Gettin’ stinky at Garlic Town, USA

By Timothy Page on September 18, 2026 • ( Leave a comment )

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Thousands flock to Bennington for a (slightly smelly) festival.

*Michelle Scutt of Harmony Acres Garlic Farm in Mount Morris, New York, was one of more than 130 vendors at the 31st Garlic Town, USA on Sept. 5, 2026 in downtown Bennington. Photo by Myla van Lynde*

By Marshall Austin Moffatt and Finn McDonough and Myla van Lynde, for the Community News Service

BENNINGTON — Thousands of people gathered in downtown Bennington on Saturday, Sept. 5 for the 31st Garlic Town, USA festival.

The daylong garlic celebration started in Wilmington in 1995 as the Southern Vermont Garlic and Herb Festival. Around 2005, the Bennington Chamber of Commerce (now the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce) worked with the original event producers, Steve Wrathall and Joy Love, to bring the festival to Bennington, according to the festival’s website.

This year, the festival featured more than 130 vendors, including garlic farmers and artisans from across the region.

*Garlic Town, USA attendees could explore rows of vendor tents, many of which were decorated with garlic bulbs. Photo by Marshall Moffatt*

For those interested in expanding their garlic knowledge, there were educational demonstrations on garlic braiding, medicinal uses of garlic, and home and garden composting. For kids, there were games, tractor rides, a bubble-blowing station, and magic shows from Bennington magician Doug Eash.

“I like tasting the different flavors of the different types of garlic,” said Sue Durfee, an attendee visiting from Pownal. “We grow our own garlic, so we get to taste different ones and say, ‘Oh, let’s try planting these.’ And then that’s what we do.”

*John Zimmer and Peggy Zimmer of Vermont Roots Farm pose at Garlic Town, USA. Photo by Marshall Moffatt*

Vendor Michelle Scutt from Mount Morris, New York, has been growing garlic for 21 years. She also braids garlic — weaving garlic stems together into a long, hanging bundle used for both storage and decor. Usually it’s done with softneck garlic stems, but Scutt does it with hardneck, which she said is like “braiding tree branches.”

“I started doing the garlic braiding because there was a gentleman who stated it could not be done,” she said. “So I went home from that, and I did it. Took me a day and a half, but I figured it out.”

*Mikayla Fisette (right) poses in a garlic hat at Garlic Town, USA. Photo by Marshall Moffatt*

Ali Zaiac, who leads the Better Bennington Corporation, ran the festival’s information tent. It was her first time at Garlic Town, USA.

“There is a lot more here than you would anticipate,” she said. “It’s crazy where people get creative in putting in garlic. There’s [garlic] gelato. Like, who knew?”

Zaiac said Garlic Town, USA is a chance to show off Bennington.

“For me, the biggest thing is this brings in thousands of people who wouldn’t otherwise come to downtown Bennington,” she said. “And so it’s incredible to bring in people and vendors from so many places.”

Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship