem Fairgrounds
Bethlehem, CT
www.garlicfestct.com
OCTOBER 12-13TH, 2013
16th ANNUAL VIRGINIA WINE AND GARLIC FESTIVAL
Amherst, VA
434.946.5168
www.rebecwinery.com
If you know of other garlic festivals, email us at thechiefclove@thegarlicstore.com and we'll see that it gets listed.
And as for lovers of the "other allium" there is the Vidalia Onion Festival in the spring in Vidalia, GA, 912-538-8687