Gilroy
– The aroma of garlic has once again come and gone with the
summer Garlic Festival, but the financial benefits of the event are
just now finding their way to dozens of local groups.
Gilroy – The aroma of garlic has once again come and gone with the summer Garlic Festival, but the financial benefits of the event are just now finding their way to dozens of local groups.
Checks totaling $225,000 are in the mail to more than 160 organizations in Gilroy and surrounding towns that helped with admissions, food sales, parking, and other aspects of the July festival,
While describing the event as a success, organizers acknowledged that contributions are down from years’ past.
“Last year was our 25th anniversary,” explained John Zekanoski, the 2004 festival president. “As such, we got quite a spike in attendance. We anticipated being down a little because last year we spent a lot more money on advertising.”
This summer’s festival drew roughly 123,000 people – 10,000 fewer than in 2003. Revenues came in at $1.867 million, a drop of $100,000.
Despite the difficulty of matching an anniversary year turnout, Zekanoski had hoped expanded radio advertising in San Jose and other promotional strategies would buoy festival attendance.
“We thought that we’d pull in more people than we did,” he said.
While the lower attendance meant $40,000 less in contributions, the returns did not surprise some of the festival’s top earners.
Last year, the group’s 400 volunteers earned more than $19,000. They ranked as the festival’s top earner once again this year by bringing in $15,098.
“You always want to make more money for the charities, but every business faces rising costs,” said Richard Nicholls, executive director of the Garlic Festival Association.
More than 3,800 volunteers came out to work the 2004 Garlic Festival.
