Gilroy is the Gilroy Garlic Festival. As the city’ s most well-known event, it draws visitors from across California and beyond, transforming Gilroy into a destination. The festival celebrates the crop that has shaped the city’ s identity, offering a wide range of food, live entertainment, and community-driven activities. While it is known for its scale and popularity, the festival also reflects something more personal: a sense of pride in local traditions and a willingness to share that identity with others. For many residents, it is both a celebration and a reminder of the generations of work that built the city’ s reputation.

For the second year since the official Garlic Festival comback, this year ' s 3-day Fest will be held at Gilroy Gardens. 4,000 tickets per day are available for purchase- but they go fast. Stay tuned to the Gilroy Garlic Festival Assocition on social media to be notified when tickets go on sale.

Beyond the festival, downtown Gilroy becomes increasingly active during the summer months. Monterey Street, in particular, transforms into a social center where people gather to enjoy the extended daylight and warm evenings. Restaurants open their patios, and seasonal menus highlight ingredients sourced from nearby farms at their peak freshness. Cafés and small businesses benefit from the steady flow of foot traffic, creating an atmosphere that feels both energetic and welcoming. The combination of local residents and visiting guests adds to the sense of movement, making downtown feel like a central meeting place for the community.

Community events play a significant role in shaping the rhythm of summer. Outdoor concerts, evening markets, and neighborhood gatherings create opportunities for people to come together in relaxed, open-air settings. These events range in size and scope, but they share a common purpose: strengthening connections between residents. While larger events may draw attention from outside the city, it is often the smaller, recurring gatherings that leave the strongest impression, offering a sense of familiarity and belonging that defines Gilroy’ s community spirit.

Outdoor spaces also become essential during the summer. Christmas Hill Park, widely recognized as the home of the Garlic Festival, serves as both an event venue and a place for everyday recreation. Families gather for picnics, sports leagues fill the fields, and

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SUMMER 2026 Gilroy • Morgan Hill TODAY: Rooted in Community • Rising Together! gmhtoday. com 29