Gunnar S., of Chehalis, waves at Garlicious, the mascot for Garlic Fest, played by Isabella Figueroa, of Adna, while she walked around the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in August 2015.
Stacks of garlic sits on the table as workers at Brer Rabbit Farms clean up their booth in preparation for the weekend rush of visitors to Garlic Fest last year in Chehalis.
Melissa Hyatt, of Newaukum Valley Farms, bags up garlic on Friday afternoon at Garlic Fest in Chehalis.
Dylan Johnson, of Brer Rabbit Farms, right, helps Julieann Platt, of Vancouver, as she browses the many types of garlic for sale on Friday at Garlic Fest in Chehalis.
Owners of Newaukum Valley Farms, Josh Hyatt and his wife, Melissa, prepare their booth for the big weekend rush at Garlic Fest on Friday night at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in Chehalis.
Chehalis Garlic Fest is currently underway, offering a plethora of artisan and craft vendors, along with 65 varieties of garlic.
In its 19th year, the festival this year showcases different vendors and is aimed at being a family-friendly event, while giving back to local organizations in Lewis County.
“It’s a fun event. Everyone has an amazing time and enjoys it,” Judy DeVaul, coordinator of the festival, said.
Live music is scheduled throughout the weekend. A highlight of the festival — the food — offers plenty of varieties.
“The food is always what gets me,” Marcy Schnieder, of Olympia, said, while trying garlic-smothered onion rings.
Other options at the festival include alligator on a stick, baked potatoes with garlic butter, chocolate dipped roasted garlic and crab/shrimp melts, among other things.
Along with the food, DeVaul said, seven farmers sell fresh garlic.
The event is a popular way to give back to the community as up to 70 volunteers all log hours to raise money for an assortment of charities and organizations.
DeVaul said that 100 percent of the net proceeds are divided up by the volunteers based on the amount of hours they worked at the festival. She estimated that $100,000 has been raised over the years for various organizations.
Volunteers from the animal shelter, food banks, the Human Response Network and Relay for Life were just some of the helpers who chose to participate in an effort to raise funds for their organizations.
“It’s really the heart of Garlic Fest,” DeVaul said. “We don’t do it to raise money or anything. We do it to give back to the community.”
The event takes year-long planning and also includes an antique alley, kids’ activities, chef demonstrations and live music on two stages. On average, between 13,000 and 20,000 people come to the fairgrounds to enjoy the event. It will run through Sunday.
