< img src ="https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/jacuzzi/23yTennNTZK1ykcseYQP5GwZdaTpyuFbJix4iBEHfoyaos4QV9QJJZUCSsuYzX2E4cPvH.jpg"alt="IMG_20251011_101722_055. jpg"/ > I didn’t understand Bethlehem, Connecticut hosted a yearly garlic festival till a couple of days ago. When I learned about it, my interest was instantly ignited– along with my desire to consume generous amounts of garlic.
My mommy mentioned it casually, then spent the next ten minutes rattling off all the different food suppliers and garlic varieties they ‘d have. That sealed the offer. Saturday, October 11th, we headed to the Bethlehem Garlic Festival.
The Drive to Bethlehem The drive through Connecticut back roadways to Bethlehem delivered classic New England scenery. Rolling hills, old farmhouses, the type of winding roads that make you slow down and discover your environments. Ultimately we came to the fairgrounds, and I was shocked– this wasn’t some small roadside occasion. This was a proper festival.
Tickets were $10 each. We parked on a big turf yard that would later end up being muddy when the anticipated afternoon rain got here. However that early morning? Blue skies and best fall weather condition.
Mother had examined her phone earlier and discussed rain around 1-2 PM. Throughout the day, we viewed clouds gather. She called it precisely right, however more on that later.
First Impressions and Garlic Monkey Bread Strolling into the celebration wasn’t some grand gala entrance, but it felt welcoming enough. First stop? Garlic monkey bread from a supplier. We divided it, both too ecstatic to await anything else. Just wished to sink our teeth into some garlic instantly.
The festival sprawled out larger than anticipated. Several supplier rows, food stalls, crafts, and garlic in every possible type. We had about an hour before meeting other family members, so we wandered the very first row of suppliers, attempting not to see everything at once.
We went into a raffle supporting the Bethlehem Fairgrounds– huge prize, excellent cause– then continued exploring. That’s when I sampled black vinegar garlic as a shot.
Let me inform you– that woke me up. Vinegar and garlic mix hitting like apple cider vinegar on steroids. Intense, sharp, definitely memorable.
The Garlic Hat Dispute One distinct feature captured my attention: hand-stitched garlic hats. Six fat flaps stitched with phony yard growing from the top. Ludicrous. Fantastic. Forty dollars.
That cost put them outside my budget plan for a one-time usage hat. Maybe two-time use? I thought of wearing it to Portugal, then on beaches in Cambodia. The mental image alone nearly warranted the purchase. Maybe next year.
The Garlic Bulb Hunt Ultimately we found a supplier selling private garlic cloves from around the world. This was the objective. Mom and I prepared to purchase multiple varieties, break them up, plant them all, and have massive quantities of garlic by early next summer.
They had ranges from everywhere– Vietnamese garlic, Russian reds, Ukrainian bulbs, purple varieties, even a huge elephant clove. We grabbed one bulb from various areas, building our global garlic collection for planting.
Vietnam represented. Ukraine represented. Russia represented. Our garden is going to be a United Nations of garlic.
Household Shows up By this point, my sibling and her family had actually arrived. We regrouped and did another loop together– nephews, nieces, brother-in-law, sis, mom, all of us sampling garlic in different kinds.
I encouraged my nephews to consume raw garlic cloves with me. We had dreadful breath later, but it was enjoyable. That’s what uncles are for, right? Bad influence garlic usage.
Walking around as a family group, sampling different vendors, viewing the kids respond to numerous garlic intensities– this is what celebrations are supposed to be. Not just the occasion itself, but the shared experience.
Lunch and Rain Lunchtime showed up and the family spread to discover food. My sis dealt with kid logistics while Mommy and I got another piece of garlic bread from a supplier.
Then the rain began.
Right on schedule, much like Mom forecasted. We chose to head out before it worsened. Back to the cars and truck, nice drive home, discussing our garlic-filled afternoon while the rain got.
Excellent timing. Today (Sunday) the sky is dark and rainy. We selected the ideal day for the Bethlehem Garlic Festival.
The Black Garlic Rating Before leaving, we got a bag of black garlic. If you have actually never ever attempted black garlic, I suggest it. The process– technically a Maillard response where sugars break down– transforms generally pungent garlic into something sweet, practically candy-like.
Routine garlic: sharp, extreme, breath-destroying.
Black garlic: sweet, mellow, complex.
The downside? It’s pricey. But worth trying at least when to understand how significantly fermentation can change flavor.
The Bethlehem Garlic Festival Experience Area: Bethlehem, Connecticut
Date: October 11, 2025
Admission: $10
Parking: Grass yard (complimentary but muddy after rain)
Weather: Blue skies up until 1-2 PM, then rain as predicted
The Bethlehem Connecticut Garlic Festival delivered exactly what it promised– garlic in every form possible, from food to plants to outrageous hats. The celebration size shocked me. The supplier range impressed me. The garlic monkey bread satisfied me.
Choosing household made it better. Sharing raw garlic cloves with nephews, talking about planting techniques with Mother, viewing my sibling wrangle kids while eating garlic bread– these moments matter more than the celebration itself.
The Garlic Planting Task We came home with worldwide garlic bulbs prepared for planting. The strategy: break them up, get them in the ground before it gets too cold, let them overwinter, harvest next summertime.
If whatever works, we’ll have Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Russian, and huge elephant garlic growing in Connecticut soil. That’s the sort of agricultural experiment I can support.
Will they all make it through Connecticut winter? Most likely not all of them. But some will, and by early summer we’ll be gathering our own varied garlic crop. Then comes the genuine concern– what to prepare with all that garlic?
Final Ideas on Garlic Festivals
Would I go again? Definitely. The Bethlehem Garlic Festival offers a specific, focused occasion that provides on its guarantee. You’re not getting a generic reasonable with one garlic tent. This is all garlic, throughout the day, in every kind.
For $10 admission and a drive through beautiful Connecticut back roadways, it’s an easy recommendation. Bring household. Sample everything. Buy some bulbs to plant. Consider the ludicrous hat.
And if someone provides you a black vinegar garlic shot? Take it. You’ll remember it.
What do you think of garlic or the Bethlehem Connecticut Garlic Festival? Love it? Avoid it? Let me know in the remarks.