Good luck finding a parking space in Downtown Gilroy this
weekend. Just about every spot between Third and Seventh streets
along Monterey Road should be filled with hundreds of classic and
custom cars for the city’s 10th Garlic City Fun Run. Full
article
Today’s breaking news:
Payments to former councilman legit
VIDEO: Daley advocates are ‘not going away’
Supervisors pass budget, cut 309 county jobs
Police will not receive $750K gang prevention grant
Good luck finding a parking space in Downtown Gilroy this weekend.
Just about every spot between Third and Seventh streets along Monterey Road should be filled with hundreds of classic and custom cars for the city’s 10th Garlic City Fun Run, the adopted kickoff event for the following month’s Gilroy Garlic Festival, said Fun Run organizer John Tomasello.
Tomasello said past Fun Runs have drawn between 5,000 and 7,000 visitors, with many venturing downtown during the event’s later hours to enjoy the cooler evening air and watch the lighting of the Gilroy Garlic Bulb.
“The lighting of the bulb is kind of like the lighting of the torch of the Olympics,” said Dave Peoples, owner of Garlic City Mercantile and the Nimble Thimble.
The event will run from noon to 9 p.m.
“It’s a large event. People like coming out,” Tomasello said. “Especially if the weather is nice.”
At least 200 cars should be on display, though past events have had as many as 350 cars.
“That’s when the economy was really going gangbusters,” Tomasello said.
The 2011 version of the Fun Run will feature more entertainment than in years past, as eight bands will perform on three stages throughout the event.
“It’s always so successful because it’s a great event,” Peoples said. “Everybody likes the nostalgia of the hot rod and the custom car. It’s just popular with people’s psyche.”
Peoples said the Fun Run was popular not just for Gilroyans, but residents of surrounding South County communities also loved strolling up and down Monterey Road for the event.
“It really brings the community out. They really have a a good time, he said. “They meet old new friends and new old friends, and it’s really just a special time.”
In addition to merchant awards commonly handed out at the Fun Run, two new awards honoring deceased Gilroyans David Vogel and Wendell Steiner will also be bestowed upon two of the top entries, Tomasello said.
Tomasello said there will be some food and drink stations, but visitors will be encourage to grace downtown’s restaurants.
“We don’t go crazy with food booths with the thinking being we want people to eat at the local restaurants downtown,” he said.
