GILROY
– It was called
”
The first of the next 25 years
”
and lived up to the title.
The 26th Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival proved the celebration
that put Gilroy on the map is here to stay and, some say, gets
better every year.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – It was called “The first of the next 25 years” and lived up to the title.
The 26th Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival proved the celebration that put Gilroy on the map is here to stay and, some say, gets better every year.
If one phrase could be used to describe this year’s three-day festival, it would be “smooth sailing,” according to organizers and patrons who reveled in warm but not-too-hot temperatures and soaked up the laid-back atmosphere that permeated Christmas Hill Park.
Once again, a crowd of roughly 120,000 people descended upon this city of 46,000 to revel in the stinking rose, a variety of music and entertainment, arts and crafts and, of course, the hospitality of more than 4,000 local volunteers responsible for running the festival.
“Clearly, why the festival ran so smoothly is these people here,” said festival President John Zekanoski at the party for association and committee members, organizers and past presidents, Sunday after the fest.
He credited Garlic Festival Founder Rudy Melone with establishing a system that builds upon the knowledge and strengths of festival organizers who came before.
“It’s a learning process, and as you learn, you apply what you learn to the others coming into the system,” Zekanoski said. “You leave and allow other people to come in.”
All about the food
More so than other towns’ agricultural festivals, the Gilroy Garlic Fest revolves around food. The first place many people head for is Gourmet Alley, symbolically placed as the festival’s geographic centerpiece, where pyro chefs create flame-ups all day long with the sounds of rock ‘n’ roll music in the background.
The calamari, perhaps the most famous of the Gourmet Alley favorites, won over Linda and Lino Lopez, of Pittsburgh, who were visiting the festival for the first time.
“That is not really garlicky, but it tastes really good,” Linda, 52, said.
She and Lino, 66, sat in the shade near the gazebo stage and munched while listening to the sounds of Melissa Rapp. They’d heard about the festival on their local TV news and said it was “the smell of garlic” that brought them to Gilroy Sunday.
Since so many mouth-watering options exist at Gourmet Alley, the combo plate has long been a favorite. For $10, one could sample about half of the Alley’s offerings. Then one would go back for extras like shrimp scampi.
This year, however, some people found themselves stumped as they approached the booths to find their old faithful combo had acquired a twin. Combo No. 1 was familiar: calamari, peppersteak sandwich and penne con pesto, a variation on the old pasta con pesto. No. 2 included scampi, ginger-garlic chicken stir fry and an Italian sausage sandwich. Both were topped off with marinated mushrooms and garlic bread.
Some found themselves unable to make up their minds, but the vast majority of those The Dispatch spoke to resolved the dilemma with teamwork. Two people got different combos and shared them.
Keith Mahoney of San Jose and Ramona Collins of Milpitas found the experience more rewarding than ever before, and they’ve been to a few Garlic Fests in their day.
“We said, ‘OK, great! Now we can try them all,’ ” Mahoney said.
Lori Isaacson from Castro Valley was disappointed with the new pesto recipe.
“The other noodles are 200 percent better. It’s better with the with raw garlic; there’s more punch,” she said. She’s been coming to the festival for 14 years and dropped her plan to take some of the pasta home for later.
Charles Clemons, also known as Mix Master C, volunteered his time this year to DJ in Gourmet Alley. He kept a steady stream of music, taking rock’n’roll requests from the pyro chefs and playing country for the pepper steak masters.
“The music makes the day go faster and helps them work a little faster,” he said.
Sam Bozzo, one-half of the cooking duo SakaBozzo with Gene Sakahara, reported that sales of the Garlic Fried Bologna Sandwich were holding strong. The pair’s new festival dish was on track to sell more than 4,000 half-sandwich samplings.
Great weather, low-key crowds
Friday brought a typically smaller crowd of about 27,000. That, plus a peak temperature of 85 degrees, made for a smooth day. Saturday was again 85 degrees, with a light breeze, and organizers marveled at the fest’s laid-back atmosphere.
“When we see the clouds in the area and the fog cover, we know it’s going to be a good day,” said Vice President Jennifer Speno. “We couldn’t pray for better weather.”
Sunday was a little warmer, with a high of 90 degrees and not much wind.
