Friday, August 4, 2017

  Largest garlic festival: world record set in California (VIDEO)

  GILROY, CA, USA--A total of 109,067 people attended The Gilroy Garlic Festival over three days back in 2011, thus setting the new world record for the Largest Garlic Festival , according to the World Record Academy .
Photo: The Gilroy Garlic Festival is now officially in the Book of World Records as the largest garlic festival in the world. Maggie Pickford (seated, second from left) was crowned the 2017 Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen at the annual scholarship pageant held on May 13 at Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. ( enlarge photo )

The Guinness World Records world record for the longest garlic string measured 255 m (836 ft 7 in) and was made for the annual Garlic Festival in Mako, Hungary, on 8 September 2006.

     Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the longest garlic bread; it is 16.71 m (54 ft 10 in) long and was made by Etienne Thériault (Canada) at École Ola-Léger, in Bertrand, Canada, on 6 July 2013.

   Festival organizers just recently used independent auditors to verify the record attendance, confirming the head count.

    Whether it's flaming shrimp scampi in Gourmet Alley, the famous garlic fries, or garlic ice cream, a classic festival must-try, there's something for everyone at the Gilroy festival.

    This year, the 39th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival hosts Food Network chef Giada de Laurentiis, host of Giada at Home, and a Garlic Train for transportation to-and-from the festival, leaving from San Jose Diridon Station.

   While garlic ice cream has always been popular, you cannot neglect the feast in Gourmet Alley. Some favorites include garlic fries, zesty garlic fried calamari, and garlic scampi. New this year as well is deep fried Gilroy garlic shrimp, NBC TV reports.

    The festival, which is also a non-profit organization, has awarded over $11 million to community schools and other non-profit organizations since opening in 1979.

   "The Gilroy Garlic Festival should be the platform for how food festivals are run around the world," MasterChef Season 7 Winner Shaun O'Neale said about the dedication to the charity that the festival strives for, The Mercury News reports.