Worth the Drive: Gilroy Garlic Festival

Worth the Drive is NBCLA's twice weekly look at nearby getaways

Your job: Decide to get out of town and fast. Our job: Help you find where you're headed. This week, NBCLA's Worth the Drive takes us to...

Gilroy Garlic Festival: We had a theory a couple of years back that every time one turned to a particular foodie channel -- okaaaay, the Food Network -- one had a one in ten chance of seeing something about the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Food Network, love you tons, not a slight in the least, this comment; we just always figured you knew our heart very well. And that where our heart should be is a giant bulb of smelly goodness.

2010 dates: Friday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25

Place: Gilroy, a skosh south of San Jose.

Tickets: Buy 'em online, get a couple bucks off; online price is $15.

Garlic watermelon: Yes. "Watermelon crabmeat" is one 2010 competitor in the cook-offs; garlic ice cream, garlic steak tacos, and garlic almonds will be for sale in Gourmet Alley. Along with many other edibles of the garlicky and, occasionally, non-garlicky varieties.

Plus celeb chefs: "Top Chef" star Fabio Viviani will be sizzling up something clove-laden.

Plus everything: It's a festival. We want to see Miss Gilroy Garlic 2010. And we really hope that man who walks around in the squishy bulb suit, and not too much else, is strolling the grounds. You've seen him on Food Network. You want your picture with him.

Mints: Ditch 'em, we say. For the day. Be the burn.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
Contact Us