Ah, how sweet it is… garlic-flavored ice cream.

Serenaded by hearty laughter and live acoustic guitar music, a river of shoppers at the annual Garlic Festival sauntered in the warm sunshine, enjoying the heady aroma of cooking garlic interspersed with a sweeter fare of donuts, cookies and homemade fudge.

A warm day greeted shoppers at the Garlic Festival.

"It's a great atmosphere," said Leslye Canepa of Echo Valley Herb Farm, one of the frequent vendors at the Farmers' Market. She and her husband, Bill, grow and sell red German garlic seed throughout the country.

This annual event has grown over the last three years to become a much-anticipated favorite of vendors and shoppers alike.

"The idea came out of the necessity for the Farmers' Market to move out of the city parking lot three years ago," said Michael Powers, Market Manager. "We needed something to grab the attention of people and get them to come to the market."

Judging from the steady turn-out, it has taken off.

"It is at the right time of the year, it gives people something to do, and we have come up with more and more creative ideas over the years," Powers added.

Gathered under a canopy near a table topped with dishes of food - some steaming, some kept cold - a team of three judges sampled entries of the annual Garlic Cook-Off Competition.

Marsha Semar demonstrates that garlic can be decorative as well as tasty.

This year's Garlic Cook-Off judges were what Powers termed, "an interesting combination," consisting of Bonners Ferry Mayor, Dave Anderson, Keith Snider of Second Street Pizza and Galactic Garlic Pizza fame, and John O'Connor, owner of Bonners Books. Judging was organized by Gail Cathcart.

Cook-off rules were simple. Contestants must use at least six cloves of locally-grown garlic per recipe. Unique entries included such dishes as garlic scones and garlic-flavored ice cream.

Winners received "Market Bucks," the Farmers' Market rendition of money that can be spent with any vendor at the market.

"That way the money stays here at the Market and helps out all of the vendors," said Powers.

Winners of the Garlic Cook-Off were:
Appetizer: Barb Hansen, Baba Gannouj; Meat/Fish Entrée: Christine Stoneham, Garlic Yak Meatballs; Vegetarian Entrée: Leslye Canepa, Spinach Noodles With Garlic Pesto Sauce; Desert: Ralph and Bev Byquist, Chocolate-Covered Garlic Donuts.

Mark Kitchen provided live acoustic guitar music.

"There have been a lot of wonderful people stopping by and asking about growing their own garlic," said Canepa. "That's what I'm interested in, helping people learn more about garlic."