Garlic Lovers Unite! July is the Month for Garlic Festivals

If you like Spanish food, chances are you love garlic - and we have a festival for you! Gilroy, California has been throwing a big, stinking party the last weekend in July for the past 29 years. It has gradually grown from a small festival to a very large one, where some 4,000 volunteers work diligently to organize and present a festival dedicated to everything garlic, or the stinking rose, as it is called. The festival is a benefit and proceeds go to local charities. So, if you live on the West Coast or will be visiting in July, this is a fun event to attend. Where else can you try garlic sushi and garlic ice cream?!

• Gilroy Garlic Festival

Gilroy isn't the only town that holds a Garlic Festival. In Spain, there are several garlic festivals in the month of July, including:

• Feria del Ajo in Castrojeriz, Burgos (2007 will be the 28th year of this festival)
• Feria del Ajo Morado (Purple Garlic) in Las Pedroneras, Cuenca

Garlic - Essential Ingredient in Spanish Food has more information on garlic and a long list of Spanish recipes that include garlic.