Good news on the 2007 Garlic Festival pours in after a weekend
that featured perfect weather, higher attendance and happy
crowds
Weather, perfect. Crowds, mellow and happy. Garlic fries, a scrumptious hit. Attendance, trending higher. New hit on the big stage, chef Guy Fieri.
The 2007 Gilroy Garlic Festival ran like clockwork. It’s a garlic machine powered by the sustainable juice of community volunteerism and good will.
Even the news that ’07 will likely mark the end of an amazingly popular run by the festival favorite, rock ‘n’ roll band Shaboom, couldn’t dampen the post-festival report.
People spent freely, they roamed Christmas Hill Park with smiles and bellies filled with delectable treats, and they went home happy, undoubtedly sharing the good times news with friends.
Many of those friends will be back next year to indulge in Gourmet Alley scampi, check out Garlic Idol, watch the Iron Chef competition, enjoy local wines, have fun with Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri on the Cookoff Stage and bust a move or two on a makeshift dance floor. It’s all about the fun, fun, fun.
Can it be better? Sure, Gilroy proves it every year, tinkering with the recipe for success to improve the experience for everyone.
Our top suggestion: turn those new dinky shade tents dotting the grounds into a few bigger tents that really do provide some shade. And what about taking a serious look at signage? Directing folks to event times and places – like the Garlic Idol competition and the Got Milk skateboard demonstrations – would be very customer friendly.
Those customers are a testament to the Garlic Festival magic Gilroy has worked.
Think about the customer base, and how it’s changed and grown. There is something for everyone at the festival now. The better-than-ever children’s area, Garlic Idol, the Iron Chef, the country music stage, the expanded arts and crafts areas, the Garlic Mercantile stores … whether you’re a shopper, an eater, an arts lover, a mom or a music fan, there’s an avenue for enjoyment.
A tip of the goofy garlic hat to President Judy Lazurus and every Gilroyan who helped lift the 2007 festival to new heights. It’s a fine thing our fest, thanks for taking care of it.
