Gilroy Garlic Fest got canceled. But a bigger garlic festival is coming soon to Fresno
On the day that the longstanding Gilroy Garlic Fest announced it was shutting down for the “foreseeable future,” a different garlic festival had coincidentally started its big advertising push for its upcoming event.
The National Garlic Festival and Food Expo is set for May 13-15 at the Fresno Fairgrounds, and is in prime position to take over as California’s primary garlic fest.
Offering more food and drink selections that feature garlic, along with music entertainment and other carnival-like attractions, the National Garlic Festival is looking to become an annual event that celebrates not only garlic but also the Fresno area.
Because according to the National Garlic Festival organizers, Fresno County is actually “the real garlic capital of the United States.”
“About 80% of all garlic in the United States was grown in Fresno County,” said Fresno native Pete DeYoung, CEO of National Food Festivals, Inc., which includes the National Garlic Festival. “There’s 24,000 acres in Fresno County that’s dedicated for growing garlic.
“Then, we send it to Gilroy to have it processed. And that’s how they became known for garlic and their festival. We’re certainly happy to celebrate garlic anywhere. But really, the garlic movement starts in Fresno County.”
Here are some attractions expected to be at the National Garlic Festival in Fresno:
- More than 300 garlic-inspired foods from 60-plus restaurants, food trucks and producers
- Live music performances on five different stages
- Live cooking demonstrations from regional and nationally recognized chefs
- Beer and wine gardens
- Garlic agriculture show that explains the process of how garlic is grown, harvested, and processed in Fresno County
- Clove car show that includes a varied collection of vehicles ranging from wacky to ultra performance
- Carnival and midway games
- Nightly fireworks show
The National Garlic Festival, which is not affiliated with the Gilroy Garlic Fest, is actually in its second year of existence.
The first National Garlic Festival was held in August 2019 in the River Park Shopping Center, and attracted 22,000 people despite taking place amid 105 degree heat, DeYoung said.
Restrictions and safety measures regarding the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the National Garlic Festival from being held the past two years.
But organizers of the for-profit event say they understood that the National Garlic Festival had to be held during a cooler time of the year and at a bigger venue the next time around.
So Fresno’s own garlic fest was moved to mid May and scheduled at the Fresno Fairgrounds, with organizers receiving $225,000 in funding from the Fresno County Board of Supervisors to help finance the event.
According to an event impact summary, the National Garlic Festival is expected to generate approximately $12.8 million in business sales and just under $200,000 in local tax revenue.
“Our longterm goal is for this to become an annual event in Fresno that brings people from all over the Valley together, as well as people from other parts of the state, and gets them excited about something that’s grown right here,” DeYoung said. “Our vision of this festival is about education and having fun at the same time.
“Even if you’ve been to the Gilroy festival, this garlic festival is going to be way different than what people have seen.”
Ticket prices for the event range from $10-$50, including $10 for children and $15 for adults.
Medical personnel and other front-line responders, including police and firemen, will receive free admission into the National Garlic Festival with proof of work identification.
This story was originally published April 23, 2022 at 5:00 AM.