Garlic Fest returns to Valley with a new look
The bulbs will be bursting with a bounty of garlicky flavour again this September when the Lower Nicola Garlic Festival returns.
The festival took a hiatus last September after the amount of work involved with washing and preparing the garlic became too much to handle.
Husband and wife team, Becky and Pete Ratzlaff, recently decided to bring back the tradition with a new look, location and some more help.
“We are hoping that we’ll get the whole community involved in a big way,” Becky said, noting that the event will be held this year at Smith’s Pioneer Park in Lower Nicola. “We’re looking for 20 vendors to get involved.”
So far, the Vintage Car Club has increased their participation in the event.
“It’s just such a great event that we are happy to be a part of,” said Vintage Car Club organizer Kim Jurreit.
Jurreit and the club have showcased cars at the festival since 2007, but many more cars will be showcased because of the larger festival grounds.
A couple of the models that will be featured at this year’s festival include a 1925 Model T truck and a 1930 Model A Roadster.
The small size of the previous venue limited the involvement of the car club and other participants in previous years.
“The car club was on a [scenic] tour and they stopped in at the festival and, ever since, we have been bringing vintage vehicles,” Jurreit said.
In the month prior to each festival, Becky and Pete dedicate approximately 100 hours preparing.
“We wash the garlic, which is a lot of work, and then there is the preparation of the various recipes that we have,” she said, adding that the festival requires about 500 pounds of garlic.
Some of the recipes include offbeat concoctions, such as garlic ice cream, “That one is actually very popular.”
More traditional recipes available at the festival include, garlic mustard, relish and powder.
The event also features demonstrations of how to make garlic ice cream.
Competitions will be held for best garlic braid, best garlic pickles, best garlic bread and best garlic costume.
While the festival halted last year, the previous years have been the source of resounding success. In fact, Becky now knows several people who have taken up the effort to grow their own garlic patches.
“There was hardly any garlic being grown when we first started,” she said, noting that she now knows at least five people who grow garlic. “The Nicola Valley is such a great place to grow.”
Anyone who wants vendor information at the festival can call Becky at 250-378-4199.
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