The Gilroy Garlic Festival is the largest food festival in the United States, held annually in Gilroy, California on the last full weekend in July at Christmas Hill Park. The 27th festival runs from July 29 to July 312005. In 2004 122,675 people attended, sampling such diverse creations as garlic ice cream and garlic french fries. Attendees also enjoy three stages full of musical entertainment, a Great Garlic Cook-off, celebrity cooking demonstrations, a children's area, arts and crafts, and many interactive displays. A Queen of Garlic is also crowned yearly, chosen by a panel of six judges based on her personal interview, talent, garlic speech and evening gown. Her court is also chosen, for the purpose of representing Gilroy at various festivities and "having a garlicy good time with fellow lovers of the pungent bulb". The 2004 Queen was Queen Alika.[1] Over 4000 volunteers from 166 non-profit groups make the festival possible, and over three million people have reportedly come to the festival since it began.

The festival was founded in 1979 by Dr. Rudy Melone , and has been a fundraiser for local charities, raising a total of nearly seven million dollars for assorted causes. Individual groups and charities also run booths at the festival, raising additional funds for their causes. The Gilroy Garlic Festival Association is a non-profit organization intended to support non-profit groups and projects in Gilroy.

External link

• Official Gilroy Garlic Festival website