Last year, more than 100,000 people attended the Gilroy Garlic Festival. This year, organizers say that number will be roughly the same. And they say, MotoGP helps this event.
"When we had the race up in San Jose, the Grand Prix, we had a spike," says Kurt Svardal, festival vice president.
Festival organizers say competition is good and attendance is high even though the MotoGP at Laguna Seca is happening at the same time.
"They will also attract people from out-of-town through advertising efforts," says Svardal. "Folks that may only go to the race for one day, then come to the festival the next day."
That's good news for dozens of local charities struggling to get funding in this economy, like the Gilroy High School Choir Group.
"Every budget is being cut, and the high school program is also been hurt by that a little bit," says Rudi Groppe from choir group.
