Like the bulbs that sprout in Gilroy’s soil, Garlic Festival
Queen Lauren Iwanaga’s roots are deeply entrenched in the town she
calls home.
Like the bulbs that sprout in Gilroy’s soil, Garlic Festival Queen Lauren Iwanaga’s roots are deeply entrenched in the town she calls home.
Iwanaga’s grandfather, Jack Obata, grew garlic in the area long before Gilroy became famous for the pungent plant, and she takes pride in being a third-generation Gilroyan.
That’s one reason that Iwanaga, 23, can hardly contain her enthusiasm as she gets to represent the city this weekend in her royal role.
“I think I should be paying to do all the stuff I get to do,” she said before clapping and smiling. “I’m just stoked.”
Iwanaga has sought to participate in the Garlic Festival pageant since she was a girl. She took classes at Lana’s Dance Studio when she was younger, and recalled how the older students would compete.
Schedule conflicts prevented the new queen from participating in the pageant when she was a senior in high school, and then she attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
However, Iwanaga finally got the chance to compete last year, earning the title of first runner up. She decided to give it another go this year, as it would be the last time she would meet the 18-24 age requirement to serve as queen.
“I was a little hesitant this year because I was working full time, but I knew I couldn’t pass up this last opportunity,” she said.
In addition to taking top honors, Iwanaga won the pageant’s talent competition with a jazz dance and a speech titled “The Festival Bachelorette.” She got several laughs from the audience during her presentation in March, patterned after ABC’s “The Bachelor,” in which she had to choose between Mr. Garlic Festival, Mr. Mushroom Mardi Gras and Mr. Artichoke Festival.
“You may come out as pungent and spicy, but you sure know how to mellow out, and you can be so sweet – that’s what I love about you,” Iwanaga said before choosing Mr. Garlic Festival as her beau.
Iwanaga came away from the competition with $3,000 in scholarship money, including a $1,000 Gilroy Rotary Scholarship, the $500 ConAgra Foods Scholarship, the $500 Founding Fathers Scholarship and a $1,000 scholarship. That money should come in handy as she seeks to get her teaching credential at Santa Clara University.
She wants to get more people involved in the annual pageant, saying that there seemed to be less participation these days.
As queen, she must attend a slew of community outings, such as Chamber of Commerce mixers, local athletic events and, of course, the Garlic Festival itself.
All pageant contestants will keep plenty busy this weekend, walking around Christmas Hill Park, meeting folks and helping out with cooking events among other activities.
Pageant chair Alannah Radtke said Iwanaga has done a wonderful job in her queen role.
“Whatever task we give her … she’s just really gung ho,” Radtke said.
That enthusiastic attitude extends to Iwanaga’s feelings toward Gilroy in general.
She returned to her hometown after graduating from college and taught first grade at Las Animas Elementary School last year while obtaining her credential at Santa Clara University.
“I take a lot of pride in being in Gilroy after seeing what other communities are like,” Iwanaga said.
Her family has a long legacy in town. Her father’s side of the family has grown strawberries in the area, while her mother’s side of the family mostly has grown tomatoes and peppers.
Her mother’s father, Obata, grew garlic for awhile both before and after he was interned during World War II and sent to Arizona, she said.
“My mother jokingly said that garlic put her through college,” Iwanaga said.
She said she looks up to her grandfather and is amazed at his attitude toward his internment.
“The way he talks about it is casually,” she said. “He’s not angry. I give him so much credit. He started from nothing.”
Iwanaga hopes to stay in Gilroy for the long haul. She said she loved working in town, although she was one of several new teachers who received pink slips last year because of financial cuts.
She plans to get her credential next year and ultimately aims to get her master’s degree in guidance counseling.
In the meantime, she will have plenty of activities ahead as the queen, and Garlic Festival Executive Director Brian Bowe said she is an excellent ambassador so far.
“It’s fantastic to have people with deep roots who are still so involved with the festival,” he said.
