The crunchy autumn leaves of October remind us of the upcoming holiday season. November and December are holiday months for sure, but the welcoming month of October is hands-down the favorite month of the year. And in Lafayette, New Jersey, this month was even more special as the Shoppes hosted the Garlic festival in October 2021.
Lafayette is primarily a farming town, serving high-quality farm and dairy products to local and neighboring areas. The Garlic Festival was celebrated with great fanfare and fervor from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday alongside the weekly Farmers Market at the Shoppes, where it was known as the Garlic Gathering Theme of the market.
The Return of the Garlic Festival To Lafayette
The Farmers Market at The Village, Lafayette has an expansive spread of farming produce displayed for sale. Organizer Susan Sisti went on to highlight the “great diversity of vendors” in the festival, from garlic growers to crafters and other local merchants who showcased their products at the market every Sunday. Last year, the Garlic Fest had to be canceled owing to bad weather. This year in 2020, the return of the event at this time of the year in October is the ideal month to plant garlic cloves.
To mark the joyous occasion, The Lafayette House, one of the prime eating joints serving sumptuous food in the Township, served food and drinks throughout the day Sunday, as told by the Farmers Market manager Ken Olsen. Besides, there were food trucks and live music for guests to enjoy. This occasion also marked an exclusive opportunity for the other stores at the Lafayette Village market to showcase their items to guests who will visit the garlic festival. This event was a great marketing opportunity for the permanent stores that comprise the Shoppes at Lafayette.
The Garlic Festival: A quick roundup
The Garlic Festival was first held in 2001 by Sisti and her husband Richard, of Catalpa Ridge Farm in Wantage, and Roman Osadca, of Valley Fall Farm in Blairstown. The event had to be stopped in 2013 when it was last held, a year before the foreclosure of the Shoppes at Lafayette’s predecessor, Olde Lafayette Village.
The Ray of Hope
Thereafter, many of the garlic vendors in and around the Township switched for a few years to the annual Harvest, Honey, and Garlic Festival at the fairgrounds. But now, with the renovation of the Village and efforts being made to revive the old glory of the beautiful open-air market, Olsen raised the possibility of resuming the original event at The Shoppes at Lafayette. Sisti said that they were excited at the prospect of the revival of the garlic fest after so many years.
The people of Lafayette township were excited that the event was returning after many years to the town. With the commencement of the garlic festival, the local community sees hopes and revival and restoration of the golden days of the Shoppes at Lafayette.
