Highwood's third annual Garlic Festival

August 14, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Final preparations made to gear up for Highwood's third annual Garlic Festival

They've done it again in north suburban Highwood. It's time once again for another one of their crazy fests. There's a Pumpkin Fest, a Bloody Mary Fest, and tonight it's the Garlic Fest.

It was set up time this morning at Events Park in Highwood where final preparations were made for the third annual Garlic Festival. This is the fest with the unusual slogan.... "our city really stinks".

"It's the event with a complete focus on garlic," said Eric Falberg, chairman of the Highwood Garlic Festival. "Anything that you can imagine with garlic in it like, ice cream, candies, popcorn, food, drink. It just must contain garlic to be part of the fest," he said.

Although the Garlic Festival officially opens Wednesday evening, restaurants and specialty shops gave a garlic-aroma preview of what's to be served tonight.

At Longitude 315 restaurant, tons of pungent recipes were shown off. Not only will there be traditional garlic recipes to check out, but also creations that will test festival goers courage.

Pat Leszini, owner of Pat's Cannery, said her mother loves garlic and even taught her to make garlic jam with roasted garlic, Vidalia onions, olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper.

There's going to be plenty for dessert, like, candies, cookies, and garlic-filled cream shortbread.

It all comes with a message.

"Eat, drink, stink," said Susie Tingle, Garlic Fest queen. "Now that's not an easy slogan to sell to the public, but there's ice cream to help the garlic go down and, maybe, back up," she said.

There will even be garlic-inspired cocktails at this year's festival. Issac Nava, owner of La Casa De Issac, will offer a garlicrita, made with tequila, grand marnier, cucumber juice, lime juice and of course, lots of garlic.

Tomorrow morning, visitors will have a 'garlic over'.

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local, frank mathie

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