聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The versatility and diversity of garlic was once again the focus of a garlic festival and trade show on September 10 at the Kamsack Legion Hall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Billed as the Fourth Annual Hint of Garlic and Trade Show, vendors from as far away as Minitonas and Benito, Man. and Runnymede were in attendance to display their various wares.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭raditionally we have had this event on the second Sunday of September which gives most vendors a chance to sell their wares without too much worry of the weather,鈥� said Jim Woodward, an organizer of the event. 鈥淪chool is back in and most people are finished their summer holidays.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he build-up to this event has been absolutely fantastic. One thing I marvel at is the distance patrons are now coming to get a selection of garlic and other products,鈥� Woodward said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ur first year, one vendor taught patrons to braid soft-neck garlic, and in other years people were taught how to peel garlic. We have had garlic in almost anything conceivable and interest in all recipes.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Woodward has seen the interest in garlic grow immensely over the last four years, and feels that is partly due to the fact that Kamsack, which is known as the Garden of Saskatchewan, has such a diverse array of ethnic backgrounds, so it is only natural to see such an interest in garlic.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎t first, people were saying 鈥榞arlic is garlic鈥�, but now they ask 鈥榟ow strong is this garlic鈥� and 鈥榳hich one is the strongest?鈥欌��
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Woodward also mentioned that the garlic festival produces a different-coloured T-shirt every year, which are offered for sale, and the organizers of the event have been amazed to see where these T-shirts have been spotted.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A new facet introduced at this year鈥檚 festival was the cookie walk, organized by Legion members in support of Legion member Barry Golay.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The winner of the door prize was Ione Morash.
