Hudson Valley Garlic Festival

06/07/2026

Somewhere over the rainbow... there was garlic.

As I was looking through old Hudson Valley Garlic Festival posters, I came across this wonderful design from 2002. It has a bit of a Wizard of Oz feel to it, and it reminded me how much creativity has always been part of this festival.

Now it's your turn.

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is accepting entries for our 2027 Poster Design Contest, and anyone can enter. Professional artist, student, graphic designer, painter, illustrator, photographer, or simply someone with a great idea. We would love to see what you create.

Two finalists will receive cash awards, and festival attendees will select the winning design. The grand prize winner receives a larger award and, more importantly, the distinction of creating the official poster for one of the Hudson Valley's most beloved events.

The deadline to submit your design is July 1, 2026.

Learn more and enter here:
https://www.hvgf.org/poster-contest

Yes, there are cash prizes. But the real reward is becoming part of the festival's history. For decades, our posters have helped tell the story of the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. Long after the festival weekend is over, those posters remain.

And there is another reason to participate. The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is produced entirely by volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Saugerties. Every dollar raised by the festival is returned to the community through scholarships, youth programs, Key Club and Builders Club activities, food pantries, educational initiatives, community projects, and many other local causes.

We can't wait to see where your imagination takes us. No ruby slippers required.

06/01/2026

Good morning, my garlic peeps! I know you have all been waiting anxiously for this day: Ticket sales are now open on our website. The festival will be here before we know it!😍 Featured vendor: the Brussel Boys totally yummy sprouts!

05/15/2026

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival® is looking for its next iconic poster design… and this year, the contest is open to everyone!

Over the decades, artists have helped define the spirit, personality, and creativity of the festival through unforgettable poster artwork. We just put together a short video showcasing many of those past designs, and we hope it inspires a whole new generation of artists to submit their work.

Three finalist designs will be selected and displayed at the 2026 Hudson Valley Garlic Festival®, where festival attendees will vote to choose the official 2027 poster.

• Three finalists each receive a $100 stipend
• Winning artist receives an additional $500 stipend
• Winning artwork will be featured on official festival promotions, merchandise, apparel, and more

You do not need to be a professional artist. We are looking for originality, creativity, and your interpretation of the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival® spirit.

Important note: AI-generated artwork will not be accepted. We want original artwork created by the artist.

Submission Deadline: July 1, 2026

Learn more and submit your design here: https://www.hvgf.org/poster-contest

Watch the video and get inspired. We cannot wait to see what you create.

🎨🧄🌻🍂

05/14/2026

Happy Thursday! Had another meeting of the festival committee today and things are steadily moving forward. Vendor applications have gone out and we are hearing from all of your favorites. On June 1st our online ticket sales will be opening on our website.

We are also looking for artist submissions for the 2027 poster contest. Please go to our website HVGF.org for information. Just click on the INFO button. Deadline is July 1st.

04/28/2026

Good morning all you garlic lovers. Just wanted to let you know that Vendor Applications for our 2026 festival are now available on our website HVGF.org.

04/23/2026

We have a confession to make…

We missed National Garlic Day 2026. What were we thinking? 🧄

But is it really too late? Around here, every day is Garlic Day.

So we are declaring a delayed celebration and inviting you to join the fun.

How did you celebrate garlic this year?

🧄 Share a favorite recipe
🧄 Post a garlic-inspired photo
🧄 Show off your garlic artwork
🧄 Tell us your favorite way to enjoy the stinking rose

And honestly… can we all agree garlic season really belongs in late September when the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival returns?

Drop your creations in the comments and let the celebration begin.

04/11/2026

If the thought of garlic makes you smile, this is your sign.

Join the new Hudson Valley Garlic Festival email list for tasty updates, festival news, ticket info, vendor announcements, and more.

Good things are coming. Possibly delicious things.

Sign up today.

https://www.hvgf.org/subscribe

🧄🎉🌻📬😋

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is a Trade Mark of the Kiwanis Club of Saugerties. "Copyright 1994-2025 Kiwanis Club of Saugerties All Rights Reserved."

