Inspiring young minds for a quarter century
by Joe Kleiman
Halfway between San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley, and Monterey, California, sits the small town of Gilroy. With a population of just under 60,000 and an agricultural history, Gilroy is known as the “Garlic Capital of the World.”
The town has embraced the garlic theme with festivals and events beloved by locals and visitors alike and added a full- fledged theme park in 2001. Anthropomorphic garlic cloves feature as the mascots of Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, where they appear as costumed characters always ready to give a hug or pose for photos. This year, the agriculture- and horticulture-themed park is celebrating its 25th year. Throughout the grounds, guests will find pavilions with photos from the past, a time capsule to be opened on the 50th anniversary, and a scale model of the park’s original proposed entrance and attractions from its development phase.
Aesthetically, Gilroy Gardens is very much the same as it appeared when it first opened, with many of the same retail and dining outlets and rides still in place. Yet, it is so well maintained by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates it under a lease from the City of Gilroy, that it appears as a new venue to first-time visitors while returning guests experience the comfort of familiarity. The fact that only a few new attractions have been added over the years is a testament to the park’s evergreen, multigenerational impact for its audience and the community.
Gardens have always played a key role at Gilroy Gardens, with the rides and attractions seamlessly blended in. There are spinning rides themed to local agricultural crops (artichokes and garlic), a car ride that features two different tracks (one themed to 1920s cars and the other to sports cars from the 1950s), and a giant greenhouse with monarch butterfly gardens through which not only the train travels, but a monorail as well.
“Twenty-five years ago, parents first brought their children here to Gilroy Gardens,” says Dan Harney, Chairman of the Board of Gilroy Gardens, “Later, as teenagers, those same children started working here at the park, becoming ride operators and working in our stores and restaurants. And now, 25 years later, they’re adults and parents bringing their own children to Gilroy Gardens.”
Circus trees
The origins of Gilroy Gardens date back to the 1940s. In 1942, what is now known as Highway 17 opened between San Jose and Santa Cruz (home of the famous boardwalk amusement park). A number of roadside attractions popped up along the route through the Santa Cruz Mountains, including the Tree Circus in Scotts Valley, opened in 1947. This attraction was the home of the “circus trees,” created by Swedish-American artist Axel Erlandson. Erlandson applied unique pruning and grafting methods to create intricate patterns with the trees’ trunks, including some that resembled baskets, interlacing (which he called “needle and thread”) and a tree with an archway made of twin trunks, able to cross over a pathway.
In 1977, the property was sold and was scheduled to be bulldozed. Some of the trees that didn’t survive made their way to a number of art museums and even to the 2005 World Expo in Aichi, Japan. Two dozen of the remaining living trees eventually found their way into the hands of local grocery store owner Michael Bonfante. He placed the trees on display at his nursery, Tree Haven, eventually converting the space into the family theme park originally named Bonfante Gardens (now Gilroy Gardens), with the Circus Trees being a key attraction planted throughout the property.
The story of the original Tree Circus being paved over for a parking lot is told through song at a new Gilroy Gardens show, “25 Years: A Musical Celebration.” The show celebrates four key components of Gilroy Gardens: the circus trees, the railroad that provides a grand circle tour of the park, the water play area, and the gardens.
Education is a foundation
A major foundation of the park is its commitment to education. Attractions not only highlight plants, but pay tribute to the local region as well. Quicksilver Express is a family terrain roller coaster that pays tribute to the mining history of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Interpretive exhibits can be found throughout the extensive queue explaining the history of the local mining industry and some of the individual mines in the local area.
One of the park’s more recent additions is the Green Barn, opened in 2015. The barn (which is painted green) is named to evoke environmental awareness. Inside are a story reading area, an art studio, and the Nature Exchange, where guests can swap items they find in the natural world. The Green Barn is at the core of the park’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) initiatives, with school groups visiting throughout the year, including the park’s specially scheduled Natural Science Days.
“Over the years, BaAM Productions has been a close collaborator, working with Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park on several projects to enhance the guest experience and integrate learning in unique ways,” shares Aimee Roy, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at BaAM. “Together we’ve created immersive experiences, such as Water Oasis Lagoon, a water play area that promotes themes like water conservation – as well as the Green Barn, an interactive education center where young guests can explore, create, and discover nature in an exciting hands-on way. Projects like these have supported and enhanced the park’s educational mission, while creating an engaging experience for young people to learn – and have plenty of fun!”
Signature events
Throughout the year, Gilroy Gardens plays host to a number of signature events. For summer 2025, the park is introducing Cherry Jubilee, featuring cherry-infused food offerings, an open air roller rink, interactive educational activities teaching about the cherry harvest, and other cherry-themed activities and characters.
Returning offerings include Carnival Nights, running from July through September, which allows guests to experience the park at night within a carnival atmosphere. Halloween and Christmas are also big at the park, with “The Great Big BOO!” and “North Pole Nights.”
“Happy 25th Anniversary to this truly special place!” says Patrick Roberge, President of PRP, which has produced both “The Great Big BOO!” and “The Magic of Santa,” the park’s Christmas holiday musical show. “On behalf of PRP and Wondersee Entertainment, we are proud to be longtime partners with Gilroy Gardens. When it comes to Halloween and holiday celebrations, no one does it better for families than Gilroy Gardens. We’re honored that our characters and shows are part of the magic each year. Congratulations on this milestone anniversary – we can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will bring!”
Gilroy Gardens is a testament to how a park can play a key role in the community, through education of children, employment, and the promotion of tourism dollars, with 93% of guests coming from outside Gilroy. Most importantly, it is a place where parents and children can come, enjoy nature, learn about the region, and just have fun – generation after generation. •
