One of My Favorite Pungent But Delightful Event Will Be Back

On Saturday, September 4th Bennington, Vermont will transform into “Garlic Town, USA” in celebration of all things garlic!

If you know me then you know I love, anything that has garlic, of course, white chocolate cherry garlic fudge, (that I have not tried yet) love me some garlic dill pickles, also the next time you make garlic bread, don't use the garlic salt, take a piece of garlic and rub it on the bread. Try roasted garlic! The aroma of it baking in the oven is unparalleled. It’s immediately irresistible to anyone, including self-avowed garlic haters (like some in my family, I am talking about my hubby Scott).

Bennington has become world-renowned for its annual Garlic and Herb Festival held every year on Labor Day weekend.

Two years ago, the festival saw crowds of over 16,000 patrons and 200 garlic-themed vendors. The Garlic and Herb Festival has been recognized as one of the top 10 garlic festivals in the world, featured in Yankee Magazine, and recently was awarded Vermont’s Time-Honored Top 10 Fall Event.

Garlic Fest is an iconic event in Bennington and all of Vermont. There will be all things garlic from produce vendors, craft, artisans, and the spirit of Garlic Fest throughout downtown Bennington.

Most of the events will be open to the public. The small shops of Bennington’s downtown will have sidewalk sales, area non-profits will provide music and kids’ activities, and the restaurants are encouraged to provide some outside entertainment as well.

The “Cloves” will return too. This time, the Garlic Town committee is promising over 100 vendors in four to five Cloves throughout downtown creating “mini-Garlic Fests'' all around.

Cloves will include the original garlic growers of some of the first Garlic Fests, as well as arts and craft vendors and a variety of food trucks and dessert carts.

In order for the public to enter the Cloves, there is a cost.

The Garlic Town, USA committee has been working with officials at the Vermont Department of Health and the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in preparation for this event.

The committee leaders around the table are extremely sensitive about how to do this fun event while the COVID pandemic subsides. The festival will have volunteers at every Clove and public gathering spot armed with PPE for patrons, and hand sanitizer. Mainly, we just want people to have fun and get back to normal!”

A map of all the cloves and various events throughout downtown will be featured on a handout provided at www.GarlicTownUSA.com and also available at the various Clove locations. Ticket holders are encouraged to pick up a map and try to get to every Clove throughout the day.

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