Excerpt from the first
Gilroy Garlic Festival Program
Written by Dr. Rudy Malone
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
“Beyond a doubt, many people throughout the country, and
particularly the West Coast, know about the Festival. Stories,
items, and announcements have gone out as a result of the
promotion committee’s work. … How many people will come
and from where? That’s anyone’s guess right now, but surely
they will number in the thousands and from hundreds of cities
and towns throughout the West.
And, what is available: there are booths, all kinds of
entertainment, displays, tours and events but the real drawing
card — the unique quality of the Festival — is the GARLICKY
FOOD. The decor (thousands of garlic braids), the wine and the
entertainment are great, but the FOOD WILL BE FABULOUS! …
the cooking takes place on the Festival grounds in an open air
kitchen with the chefs in full view of the strolling partakers.
Booths, incidentally, are sponsored by a variety of local civic
organizations and businesses.
The merchandise and display booths offer everything
imaginable related to garlic.… Entertainment ranges through
opera, minstrel singers, rock bands, mimes, Sweet Adelines,
country western, banjo’s and gymnasts. There are also spe-
cial events for the kiddies — puppets, magicians, games and
Mr. Gourmet Garlic, who delights children of all ages.
The “Miss Garlic Festival” Beauty Pageant, July 31 was at
the Gilroy High School Theater; Gilroy Rotary Club Luncheon
honoring Garlic, August 2 at the Elk’s Lodge; George Archer
Garlic Festival Invitational Tournament, August 3 at Gilroy Golf
Course; Gilroy Chamber of Commerce Garlic Barbeque, August
3 at Christmas Hill Park; “Kismet” — Gilroy Community Theatre
Association, August 3 and 4 at the Gavilan College Theatre with
a champagne reception following the August 3 opening night;
Johnny Rusk — A Tribute to Elvis Presley, plus Larry Hosford
and his country western band, August 4 at the Gilroy High
School Football Stadium; Great Garlic Cook-off — climax of
the original garlic recipe contest, August 4 at Gavilan College
Kitchen; Gilroy Garlic Gallop — 10,000 meter race, August
5, from Las Animas Park at 10:30 a.m. starting time, to finish
on the Festival grounds where Hope Center will be offering a
pancake breakfast for early arrivals.
Add all this to a chance to meet Joe Carcione, famous
“Green Grocer” and garlic fan, and a chance to tour the local
garlic fields, packing plants, and processing plants on Sunday,
August 5 from 8 am to noon.
Truly, we hope it will be a joyful and memorable even. Many,
many good people worked hard with me to make this a high
point in your life. Our only motive, the celebration of garlic and
our fine community. You’ll see them all around the Festival
grounds with their garlic-logo T-shirts and special name tags.
Thank them for me, won’t you?”
JUNE/JULY 2018
gmhtoday.com