“I think it’s been quiet because of all the planning that’s been done,” said Speno, who added that for the first time in many years of volunteering, she was able to take some time out with her family this weekend.
Saturday evening as the crowd cleared Christmas Hill Park and volunteers packed up and prepared for Sunday, Zekanoski showed that, as a volunteer, his work is never done. After checking his watch to confirm it was after 7 p.m. and the festival was officially closed, Zekanoski skillfully poured himself a cold beer.
He took a few minutes to reflect on some of the more exciting events of the day – specifically, his ride in the CHP helicopter Saturday morning.
“I brought my camera and took, like, 150 different pictures,” he said. “I’ve got them all on my computer.”
Walking out the Hospitality area near the Cook-Off stage, Zekanoski waved hello and exchanged greetings with various organizers, emergency service workers and Garlic Festival Association Executive Director Dick Nicholls.
Friday morning is always exciting, he said, because last-minute preparations are coming together and the air is full of excitement. Saturday and Sunday, volunteers are a little more tired, both from working at the festival and the after-hours celebrations.
Zekanoski attended two such celebrations Friday night, getting less than five hours of sleep before returning Saturday. He planned to go to one party Saturday night as well. But, full of energy, Zekanoski continued his rounds of the park, checking in with the troops and buoying spirits.
Parasols and merchandise sales
At the mercantile, bobblehead Herbie dolls sold out within two hours on Friday, didn’t sell out Saturday and were selling steadily Sunday. Many vendors lined up Friday morning before the festival opened to get their shopping out of the way.
“It’s hard for them to get away from their booths with the crowds,” said Erwin Boggs, manager of the Garlic Mercantile booth.
One of the first visitors in line, George Fallon, planned to head straight toward the bobbleheads.
“I just can’t forgive myself for missing the first one,” said Fallon, a festival regular who waited for the gates to open with his wife, Liz and granddaughter Brittany.
In the Children’s Area, Cindy Espitia of Fresno walked with her two children and her sister’s three children, all of whom carried parasols, one of this year’s hottest selling items. Espitia said they’d been at the Garlic Festival less than an hour when they decided to purchase the five parasols for some protection from the heat and sun.
“We saw people carrying them, and we finally asked somebody where they got them from,” Espitia said.
It may not have been as hot as past fests, but the blazing sun still drove people to seek out shade periodically. This year, there was a new place to find it.
Spread throughout the wide, sunny pathways in front of the food booths were 40 large, square umbrellas provided by San Jose company Sun or Shade at the request of Garlic Festival officials.
“We asked the (Festival) director, ‘What’s your worst problem?'” said Nancy Reese of Sun or Shade. “He said, ‘The sun is my nemesis.'”
Sun-shy festival-goers enjoyed the umbrellas free of charge this weekend, but to take one home cost $1,299.
‘It’s the funnest’
Once again, local rock ‘n’ rollers Shaboom thrilled huge crowds at the amphitheater stage both Saturday and Sunday. Some concert-goers watched from the stands – crowding into the shaded areas – but hundreds kicked up their heels to the classic ’50s and ’60s beats.
Charlie McIntire, of Gilroy, and Gayle Smith, of Hollister, danced with zest Sunday despite the 90-degree heat. As Shaboom played its namesake song, they rested a bit in the shade.
McIntire said he comes to the festival every year for one reason, and it’s not just the food.
“Dancing,” he said.
And he’ll dance to no one but Shaboom.
“Their songs are the best for dancing,” he said.
Although the garlic bulb was lit early Friday morning, this year’s festival officially kicked off at 11:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies held at the Cook-Off stage. County Supervisor Don Gage, Mayor Al Pinheiro, Zekanoski and more than a dozen past festival presidents welcomed the crowd to the garlic capital of the world.
“I know that most of the people keep coming back one day or two days, year after year,” Gage said. “Some even come all three days because this is not only the best, it’s the funnest, if that’s a word.”
Gage asked Garlic Queen Alika Spencer and her court to line the stage just before Zekanoski welcomed the crowd seated in the grandstands.
Zekanoski thanked the volunteers for their dedication during the three-day party and credited the city of Gilroy for playing host to a world-class fest.
“Without the people in this town, the Garlic Festival would not be possible,” he said.
Staff Writer Peter Crowley and Staff Intern Megan Stevens contributed to this report.
