Gilroy Garlic Festival Association now accepting submissions for
annual event
Gilroy – The Gilroy Garlic Festival Association is now accepting submissions for its annual poster contest.
As part of the 20-year tradition, the nonprofit association calls on artists nationwide to see who can best capture the sprit of the city’s marquee event, held the last weekend of July each summer.
The winner not only takes home a $750 prize, but also has his or her work serve as the emblem of the annual food festival.
Last year, a square painting of four garlic barbs took first place and adorned a variety of merchandise sold at the Garlic Festival, including aprons, tote bags, notepads and T-shirts. It even appeared on the shirts worn by 3,000 Herbies, the miniature bobble-head doll that serves as the festival’s mascot.
Chris Filice, office manager of the Garlic Festival Association, said there really are no hard and fast rules to the style or type of submission. She said the festival accepts photos as well as paintings done in acrylic, oil, pastels.
“It’s the artist’s interpretation of the Garlic Festival,” Filice said.
The Garlic Festival poster contest began in 1985. This year’s entries for the 28th annual festival must be submitted by March 1 at 5pm. Winners will be notified by March 31. In addition to the first-place prize, the festival association will give $400 and $200, respectively, to the second and third place winners.
Application forms are available by calling the festival association at 408-842-1625. Entries should be mailed the GFA at 7473 Monterey Street, Gilroy, CA 95020.
