SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Gilroy Garlic Festival Association announced Thursday it will no longer be hosting its annual food festival that celebrates the locally grown crop, putting an end to the 42-year-old summer tradition.
The organization cited "lingering uncertainties from the pandemic" as well as costly insurance premiums as reasons for canceling the festival in which people ate foods with the pungent taste and smell of garlic.
Instead of the traditional event, the association will be hosting a series of smaller events this summer, including a local golf tournament and concert at Clos La Chance Winery. The festival typically took place during the last full weekend of July.
"The festival is part of our heritage. Now we must ensure that it is part of our future," organizers said in a statement. "While it will never be the massive event of the past, a more intimate, local festival can still allow us to celebrate the community, garlic, and all it inspires."
In addition to showcasing garlicky foods, the event has also raised millions of dollars for charities. It has been a popular event for residents of Gilroy and other parts of Northern California since 1979, spanning a decadeslong history.
A mass shooting occurred at the garlic festival in 2019, which left three people dead and 17 injured, and drew national attention to the local event.
In 2020, the association called off the event for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic and modified the festival into a drive-thru event in 2021.
Tickets to the golf tournament and concert are available starting May 13 on the association's website.
