Vampires likely won’t be at Everts Park in Highwood Wednesday. But the reigning garlic queen and princess will be there to celebrate the small white bulb with the bold taste at the sixth annual Garlic Fest in Highwood. It’s sponsored by the Highwood Chamber of Commerce and held in conjunction with Wednesday evening markets.
Garlic princess Sabrina Stefani, 13, of Highwood, will be there to hand over her tiara — and garlic bracelet — to the new princess. Garlic Queen Pat Lenzini of Highwood will be there, as well.
To win the title, Sabrina gave a speech that had the audience laughing, said her mom, Rose Stefano. “She talked about garlic and how even though it’s so small, it’s very powerful — and that she’s small and powerful, too.”
Sabrina, who is entering eighth grade this year, said she thought that was “the perfect simile.”
She auditioned for the role because she said, “I really like garlic. It’s really tasty, and we’re Italian, so we use it a lot.”
Her duties this year included walking in the Highland Park Parade and appearing at the Highwood Pumpkin Fest. She’ll help select the new garlic princess at this year’s event.
“It was really fun. I can’t believe it went by so fast,” she said.
Lenzini, who works as an administrator for the Highwood Chamber and also is the owner of Pat’s Canning, said she went all out to claim the title of garlic queen last year.
She crafted a fresh garlic crown and scepter and walked around the fest introducing herself before the judging. For her speech, she said she talked about how she infuses garlic into her life every day and about the garlic jam she makes that tastes great on roast beef.
She stopped short, she said, of wearing a garlic bikini.
Vendors at the event infuse garlic and compete for bragging rights for best savory garlic dish and best sweet garlic dish.
“Two gentlemen do garlic-infused ice cream,” Lenzini said. Another vendor makes garlic-flavored popcorn. A bar vendor makes garlic-infused vodka, while another makes garlic-infused tequila, she said.
During the event, garlic lovers help choose winners. “We pass out slips of paper to participants, asking people to vote,” Lenzini said.
Last year, the most savory winner was a garlic rosemary funnel cake and the sweet winner was a cookie made with garlic-infused butter cream.
“It’s hilarious,” Lenzini said. “If the weather is good, we have about 5,000 people in our park on a Wednesday. There’s this plume of garlic that just descends over the town of Highwood. People love garlic. I call it sweet stink.”
Sheryl DeVore is a freelance writer.
Garlic Fest
When: 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday
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Where: Everts Park, 111 North Ave., Highwood
Tickets: Free
Information: 847-433-2100; celebratehighwood.com/garlic-fest/