Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- Sudbury Garlic Festival
- Garlic Festival
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The first Garlic Festival in Sudbury, Ontario took place in Hnatyshyn Park on August 30, 1992. In 1994, the Garlic Festival (aka Sudbury Garlic Festival) was renamed The Canadian Garlic Festival. The festival was started by Mary Stefura who came up with the idea after attending a garlic festival in California during the early 1980's. Mary Stefura created this event as a fundraiser for the Ukrainian Seniors’ Centre and it very quickly grew into a community wide event, visited by thousands of people each year.
The festival was family oriented and featured a wide variety of events for people of all ages, including musical performers, dancers and children’s activities, such as pony rides, puppet shows, arts and crafts, face painting and inflatable games. For garlic enthusiasts, the festival brought in garlic growers and vendors to explain how to cultivate garlic, how best to eat garlic and the many health benefits of including garlic in a daily diet. There were also cook-offs, chili competitions, garlic braiding and garlic pyrohy eating contests. Volunteers and members of the Ukrainian Seniors’ Centre spent the weeks leading up to the festival cooking garlic-filled snacks and finger foods, such as hummus, garlic chicken wings, bruschetta, balabushky, perohy and garlic ice cream, which were sold at the festival. Sponsorship was an important aspect in running the event and many local businesses lent their support financially by donating money, goods and services.
The Canadian Garlic Festival has become an annual Sudbury event held on the last Sunday in August.
Chair:
Mary Stefura – 1992 to [?]
Mike Sharko – 1996 – [?]
Mary Stefura – [1998 - ?]