GILROY
– Variety is the key word when it comes to entertainment at this
year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival.
GILROY – Variety is the key word when it comes to entertainment at this year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival.
Old favorites and newly introduced bands and performers will convene on three stages of continuous entertainment throughout the three-day event.
“We try to run a good variety of music on all three stages,” said Kirsten Carr, entertainment committee chair. “It’s important to have the type of music that’s conducive to a festival atmosphere.”
Performers will be on stage from around 10:30 each morning until 6:30 p.m. The three stages are the KSBW Amphitheater, located on the far end of the park side, the Gazebo, in the middle of the festival, and the KRTY Vineyard Stage, located on the ranch side of Christmas Hill Park.
Musicians vary from country to dance to jazz to pop to honky tonk. Favorites Shaboom, a northern California ’50s and 60’s surf band, and the Corvairs return. New ensembles include San Francisco honky tonk band Red Meat and a cappella Hookslide.
“We have long-time favorite bands and exciting newcomers,” Carr said. “We wanted to have things all people would enjoy.”
Everyday, there will be strolling music throughout the festival. These wanders include Central Coast Sax, Barry Kaufman, Bonkers and Jelly Bean, Garlic City Harmony and Tommy Bro’s Hecker Pass Dixieland Jazz Band.
“We wanted variety on all three stages because we want people to find something interesting in what they’re looking to do,” Carr said. “We wanted to get people moving throughout the festival. There’s no way someone can’t find music they’re interested in.”
There will also be a music stage in the Children’s Area. Performances include puppet shows, schools of dance, Hawaiian dancing, juggling and the Ronald McDonald Show.
Having entertainment at the Garlic Festival brings spice to the other events, Carr said.
“Entertainment adds extra flair to an already amazing food festival,” she said. “People can listen and watch while they’re eating calamari. They can dance off the garlic bread they eat.”
