Photos courtesy of Southwestern Vermont Chamber and Lorianna Weathers Photography
Vermont Business Magazine Bennington, Vermont is once again set to sizzle, sauté, and spice things up as the town transforms into Garlic Town, USA on Saturday, August 31, 2024, during Labor Day Weekend. This year’s festival promises to be the best yet, with enough garlic to keep the vampires—and possibly your in-laws—away for years!
Event Details:
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Date: Saturday, August 31, 2024
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Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
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Location: 113 Depot Street (former Tuttle Lot, Brush Building Lot, Village Garage Lot)
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Admission: Online presales on GarlicTownUSA.com only: $5 for children, $12 for adults, $30 for family bundle (2 adults, unlimited children) / At the gates day of: $7 for children, $15 for adults, $35 for family bundle
Year after year on Labor Day weekend, Bennington becomes a global spotlight for garlic enthusiasts. Acknowledgments include listings among Thrillist.com, The Travel, features in Yankee Magazine, Vermont’s Time-Honored Top 10 Fall Event, 2024 Signature Vermont Event and consecutive accolades for being voted as the Best Event in the Region by the Bennington Banner and Manchester Journals Reader’s Choice Awards. The official website dubs it as "Vermont's Biggest Family Farmers’ Market."
In 2023, over 9,000 people flooded downtown Bennington for the agricultural event. The local businesses experienced an economic boost, with an estimated $140,000 spent in one day.
New Layout, New Experience
This year, due to the construction of the new skate park at the People’s Park (former Bennington Station), the festival has moved slightly to occupy all of the 113 Depot Tuttle Lot, as well as the parking lot at the Brush Building and the full public lot of the Village Garage, Kings Shoes and Fraternal Order of Eagles. The festival will be fenced off at those locations and people must purchase a ticket to enter. Depot street will be closed from the Village Garage entrance to the GBCS entrance.
With over 125 vendors, Mikaela Lewis, the Chamber’s Event Manager, assures a curated and diverse mix of products and foods. Lewis states, “Garlic Town, USA has a high-level of juried vendors that includes: garlic growers and produce farmers; specialty packaged food and drinks such as craft spirits, liqueurs, wines, Vermont cheeses, meats, maple syrup, pickled products, pestos, olive oils, sauces, spice and herb blends; wares and craft vendors offering handmade kitchen and home decor items, jewelry, pottery, clothing, artwork and much more. This gives a unique experience of ‘taste before you buy’ which we love as people stroll the festival on the holiday weekend.”
Garlic Growers: North Point Forest Farm Supply, Thompson Goat Farm, 518 Farms, Black Sheep Garlic, Caltabiano Farms, Conbeer's Farm, Dutchess Farm, Elderberry Springs Farm, Free Flow Farm, Holmquest Farms, Hugick Farms, Kernel and Clove, Lindon Garlic Farm, MarJean Organic Garlic, Nomad Farm, Northeast Corner Herb Farm, Phelps Woodside Farm, Quill Hill Farm, Vermont Roots Farm, and W Family Farm & Orchard.
Vendors: Oh Hello Face Painting, Plushy Pals, Audrey's Art, Aunt Bonnie's CBD, By-Gone Days Shoppe, CreativeCraftworks, Donna's Sewing, Hobson’s Choice, I See Spain, Jake’s Jammin Bow Ties, Only Silver, Patricia Becker Designs, Rockwood Studios, Shotgun And Wildflower, Uzume's Pots, Vermont Macrame, Vermont View Woodworks, Vision of Tibet, Wander On Words, Women's Peace Collection, Fiddlers Green Farm, Angry Goat Pepper Co, Arlotta Food Studio, Benito's Hot Sauce, Bonnie Doon’s Scottish Shortbread, Country Pride Cheese, Crazy Mike's Beef Jerky, Crowley Cheese, Fortuna's Sausage & Market, Goodway Gourmet Bakery, Greenhouse Maple, Gusto Della Vita Gourmet, Highland Farm, Highland Ledge Farm, Honeybee Hill Natural Sweeteners, I Want Pig Candy, Jamtastic, Jerky Hut, Maplebrook Farm, Mettowee Valley Maple, Naga Bakehouse, Papa John's Sugar Shack, Richard's VT Made Sauces, Rockerbox Spice Co., Rolling Rock Salt, Saratoga Crackers, Seven Barrels, Sou-Pasta (Pappardelle's), Tastefully Simple, The Peanut Principle, The Pickle Man, The Wine Slushie Guy, and Whole in the Wall.
Distilleries: Appalachian Gap Distillery, Caledonia Spirits, Mad River Distillers, North Branch Vineyards, Putney Mountain Winery, Saxtons River Distillery, Smugglers' Notch Distillery, St. Johnsbury Distillery, Vermont Distillers, and Vermont Vines.
Food Trucks: All Things Maple, Chick Magnet, Hound Dogs, Junior’s Food Truck, Sexy Llama Coffee Roasters, The Hungry Traveler, The Mac Factor, The Skinny Pancake, Goode & Local, Uncle Johnny's Famous Garlic Bread, La Ruta Del Sol, Lemon Love, Mediterranean Mix, Mick's Kettle Popped, Nutty Bavarian, Reggae Boy Cafe, Sherri's Crab Cakes, Wild Bill's Soda, and Zager's Taqueria.
