We've done the Garlic Festival twice in the eight years we've lived here. The first time we were warned of the traffic and in an abundance of caution we were there by opening.

It wasn't hot yet, it wasn't too crowded and we really had a nice time of it and were on our way by early afternoon (with enough time for a really nice backroads drive, getting from Gilroy to Oakland without ever using a freeway).

This time it was a spur of the moment decision when we couldn't think of anything to do with our Saturday, we didn't leave until 10:30 and it took 90 minutes from the time we left the freeway in Gilroy to get into the parking lot. It was blazing hot and the mood just wasn't there to have a great time, though in the end it was pleasant enough. But we were only there for about 3 hours.

Frequently Lani and I just use these produce festivals as an excuse to go somewhere we might not otherwise go or get there by a route that we've not been on. Probably the biggest one in the area we haven't yet made it to is the Almond Festival up NW of Sacramento (can't remember the name of the towns involved, but on the way to Cache Creek Casino).

Gilroy will always hold a special place in my heart as the nearest town to a campground called Casa de Fruta.....stayed there with my family on the way to Disneyland back in 1982:)

Gilroy has an In-N-Out and some pretty good outlet stores, too.
Casa De Fruta was a trip. They're like the ultimate roadside fruit stand. :)

I'm not sure there is a festival involved, but Apple Season in Oak Glen is fun from what I remember.

Pretty much every town in the Bay Area now has In-n-Out so that isn't the attraction it once was.

I've driven past Casa de Fruta many times but we haven't ever stopped. We should do so.

Casa de Fruta! Always our stop on the way to San Jose when we visit Tom's family.

Yeah, and Burbank is Hollywood.

Casa de Fruta, is that the place on the south side of the freeway? Heading West from Gilroy? Interesting looking place...

I've always called it Murano Glass not Venetian Glass.

I think it can be argued that Burbank is more Hollywood than Hollywood is Hollywood-- but that's another story.