Festival Archives

Gilroy and garlic are nearly synonymous in my neck of the woods. Gilroy, located in Santa Clara County about 35 miles south of San Jose, is considered the garlic capital of the United States. Before it was the garlic capital it was the prune capital (maybe this is how nearby Prunedale received its name?). Those prune pickers didn’t make much money, however, and people turned to growing garlic instead. During garlic season, from July through October, people can often smell Gilroy before they can see it. Some people have reported smelling the garlic as far south as Salinas and as far north as San Jose. Humorist Will Rogers described Gilroy as “the only town in America where you can marinate a steak by hanging it on the clothesline.” Gilroy does not lead the world in garlic production, however. It is called the garlic capital because Gilroy Foods processes more garlic than any factory in the world. Almost all pickled, minced and powdered garlic found in grocery stores worldwide comes from Gilroy Foods. Christopher Ranch is the largest commercial garlic producer here.

One of the most popular events in Gilroy is the annual Garlic Festival. The three-day long festival, held the last weekend in July, features everything garlic, including garlic-laced sausage and calamari, garlic pasta, garlic fries, garlic bread, and even garlic ice cream! The festival includes not only garlic delicacies but also beer and wine, arts & crafts, live entertainment, garlic-braiding workshops, and cooking competitions. Celebrity chefs such as Giada De Laurentiis have even made appearances. The festival is held outdoors at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy, and draws more than 100,000 people. It is a major fundraiser for local charities. This year saw the initiation of Garlic Train service from San Francisco and San Jose to Gilroy for the festivities.

How many opportunities do you get to pose inside a giant garlic bulb? Seriously? I passed but I still regret it.

Helpful Hints for the Garlic Festival:

Friday is the least crowded day at the festival
It can be extremely hot, make sure to stay hydrated and bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
The following items are prohibited from the event: alcohol, bottles or cans, coolers, frisbees or water projecting devices, and pocketknives or weapons of any kind
No pets are allowed except for service animals
No RV parking is available

The old City Hall, circa 1905, has been converted into a restaurant. It is also used to impale any objects unfortunate enough to come near its spiked tower.

If you want to beat the heat and crowds at the Garlic Festival, there are still plenty of garlicky things to do in Gilroy the rest of the year. You can take a walking tour of the historic downtown area, which features dozens of amazing homes and buildings, including many structures designed by eminent California architect W. H. Weeks. Walking tour maps are available at the Gilroy Welcome Center and also near public parking downtown. You can visit the Garlic City Cafe, the Garlic City Casino, or Garlic World. You can even get a garlic flavored beer at Golden State Brew & Grill and then head out to hit some golf balls at the Garlic Country Driving Range. The possibilities are endless. As is the bad breath. Which is good if you want to ward off vampires, but not good if you are looking forward to kissing someone under the mistletoe! Some studies have shown that drinking milk while you consume garlic can help neutralize this effect, and other studies have shown that consuming garlic with mushrooms and basil may also be effective. I say the solution is to eat more pizza. It has cheese which is made from milk, and who doesn’t like mushrooms, basil, and garlic on their pizza?

If you enjoy wine, there are nearly two dozen wineries in the area including Stomping Ground, Heller Winery, Sarah’s Vineyard and more. After a glass of wine, you can head eight miles northeast of Gilroy to the famous Victorian resort, Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs, a California Historical Landmark. Other local fun spots include Gilroy Outlet Center, Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park on CA State Route 152 and Mount Madonna County Park also on 152.

Directions: From San Francisco take Hwy 101 southeast approximately 84 miles. From Monterey, take Hwy 156 northeast approximately 41 miles.

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Obon translated means “Lantern Festival” or “Festival of the Dead”, and is a holiday honoring those who have passed on. Obon is somewhat like the Day of the Dead, the Celtic Samhain, or in Catholicism, All Souls Day, which all involve paying homage to loved ones who are now departed. But it is also a celebration, filled with large gatherings, family reunions, and bright lanterns. One very beautiful Obon ceremony in Japan is the lighting of paper lanterns and sending them out to sea in honor of ancestors who have died.

The first American Obon Festival was held in Hawaii in 1910 but not in the continental United States until 1931 when it was held at the Buddhist Church in San Francisco. Obon Festival has since remained one of the most important Japanese-American traditions here.

The Buddhist Temple of the Monterey Peninsula held their 72nd annual Obon Festival today, July 8, 2018, at 1155 Noche Buena Street in Seaside, California from 12:00– 5:00 p.m. This festival draws a huge crowd and is always fun. People show sincere Obon enthusiasm and the wearing of Japanese inspired clothing is encouraged.

When you first approach the temple you see three koinobori (also known as carp) windsocks flying. In Japanese culture, the carp symbolizes courage and strength because of its ability to swim up a waterfall. In Buddhism, the fish is an embodiment of well-being, happiness, and freedom, and symbolizes living in a state of fearlessness, without danger of drowning in the ocean of sufferings.

As you enter the temple you see origami crane garlands draping the walls and hanging from the ceiling. In Japan, the crane is a symbol of good health and luck. It is said that if you fold 1000 cranes, you are granted a good wish. “In folding paper cranes, we see how a small square of paper can magically transform into an expression of beauty, love, and compassion. The crane comes to life after we set an intention, pay careful attention to each fold, and at the final step, spread the crane’s wings wide for it to soar.” See Paper Cranes

Free tea is offered to the public. It is delicious!

Udon, before being liberally sprinkled with scallions & shichimi

What can you do at the Obon Festival? First, sample delicious Japanese foods prepared by chefs from local Japanese restaurants, including: tempura, sushi, beef and chicken teriyaki, udon (noodles in broth), Kushi katsu (deep fried pork), gyoza (steamed dumpling with ground pork and vegetables), lumpia (deep-fried egg rolls), & chicken karaage (fried chicken). I tried the udon and it was amazing!

Learning Japanese is easy when you have a good teacher!

This Japanese Black Pine Bonsai is 69 years old!

While at the festival you can listen to the rhythmic Taiko drumming and dance during the Bon Odori, or community Japanese folk dancing. You can listen to an educational lecture on Buddhism. You can learn how to speak and write Japanese. You can watch martial arts demonstrations and witness a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. There is also a beautiful display of bonsai and ikebana flower arrangements and great demonstrations on how to do it yourself. If you missed this great event today, there is always next year!

Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas!

Glorious Garlic: Visiting Gilroy, the Garlic Capital

Obon Festival in Seaside, California