Tickets: General admission is $12. Tickets for senior citizens 60 and older and children 6 to 12 are $6. Children younger than 6 get in free.

Cocktail conversation: This is the festival's 27th year. More than 4,000 volunteers power the inner workings - picking up trash, putting up shade tents and parking cars. All the volunteers are paid an "hourly wage" that goes to the charity they have agreed to work for.

Geography: There are two sides to Christmas Hill Park - the Ranch side north of Miller Avenue, which dissects the park, and the Park side. Miller Avenue is closed for the three-day festival.

If you're driving: Follow the large signs directing motorists to the parking lots located near the park. Shuttle buses will transport guests to and from the festival. Handicapped parking and transportation is available. If you're local enough to know better, drive city streets to Miller Avenue, park and walk half a mile. Or better yet, ride a bicycle along the beautiful Uvas Levee and cruise into the best party west of New Orleans.

Refreshments: Free water is available and three beer gardens and one wine tent are located throughout the grounds.

Restrooms: Unisex bathrooms (OK, they're port-a-potties) are located around the perimeter of the park.

Hot souvenir: Limited editions of the Gilroy Garlic Festival bobblehead doll known as Herbie are available. There are only about 3,000 Herbies, this year dressed in a chef's apron, for sale.

First aid: Volunteers from the American Red Cross will be on hand to deal with minor injuries. Emergency services are located on the park side between the children's area and administration. In addition, paramedics on bikes will roam the festival grounds.

Pets: Don't bring your pet. The festival at one time featured a kennel, but that's been discontinued, so there's nowhere to stash Fido.

Short on cash: ATM's will be set up near the Amphitheater, in the middle of the park near Gourmet Alley and on the Ranch side near Garlic Avenue.

What to bring: Your driver's license for the beer gardens or wine tents, a hat or visor, sunscreen, money (remember, this is for charity) and don't forget to wear comfortable shoes. A camera might be a good idea to capture images of your day.

Security: Plenty of Gilroy police officers will roam the grounds, particularly on Saturday and Sunday afternoons near the amphitheater before and after the ever-popular rock 'n' roll band Shaboom plays. Some officers will be on horseback at peak times. Security personnel will man the gates with electronic wands and parole officers will be on hand.

Arts and crafts: One hundred artisans selling everything from pottery to garlic to art, will offer their wares. Booths will be split between the Ranch and Park sides.

Hot tickets: The second year of the garlic pasta con pesto promises to be better, chefs said. Also, rock 'n' roll band Shaboom plays on the amphitheater stage from 2:30 to 4pm Saturday, and from 3 to 4:30 Sunday. And, mariachis will stroll the grounds.

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