Gilroy Garlic Festival returns after two years with one major change FacebookTwitterEmail A man walks beneath a sign advertising the nearby Gilroy Garlic Festival on July 29, 2019 in Gilroy, California.Mario Tama/Getty Images For the first time since the 2019 mass shooting, the Gilroy Garlic Festival is returning. But this year, due to the pandemic, it will look a little different. While in previous years, festival-goers would stroll through the famous Gourmet Alley to order various garlic-forward dishes, this year, Gourmet Alley will be a drive-thru at the Gilroy Presbyterian Church. Though constrained to their cars, people will still be able to pick up everything from pepper steak sandwiches to shrimp scampi, garlic bread and garlic fries — just don't forget to pre-order ahead of time, as walk-ups will not be accepted.