Veronica Faulkner, of Song Hollow Farm, was busy all weekend selling garlic at the South Caribo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photos - 100 Mile Free Press)

The 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

(Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

One of the most popular attractions at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival was the dunk tank run by the 100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society. Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson spent several hours being dunked in the water by his constituents on Saturday, Aug. 26. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

One of the most popular attractions at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival was the dunk tank run by the 100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society. Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson spent several hours being dunked in the water by his constituents on Saturday, Aug. 26. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

One of the most popular attractions at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival was the dunk tank run by the 100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society. Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson spent several hours being dunked in the water by his constituents on Saturday, Aug. 26. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

One of the most popular attractions at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival was the dunk tank run by the 100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society. Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson spent several hours being dunked in the water by his constituents on Saturday, Aug. 26. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

One of the most popular attractions at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival was the dunk tank run by the 100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society. Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson spent several hours being dunked in the water by his constituents on Saturday, Aug. 26. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Cariboo-Chilcotin MAL Lorne Doerkson gives the camera a big thumbs up after getting dunked in the water at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Ranjot Singh listens to Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department Captain Julie Machado as she coaches him on how to use the department’s fire hose at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Ranjot Singh grins as he uses the Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department’s fire hose as Captain Julie Machado supervises at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Ranjot Singh grins as he uses the Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department’s fire hose as Captain Julie Machado supervises at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Manmeet Kaur smiles as Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department Captain Julie Machado helps her into some firefighting gear at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Manmeet Kaur braces herself as she uses one of the Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department’s hoses to knock down a ‘fire’ at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Manmeet Kaur braces herself as she uses one of the Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department’s hoses to knock down a ‘fire’ at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26 with the help of Julie Machado. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Fire didn’t stand a chance when Jayme Cashin turned the Lac La Hache Volunteer Fire Department’s hose on it at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Emersyn Pfister grins as she holds a baby chick at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival’s petting zoo.

A goat at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival petting zoo roams around its pen. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Dozens of people, young and old, petted some goats and baby chickens at the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival’s petting zoo. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Bohden Ehret dyed his tongue and teeth blue as he went to town on some cotton candy at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

The Markabillies’ Mark Lees croons into the mike while playing bass at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival last week. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

The Markabillies’ lead singer Mark Allen performed live at the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Trinidy Inskeep scrunches her eyes closed as Carmen Dykstra pains her face at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

At the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival Sierra Desrosirs-Clark took on the persona of Garlina, the event’s mascot.

Dori Martin smiles widely as she looks through the wares being sold by Sew What at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Nature’s Design Henry Peters got into the South Cariboo Garlic Festival spirit by wearing a hat full of garlic.

Bunches of garlic on display at the South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Jenna Wall and Mierie Sabbarwal grab some garlic from the Greenhouse at Pumpkin Junction’s stall at the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Ghostly Garlic’s Nick Forester came to the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival to sell his range of garlic salts. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Attendees of the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival came from across the Cariboo. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

The 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Sandy O’Neil and Bob Schrader of Riversong Agriharmonics were one of the 120 vendors who came to the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Tandra Rosger, Gnomemade’s Cathy Steigleder’s granddaughter, attended the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival to help her grandmother sell her gnomes. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Jhett Bernier enjoys some ice cream at the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

South Cariboo Garlic Festival co-organizer Teresa Wager was ecstatic at the turnout this year. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Tammy Ross grins as she prepares to sink Cariboo Chilcoltin MLA Lorne Doerkson into a dunk tank at the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Thousands attended the 2023 South Cariboo Garlic Festival for a stinking good time.

With clear skies and plenty of volunteers, rookie garlic festival co-organizers Teresa Wager and Nedeen Boon couldn’t have asked for a better first year. Looking out across the festival grounds north of Lac La Hache on Saturday, Wager was all smiles.

“All the vendors and food trucks seem super happy, the petting zoo was an overwhelming success and I see tons of garlic coming out of here, it’s just fantastic,” Wager said. “People are in such a positive mood and everything has gone our way, I think.”

This year the festival boasted close to 120 different vendors both local and from the rest of B.C. They sold garlic, fresh produce, semi-precious stones, woodwork, clothing and ceramics, to name a few.

Gnomemad’s Cathy Steigleder was one of those local vendors. Steigleder specializes in making cute and colourful gnomes out of socks, rice and various dollar-store items. She remarked this was her first time attending the garlic festival and it didn’t disappoint.

“It’s amazing. The people who have set it up have been fantastic, the volunteers are awesome and there’s lots of traffic going through,” Steigleder said. “There’s over 120 vendors and they’re all artisan vendors. It’s amazing to think how many artisans there are in this community. I’m having a wonderful time.”

For the festival, Steigleder made some special garlic-themed gnomes with garlic print hats and wheelbarrows full of garlic. She added she definitely intends to return next year, given the chance.

Garlic farmer Karen Froess, of the Greenhouse at Pumpkin Junction, also enjoyed his first time at the festival as a vendor. Froess said it was as good, if not better, than similar festivals he has attended in the past.

“I’m barefoot, the people have all been really friendly, the weather has been great and it’s just busy and friendly which is what every vendor wants,” Froess said.

One of the most popular attractions on Saturday was the 100 Mile District Hospice Palliative Care Society’s dunk tank. Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson spent several hours getting dropped in the water by his constituents, all with a big smile on his face.

“We’re raising funds for hospice today in a dunk tank and it’s been very busy today, a lot of fun. I’m not sure how much we’ve raised but it’s been very steady all day,” Doerkson said. “There’s a lot of people here who have been loving the chance to dunk their MLA.”

Joking he had the “best seat” in the festival, Doerkson said the garlic festival is one of the premier events in British Columbia. After drying off he was looking forward to getting some food and wandering around the festival.

Wager said despite how many people showed up, her team of 50 volunteers was able to direct traffic on Highway 97 and ensure there were no parking issues. She was very proud and thankful for everyone who helped make the festival happen this year.

“It was amazing. It was a little bit overwhelming to see everyone so happy and positive. I didn’t receive any negative comment,” Wager remarked. “It’s been really good, better than what I had hoped for.

“The garlic festival is the one thing I’ve always loved for the 13 years it’s been here. It’s a staple of Lac La Hache and the South Cariboo and I’m just so grateful to everyone who came out and supported us.”

patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.