The show will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 15.

By Jane Howard

Jane Howard

The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s Garlic City Car Show will return to downtown Gilroy in mid-June for its 24th year. Under the Chamber’s stewardship since 2016, the event promises to continue its legacy of community celebration and automotive excellence.

The show will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The event is a magnet for car enthusiasts and spectators alike, drawing thousands each year. Attendees can expect a vibrant showcase of custom and classic cars as well as a selection of vendors merchandise at the car show. And for the first time, delicious margaritas will be available for purchase from the Chamber of Commerce.

The Car Show committee decided to encourage attendees to purchase an array of beer and wine options from local establishments and offer a different adult beverage for purchase at the Chamber booth.

As always, the event remains free for spectators. This year’s show will be working around the Gourmet Alley construction project in progress. However, the committee is planning for another successful event.

Established initially as a kickoff to the Gilroy Garlic Festival, the Garlic City Car Show has become a staple of our community cultural and social calendar.

In 2019, the Garlic City Car Show was featured on the TV show “My Classic Car” with Dennis Gage. It drew more than 10,000 attendees and more than 350 cars to downtown. This was the largest show in Gilroy history!

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the event returned to downtown Gilroy in 2022 with a smaller footprint and fewer cars on display. Last year, more than 200 cars and more than 30 vendors returned with more than 5,000 attendees.

This year, entertainment stages will be located at Fourth and Fifth streets featuring local bands starting at 10 a.m. In addition, 25-plus vendors will be sprinkled throughout the venue, including food trucks offering a variety of yummy temptations to check out as you stroll through the streets enjoying the variety of vehicles.

Be sure to stop and talk to the owners of the vehicles. You will learn what makes them so passionate about their cars — and cars in general. They enjoy telling their stories, which is what makes the car show experience memorable. One other reminder, be sure to check out the cars who are recipients of the 40 merchant awards and also listen for the announcement for Best in Show winner.

For more information about this year’s show and also available parking lots, please visit gilroy.org/garliccitycarshow or contact the Chamber office at (408) 842-6437. One other option to consider is taking advantage of the special Uber savings sponsored by Visit Gilroy. Use promo code downtowngilroy to redeem at hr.uber.com/downtowngilroy. This offer is valid for up to 400 rides until July 1.

The Chamber of Commerce’s 50-plus volunteers and committee members look forward to welcoming everyone to downtown Gilroy on June 15 for the 24th annual Garlic City Car Show.

Jane Howard is the interim CEO of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce. She wrote this column for Gilroy Life.