How often do you get the chance to try an exclusive garlic loaf from Barrio Bread, learn how to grow your own garlic, and even taste garlic-flavored ice cream? Well, you can at Mission Garden’s Garlic Festival from 8 – 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 29, of course.

Also, aside from knowing that there won’t be any vampires at the event, the Garlic Festival is absolutely free to attend at 946 W. Mission Ln. Mission Garden’s staff and volunteers planted multiple varieties of garlic during the winter and have been tending it carefully for months. Now, they’re excited to show off what they’ve grown at the Garlic Festival in July.

It’s a great opportunity to learn about garlic, how to grow it here in Tucson, and then to taste it in a variety of ways.

Eating at the Garlic Festival

Starting when the garden opens at 8 a.m., the Garden Shop will have 50 loaves of garlic bread made by Don Guerra at Barrio Bread. This is a special garlic loaf not regularly offered at Barrio Bread and made with garlic grown at Mission Garden.

There’s a limit of one loaf per customer. If you’re familiar with the long lines at Barrio Bread’s shop near Broadway Boulevard and Country Club Road then you know it’ll be wise to show up early.

Over in the Garden’s Event Ramada, Mission Garden volunteers will be offering tastings of three specialty garlic — Chinese, Italian, and Mexican — each offered raw, sauteed, and roasted for tasting comparison. 

In Mission Garden’s Placita, guest vendors and local farmers will be selling their garlic and produce.

These include Breckenfeld Family Growers and Dreamflower Garden. Iskashitaa Refugee Network will offer their prepared garlic goods and Tucson Chocolate will feature garlic ice cream, made with sweet roasted garlic and dates. Chef Enrique Alcantar will be making a garlic dish as well.

Agua Frescas will be available in the Placita.

Other Things To Do

Garlic will be on sale, both for culinary use and for planting in your own garden. The garlic meant for planting will come with growing instructions. While you are at the Garden Shop, pick up I’itoi’s onions for planting and inspect our new collection of seed packets from Native Seeds/SEARCH.

Explore the Timeline Gardens to learn about each distinct garlic variety grown by each cultural group, and take home different traditional recipes suggested by garden volunteers and chefs.

Lastly, don’t forget to enter the raffle for a chance at winning a fabulous gift basket of garlic-related products.

Mission Garden is located at 946 W Mission Ln. For more information about the Garlic Festival and more, visit missiongarden.org.

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