GILROY
– In the spirit of the 2004 Olympics, about 50 California
families will compete in a unique type of summer games at this
year’s Garlic Festival.
GILROY – In the spirit of the 2004 Olympics, about 50 California families will compete in a unique type of summer games at this year’s Garlic Festival.
The “Minivan Summer Games” tests the speed, coordination and teamwork of families competing in a series of challenges designed to exaggerate the everyday responsibilities of busy families running from one activity to the next with the help of the trusty minivan. The winning team will have the opportunity to compete for the gold in New York City.
“From a family perspective, it creates an opportunity where families can come together to work as a team and have fun” said Eileen Wunderlich, spokesperson for DaimierChrysler. “Also, minivans are an important part of everyday life so we’ve created these games that exaggerate normal things we do with our minivans.”
The competition includes four games which test teams’ speed and accuracy.
During ‘Stow ‘n Go Bonkers’ players will scramble to pack the car with a variety of oddly shaped cargo as quickly as possible.
‘Stuff Enough Stuff’ requires teams to pack a set of items out of sight to maximize room for passengers. During ‘Water Cup Polo,’ contenders race from a kiddy pool to the minivan with cups of plastic water beads. The quicker they can fill the cupholders without spilling any contents, the more points they receive. ‘Creature Feature’ requires teams to complete specific tasks.
To make the rounds even more interesting, the organizers of the event have created slight twists in the games. For example, during ‘Water Cup Polo,’ everyone begins by sitting buckled into the van wearing life preservers.
Motivated by a trip to New York and prizes including a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country or Dodge Grand Caravan, 879 teams applied to compete in the Garlic Festival competition. The event will be held Saturday at Gate 1.
