Garlic Goers head for 2005 festival

Over 25,000 garlic lovers will be gathering to celebrate the 12th Garlic Festival on the Isle of Wight this weekend, 20th and 21st August. The Garlic Festival is held every year to celebrate the Isle of Wight's position as a major UK producer and exporter of garlic and as a fund raising vehicle for the local community.

Garlic lovers will be able to experience the taste of the pungent bulb as well as take home oak-smoked garlic bulbs and plaits, garlic butter, chutneys and garlic gadgets. The Garlic Marquee will also feature the Isle of Wight's Golden Clove alongside many other tempting garlic-flavoured products from mussels and other seafood to bread, beer, sausages and ice cream!

Colin Boswell, founder of The Garlic Festival and leading producer in the UK enthuses:

"The Garlic Festival has grown to become one of the largest events on the Island, second only to Cowes Week. We are so lucky to have a dedicated team of volunteers from the village to run this event each year which so far has also raised £500,000 for our small community. It is not only a fantastic event that celebrates this Island's finest crop but gives something back to its residents whilst giving others the opportunity to experience the most widely used and loved food in the world."