Gilroy Garlic Festival sees economic impact during its 2025 revival
Dania Romero
GILROY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The smell of garlic once again filled the air in Gilroy this past weekend as the city’s beloved Garlic Festival made its long-awaited return, bringing big crowds, booming local business, and a renewed sense of community.
For many residents and visitors, the return of the festival wasn’t just about food; it was about healing and celebration.
“The whole energy was amazing,” said Gilroy resident Lori Hawk. “Coming out of a tragedy that happened six years ago and then a global pandemic right after that, I think that having the festival back just means so much to our community.”
Although only 9,000 tickets were available for the main event, downtown Gilroy stayed lively as local businesses welcomed a wave of foot traffic. Pour Me Taproom saw triple the usual sales volume over the weekend.
“The turnout was phenomenal,” said owner Matthew Gallion. “We actually had a lot of increased foot traffic down here, something I don’t think a lot of us were expecting. So much so, in fact, Gallion admitted, “We actually ran out of beer.”
While the festival’s return was widely celebrated, organizers and volunteers noted there were some hiccups.
“It was a bit chaotic,” said Andrea Altamirano, a festival volunteer. “There wasn’t much of a system in place, so we were figuring it out as we went. The wait time for food and beverages was definitely long.”
Others echoed similar concerns about food lines, especially on opening day.
Despite these growing pains, the event was deemed a success in terms of safety. Gilroy police reported a peaceful weekend.
“The presence of police and sheriffs was strong,” said Hawk. “They were even patrolling by air.”
Beyond the festivities, the Garlic Festival Association has long served a charitable purpose, raising over $12 million for local causes and schools throughout its history.
“A lot of us are just very heavily invested — not only in what it means to go there and just be together, but also in what it means for our community at large,” Hawk added.
Looking ahead, many in the community are hopeful the festival will expand back to its former scale next year, honoring both the traditions of the past and the resilience of a community that continues to move forward.
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce and the Garlic Festival Association have not yet confirmed plans for 2026.