Nearly every community in the lush Santa Clara Valley can trace its heritage - literally roots - back to the days when we were called “The Valley of Hearts Delight.” Sunnyvale was known for its cherries, and has a park with cherry trees in the middle of town to remind us of that; San Jose was home to prunes, apricots, and other fruit trees, and has acres of tract homes with legacy fruit trees in their yards! Gilroy, in the mostly flat, warmer, south end of the valley area (Gilroy is about 30 miles south of San Jose), while having its share of other crops, has become known worldwide as the self-described garlic capital of the world. No matter that more garlic now grows in China, Gilroy’s Garlic Festival (GilroyGarlicFestival.com) is the premier event for those loving all things garlic.

Garlic ice cream? Yes, even garlic ice cream. This year’s winning recipe was - believe it or not - for garlic cookies, Spicy Garlic Butter cookies to be exact. About 4,000 volunteers have over the years grown the dream of Rudy Melone and Don Christopher into a multi-day event which this year drew over 108,000 people to sample garlic’s many culinary uses. Many local charities and non-profits benefit from this foodie extravaganza including the American Red Cross, Hospice of Hollister, and Gilroy Gators Swim Club. In 2008 the Garlic Festival raised about $1.72 million for more than 150 local charities and non-profits.

Interested in Gilroy or the Garlic Festival? Go to the website for the city of Gilroy, CityofGilroy.org, and GilroyGarlicFestival.com for more facts, figures, and information. Go to our website, AlteraSV.com, for more property and local community information.

Photos of the Garlic Festival included in this post by Bill Strange, Official Festival Photographer.

Posted By: Colleen Badagliacco