Bars and Bands: This year, with the majority of the festival focusing on Tuttle Lot and Village Garage, the main bar will be hosted by Village Garage with satellite beer and wine tents throughout the festival. One band stage will exist in the center of the action with musical acts including: Buck2Fifty, GVH, Tree Huggers and Kendall Kirk all day long.
Transportation: Green Mountain Express will provide free transportation from the external parking lots to the event and throughout downtown. Tractor rides will also be available through A&K Agriservices, making stops at the Walgreens parking lot at 194 North Street, the Merchants Park and Splash Pad, and School Street for access onto Main Street. Burger King is the sponsor of the free parking and transportation. Maps/event guides/rules and more information can be accessed through GarlicTownUSA.com and social media accounts.
Entertainment, Chef Demonstrations & Kids Activities: Garlic Town, USA offers a full day of culinary delights and engaging activities for all ages. Chef demonstrations are a highlight, featuring unique treats like garlic ice cream from 3:30-4:30 PM and a graze board workshop from 11 AM-12 PM. Attendees can also enjoy a variety of interactive events, such as the World of Wonder Photo Op from 12-1 PM and Garlic Trivia from 1-2 PM. The Doug Eash Magic Show will captivate audiences from 2-3 PM, with Doug also teaching magic tricks throughout the day. Kids will find endless fun at various stations, including a coloring station (featuring Garlic Gus and possibly the Bennington 250 Coloring Book), a bubbles station, and an origami station. Ardent Flame will be on hand to distribute homemade playdough, ensuring there's something magical around every corner.
Garlic Town Merchandise Store: Each year the Garlic Town, USA merchandise store sells out of merchandise as patrons get their lasting souvenirs from the festival-managed booth. This year will feature an array of t-shirts, including a special limited edition design celebrating the debut of "Garlic Gus” by local artist Ahmad Yassir. A highly-requested similar version of the coveted tie dye t-shirt featuring the Garlic Town logo will be also available for purchase. Another crowd favorite, Garlic Town’s tongue-in-cheek kitchen aprons return with prints including “Take Your Cloves Off” and “I Like Big Bulbs and I Cannot Lie” options. Other merchandise available will include youth and toddler “Little Stinker” t-shirts, shopping tote bags, handmade garlic bulb hats, magnets, ball caps, keychains, stickers, drinking glasses and show your stinkin’ Garlic Town pride all year round!
Volunteers: This event requires over 100 volunteers working the week of the festival and day of. You will find volunteers in their iconic tie dyed shirts lending a helpful hand! The producers of the event would like to whole-heartedly thank all the volunteers for their service. If you would like to volunteer for the festival visit: https://garlictownusa.com/stinkin-volunteers/
Sponsors: Garlic Town USA 2024 is supported by a diverse group of sponsors who play a vital role in bringing the event to life. The Presenting Sponsor, Union South Bar & Provisions, leads the way, while Vermont News and Media (Bennington Banner/Manchester Journal) and Old Mill Road Publishing serve as the Media Sponsors. Parking and transport are made convenient thanks to the support of Burger King/Carrols Corporation. Coggins Auto sponsors the Band Stage, and Hoffman Real Estate backs the Bars. The Kids Zone is sponsored by the Bank of Bennington, with Oliver Ford Automotive sponsoring the Demo area. Volunteers are supported by Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. A range of small businesses also contribute, including VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region, Maple Leaf Realty, West Mountain Animal Hospital, Bennington Express Lube, Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning, Machnick Builders, Labrador Acres Lawn Service, Hampton Inn & Suites (Manchester), Jack Miller Contractors, Four Chimneys Inn, The Richards Group, Hayden Plumbing and Heating, Gamers Grotto, Comprehensive Computing, Wells Builders, GVH Studio, The Coffee Bar, Centerline Architects, and Michael J. Baker, Architect.
"It's always a magical experience seeing Bennington transform into 'Garlic Town, USA' every year," says Matt Harrington, Executive Director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce and producer of the festival. "The spirit of the community, the commitment of our vendors, volunteers and sponsors, and the enthusiasm of thousands of attendees is a testament to the lasting charm and importance of this event.”
Bennington is more than just the backdrop for Garlic Town, USA—it’s the perfect host. Nestled in the scenic Shires of Southwestern Vermont, Bennington is a hub of culture, history, and now, garlic. The town’s rich agricultural roots and strong community spirit make it the ideal location for a festival that celebrates a plant that’s as humble as it is powerful.
Whether you’re here for the food, the fun, or the unforgettable scent that will cling to you for days, Garlic Town, USA, is an event you won’t want to miss. So grab your breath mints, and join us in Bennington for a festival that’s sure to be a clove above the rest!
For the latest updates, check www.GarlicTownUSA.com. Garlic Town, USA is an annual fundraiser for the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce who provides local business assistance, destination marketing for the region and economic development.
Source: (Bennington, Vermont) – SWVTChamber.com
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