Maynooth to host own garlic festival

July 20, 2017

By Sarah Sobanski

Garlic lovers are set to find a new home in Maynooth this summer.

Bancroft Area Stewardship Council director, and The Red Barn Door co-owner, Keith Buck is spearheading a garlic festival in partnership with the Maynooth Farmer’s Market. BASC is sponsoring the event.

“We started to think about local food. [We started] to get the conversation going about local food, the value and supporting local food,” said Buck. “We came up with… the idea about doing a garlic festival. Everyone loves garlic.”

The festival will run Aug. 19 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. According to Buck, it will feature everything garlic, from fresh produce to garlic-themed art.

“A garlic festivals are all things garlic. Lots of food, lots of fun — really just to try and get everyone out and have a good time. There’s garlic, garlic and garlic — there’s food you never even thought could go with garlic and it’s going to try,” said Buck noting cutting boards in the shapes of garlic, live music by Toots Ramsbotton and the Bad Breath Blues Band and garlic tastings.

He added, “The stewardship council’s going to open up the Maynooth Community Centre. It has reached out to local artists to join in on the fun in interpreting garlic in their own unique ways.”

Garlic festivals are popular attractions across Ontario. Maynooth will now set aside a moment to stink up communities just like the Haliburton County Garlic Festival, Perth Lions Garlic Festival and Toronto Garlic Festival.

“Garlic puts a smile on everyone’s face and that’s what we’re looking for in the art and in the food,” said Buck. He explained he picked the mid-August weekend to give something to do on one of the rare summer weekends there isn’t much to do in the area.

“For years and years BASC has been doing many events in the background and we’re starting to tell folks more about what we do. There’s been a lot of folks, even though we’ve been around for decades, most people have never heard of us — so now it’s time to change that,” Buck explained BASC is involved in school food programs, tree planting initiatives and the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery. “It’s also an economic driver for the community … It’s great to keep the money local.”

Anyone looking to get involved with the garlic festival can hit the BASC Facebook page at Bancroft Area Stewardship Council. Buck recommends sending BASC a message so it can connect with you. He said the response from artists has been great. The festival could always use more supporters of this special allium.

“We’re looking for a great response — give locals and visitors and cottagers a chance to find something different in our town at least, in our area at least, and give people the opportunity to touch base with the people who grow food.”