02/19/2026

📣 Exciting Announcement: Hudson Valley Garlic Festival® is Now a Registered Trademark!

We are proud to share that after a rigorous application and review process, the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival has received official registered trademark status from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

This was not a small undertaking — it required time, documentation, legal diligence, and a deep commitment to protecting what we have built together over the years.

So what does this mean?

✅ Our name and identity are legally protected nationwide
✅ It confirms our standing as an established, legitimate event with a recognized reputation
✅ It protects our vendors, sponsors, and attendees from impostors or misleading events using our name
✅ It strengthens our ability to grow and build on the legacy of this beloved festival

We have always taken great pride in what this festival represents to the Hudson Valley community. This trademark is the official seal on that commitment.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. Here's to many more years of garlic, community, and celebration! 🧄

02/02/2026

Some stories begin long before they are ever told out loud. The person behind this year’s poster is not someone who set out to design festival art. She is someone who grew up with the festival and let that experience guide the work.

Danielle Duke is the artist behind the 2026 Hudson Valley Garlic Festival poster and the winner of this year’s poster design contest. She doesn’t have a website. She doesn’t maintain a portfolio. She creates art for herself, quietly, thoughtfully, and with deep roots in this place. That makes this poster even more special.

Danielle grew up in Saugerties, attending the Garlic Festival as a child, wandering the booths with her family, collecting memories along with garlic knots and music. When she set out to design this year’s poster, she wasn’t trying to make “festival art.” She was trying to capture a feeling. The kind that sticks with you from childhood and resurfaces years later in unexpected ways.

Below, in her own words, Danielle shares the story behind the imagery, symbolism, and small details woven throughout the poster.

"The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival has always held a bit of magical nostalgia for me. I grew up in Saugerties and the festival was a day spent with family wandering from booth to booth, tasting garlic-infused foods, listening to music, and soaking in creativity. As a kid, even something as simple as a garlic magic wand felt enchanting, and I wanted this poster to capture that child-like sense of wonder.

The imagery is inspired by the idea that if Cinderella’s story were set in the Hudson Valley, her carriage wouldn’t be a pumpkin, it would of course be a clove of garlic! I chose the colors to reflect autumn in the Hudson Valley, and the water flowing beneath the bridge represents the Esopus. The glowing orbs can be read as fireflies or fairies; I wanted them to feel like quiet guides leading the way, but chose not to detail them too much to let viewers decide what kind of magic they like. I wanted the castle to represent the festival itself, which to me feels like a place of light, music, and gathering.

I also included small personal “Easter eggs,” with the frog and turtles in the foreground. They’re an ode to my sister, Tara. They’re my reminder to slow down and notice the small, often overlooked pieces of beauty around us. I chose not to place a figure in the carriage so that anyone looking at the poster could imagine themselves inside. Most of my work is rooted in blending realism with a touch of imagination. Creating this has been a really wonderful experience and I hope people enjoy the magic of the festival as much as I have over the years."

01/29/2026

Every year, the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival looks a little different on paper. And every year, that is exactly the point.

This year’s winning poster for the 2026 Hudson Valley Garlic Festival captured our imagination the moment we saw it. It feels like a storybook come to life, familiar and fantastical at the same time.

At the center is garlic, not just as an ingredient, but as a character. A glowing garlic bulb becomes a carriage, rolling gently across a stone bridge, pulled by a steady horse through a landscape bathed in autumn color. The river winds through the scene like a ribbon, dotted with warm lights that feel equal parts fireflies and festival magic. In the distance, a village glows under a painted sky, suggesting community, tradition, and a gathering just beyond the bend.

It is playful without being silly. Whimsical without losing its sense of place. You can feel the Hudson Valley in the trees, the water, and the quiet sense of motion, like you are arriving somewhere special just as the sun goes down.

This design was chosen through our annual poster contest and public vote during the festival, and it represents what we love most about this event: creativity, community, and a little bit of magic mixed in with the garlic.

We cannot wait to see this image welcoming everyone to Cantine Field in Saugerties on September 26th and 27th, 2026.

Thank you to everyone who voted, submitted artwork, and helped bring the 2026 festival vision to life.