Gilroy

Gilroy is a town in the south of Santa Clara County, California, in a farming area known for garlic processing. Its garlic festival returns on 23, 24 and 25 July 2027, at the Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center, 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, west of the town centre. The festival is open from 10 am to 6 pm, and each ticket is valid for one day.

Practical notes

• Gilroy is on US Highway 101, south of San Jose.
• July days inland are usually hot and dry: bring water and sun protection.
• Gilroy has hotels near the highway. San Jose is the larger base.

A festival run by volunteers since 1979

The Gilroy Garlic Festival has been held since 1979, and its organisers say it has raised millions of dollars for schools and non-profit groups in the area, with the whole event staffed by volunteers working for their favourite charities. The 2026 edition welcomed 12,000 visitors to the Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center. Its best-known sight is Gourmet Alley, where the Pyro Chefs cook garlic scampi and calamari in giant skillets over open flames, and the menu runs from pepper steak sandwiches and garlic fries to garlic ice cream.

Why Gilroy calls itself the Garlic Capital of the World

The town's largest garlic business, Christopher Ranch, describes itself as the nation's largest grower and packer of fresh garlic and reports a 2022 harvest of nearly 105 million pounds (about 47,600 tonnes), more than one billion bulbs. The company is based at 305 Bloomfield Avenue in Gilroy.

Around the town

• Gilroy is the southern end of the Caltrain commuter line from San Francisco via San Jose Diridon, with trains at Gilroy station on weekdays.
• The Gilroy Welcome Center lists wine, beer and taco trails, a walkable downtown, the Gilroy Premium Outlets and a California Welcome Center inside the outlets.
• Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park stands at 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, the same address as the festival grounds, and the Gilroy Museum at 195 Fifth Street covers the town's history from the Ohlone people onwards.