Community

Most parents tell their children not to play with fire, but Gilroyan Steve Janisch inspired his daughter to do the exact opposite.

GILROY—The family that volunteers together, stays together.

Each year, the hard work of the Garlic Festival’s volunteers truly pays off with revenue distributions based on the amount of man-hours they put in.

A simple swab of your mouth could save someone’s life. That’s what the Gilroy Rotary Club and Be the Match National Bone Marrow Program team at the Gilroy Garlic Festival want you to know.

While the adults are taking in the food and entertainment of the Garlic Festival, there will be plenty to keep the younger festival goers busy, too.

When it comes to Gilroy’s annual celebration of all things garlic, there’s one item on the menu that often evokes a strong reaction. Love it or hate it, garlic ice cream is a popular treat during the Garlic Festival, which often falls on some of the warmest days of summer.

Similar to the rise in his professional career, Vito Mercado climbed the ranks from a Garlic Festival volunteer in Gourmet Alley to president of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association.

When and where: The 2014 36th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 25 through Sunday, July 27, at Christmas Hill Park, located in the center of town where Miller Avenue meets Uvas Creek. Gates close at 6 p.m.

Hundreds of volunteers were scattered around Christmas Hill Park early Tuesday afternoon, transforming the 25-acre facility on Miller Avenue into the home of the 36th Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival.

A parking lot change during the 36th Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival will shift about half the load to East Day Road and alleviate traffic on Santa Teresa Boulevard, festival organizers said.