Gilroy Garlic Festival

The Gilroy Garlic Festival was[1] a food festival in the United States, held annually from 1979[2] to 2019 at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy, California, on the last full weekend in July. After cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a drive-through festival was held on July 23–25 and 30–31 July and August 1, 2021.[3] In April 2022, the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association announced the indefinite suspension of the traditional large-format festival, and that it would instead host smaller individual events.[4][5] In May 2022, the festival was canceled permanently.[1]

Gilroy Garlic Festival
Gilroy Garlic Festival Logo
StatusCeased
GenreFairs
BeginsLast Friday in July
EndsFollowing Sunday
FrequencyAnnually
VenueChristmas Hill Park
Location(s)Gilroy, California
Coordinates36°59′52″N 121°35′7″W
CountryUnited States
Years active1979–2019, 2021
Websitegilroygarlicfestival.com

An annual three-day event,[6] the Gilroy Garlic Festival was one of the country's best known food festivals, drawing visitors from across the nation.[7] Located about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of San Jose, Gilroy is home to about 60,000 people, and the city is a major producer of garlic.[6] The festival was Gilroy's top fundraiser, staffed with volunteers to raise money for nonprofit groups including clubs and schools.[7]

History

The inaugural Garlic Festival was held in 1979. Rudolph J. Malone, then President of Gavilan College in Gilroy, was inspired by a small town in France which hosted an annual garlic festival and claimed to be the "Garlic Capital of the World." Malone started the festival, which attracted more than hundreds of thousands of paying visitors a year.[2]

2019 shooting
Main article: Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting

On July 28, 2019, a mass shooting occurred at the 41st edition of the festival.[7] Three people were killed, in addition to the gunman, and 12 others were injured.[8][9]

COVID-19 pandemic and cancellation

The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while 2021 saw a drive-thru festival.[4] In April 2022, the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association announced that the event will be canceled indefinitely due to prolonged losses, "lingering uncertainties from the pandemic," and "prohibitive insurance requirements by the City of Gilroy" since the 2019 shooting.[4][10] The association reportedly announced it would instead hold smaller events spread throughout the year.[4] The festival is now confirmed to be canceled indefinitely.[1]

The Garlic Festival was featured by Huell Howser in Road Trip Episode 124.[11]

  • garlic food varieties (2006)
    Garlic food varieties, 2006
  • More garlic food choices (2006)
    Garlic food choices, 2006
  • Garlic themed T-shirts (2006)
    Garlic themed t-shirts, 2006
  • Visitors enjoy free samples of garlic ice cream (2007)
    Visitors tasting free samples of garlic ice cream, 2007
  • Calamari being cooked, 2011

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gilroy Garlic Festival.

References
  1. Guerrero, Susana (May 2, 2022). "Gilroy Garlic Festival is not returning, despite reports". SF Gate. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  2. Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. (November 3, 1998). "Rudolph Melone, 73, Founder of California's Gilroy Garlic Festival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019.
  3. Dorsey, Dustin (July 20, 2021). "Here's how the reimagined 2021 Gilroy Garlic Festival will work at Gilroy Presbyterian Church". ABC 7 News. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  4. "Gilroy Garlic Festival Cancels Annual Event Indefinitely". nbcbayarea.com. April 21, 2022.
  5. Echeverria, Danielle (April 22, 2022). "Gilroy Garlic Festival canceled for foreseeable future". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  6. Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas; Fortin, Jacey (July 28, 2019). "Gilroy Festival Shooting in California Kills at Least 3". The New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  7. Vo, Thy; Sulek, Julia Prodis; Green, Jason (July 28, 2019). "Four dead, including suspect, and at least 15 hurt after shooting at Gilroy Garlic Festival". The Mercury News. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  8. "Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting: Suspect Santino William Legan, 19, identified as gunman who allegedly killed 3 people". ABC News. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  9. Rubenstein, Steve; Hernandez, Lauren; Wu, Gwendolyn; Fracassa, Dominic (July 29, 2019) [July 28, 2019]. "Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting: 3 killed, 12 wounded, gunman dead". San Francisco Chronicle.
  10. Rivera, Kurt (12 August 2022). "Inaugural California Garlic Festival kicks off this weekend in Stockton". abc10.com. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  11. "Gilroy – Road Trip (124) – Huell Howser Archives at Chapman University".

Sources
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