Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

National Garlic Month – April 2024

National Garlic Month is celebrated in April. Garlic transcends cultures. It can be found in Asian, American, African, and European cuisines. Garlic was almost always used as more than just a herb or spice to add flavor to meals. Some civilizations used it for medicinal purposes, while others elevated it to a higher spiritual status in their society. It’s fascinating to see how many civilizations used garlic for the same or similar purposes that had no direct contact with each other. Garlic was known to early man to be a healthy and versatile crop with far more applications than just seasoning dishes.

History of National Garlic Month

Garlic is widely assumed to have originated in Central Asia, somewhere near China. Around 2,000 years ago, the ancient Chinese used garlic for medicinal purposes, believing that it could cure a variety of ailments. It spread from China to neighboring Japan and Korea. Garlic was also used medicinally by the ancient Indians, who ground the plant into a paste and made a tonic out of it. This tonic was used to treat skin diseases, loss of appetite, rheumatism, hemorrhoids, and many other ailments. Because Indian priests were some of their society’s first doctors and pharmacists, these garlic treatments were accompanied by elaborate rituals, spells, and prayer ceremonies.

Garlic was thought to have life-giving properties by the ancient Egyptians, and its strong odor was thought to protect the pharaoh from evil spirits in the afterlife. Around 3200 B.C., it was introduced to Egypt via trade routes and traveling merchants. According to biblical accounts, Jewish slaves in Egypt were fed a garlic-rich diet to strengthen their bodies and make them more productive workers. The Talmud, a Jewish religious text, even recommended garlic consumption for the treatment of parasitic infections around the 2nd century A.D.

The Talmud went further to advise married couples to use garlic to aid in procreation. The Greeks shared the Egyptian belief in garlic’s performance-enhancing properties. Garlic was used to feed ancient Greek athletes, according to research findings. This was done to improve their athletic performance during Olympic competitions. Garlic is mostly used for cooking nowadays, but that doesn’t mean its numerous health benefits aren’t recognized. We now know that garlic is antimicrobial and antifungal, that it lowers the risk of heart attack, and that it contains allicin, a compound with numerous therapeutic properties.

National Garlic Month timeline

2700 B.C.
Medical Use of Garlic in China

The ancient Chinese use garlic in many remedies, including for the treatment of depression.

1850 B.C.
The Greeks and Garlic

Greek generals often fed their troops with garlic before major battles.

1323 B.C.
Garlic in Egyptian Last Rites

King Tutankhamun — the youngest of the pharaohs — is buried with garlic, symbolizing his soul’s patron and protector of his wealth in the afterlife.

601 A.D.
Garlic as an Insect Repellent

Slavic people use garlic to repel lice, as well as a form of treatment for snake bites, spider bites, ulcers, and crusts.

National Garlic Month FAQs

Can you eat garlic leaves?

Yes, garlic leaves are best eaten raw to preserve their vibrant flavor.

Does garlic grow hair faster?

Garlic boosts the production of collagen, which helps stimulate hair growth.

Is there fat in garlic?

Garlic has no fat whatsoever, making it one of the healthiest foods out there.

National Garlic Month Activities

  1. Try out some garlic recipes

    Garlic is so versatile. You can use it for meat or plant-based dishes. Crush it, mince it, or blend it into a marinade and slather it over everything. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

  2. Grow your garlic

    Why not grow garlic for your personal use? You can plant three or four cloves in a small pot. Water them lightly and place them on a sunny window ledge. You should have some garlic greens ready for snipping within a week or so.

  3. Attend a garlic festival

    At a garlic festival, you can join others in celebrating this wonderful food. A renaissance fair, state fair, cookout, or harvest festival will almost certainly have one.

5 Great Facts About Garlic

  1. China is the biggest garlic producer

    According to a study from 2012, China grows two-thirds of the world’s garlic, adding up to around 46 billion pounds every year.

  2. Its name has Anglo-Saxon origins

    Although garlic originated from Asia, the name comes from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘gar’ (‘spear’) and ‘lac’ (‘plant’), possibly a reference to the shape of a garlic plant’s leaves.

  3. Garlic juice can make glue

    Juice extracted from garlic cloves is used as a bonding agent for D.I.Y. projects involving sensitive materials like glass.

  4. Garlic was issued to soldiers in WW2

    Garlic was given to soldiers during World War ll as a form of medicine.

  5. Garlic is a vegetable

    Though it's commonly used and referred to as a herb or spice, botanically, garlic is a root vegetable in the same family as onions.

Why We Love National Garlic Month

  1. Garlic makes everything better

    Imagine a world with no garlic bread. Or garlic butter. Or garlic fries. We can’t imagine it either.

  2. Garlic is a superfood

    It’s packed with vitamins and nutrients. It’s low in calories too. You get lots of flavor without compromising your health.

  3. Garlic smells amazing

    Not on your breath of course. But the smell of garlic in the air is just delightful, and you get a whole 30 days of it during National Garlic Month.

National Garlic Month dates

YearDateDay
2024April 1Monday
2025April 1Tuesday
2026April 1Wednesday
2027April 1Thursday
2028April 1Saturday
Be Kind to Spiders Week
Blue Ribbon Week
Golden Rule Week
International Pooper Scooper Week
Laugh at Work Week
Medication Safety Week
National Bake Week
National Cancer Registrars Week
National Public Health Week
National Window Safety Week
Take Your Poet to School Week
Testicular Cancer Awareness Week
April Fools' Day
Assyrian New Year
Boomer Bonus Days
Community Garden Week
Cyprus National Holiday
Dyngus Day
Easter Monday
Edible Book Day
Fossil Fools Day
International Fun at Work Day
International Tatting Day
Library Snap Shot Day
Lupus Alert Day
Martyrdom of Imam Ali
Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month
Myles Day
National Connor Day
National Fun Day
National Greeting Card Day
National Loyal Day
National One Cent Day
National Sourdough Bread Day
National Trombone Players Day
Nature Day
Nickelodeon Anniversary Celebration Day
Odisha Day
Reading is Funny Day
St. Stupid Day
Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action
U.S. Air Force Academy Day
U.S. Air Force Academy Day
White House Easter Egg Roll
Adopt a Ferret Month
Adopt a Greyhound Month
Arab American Heritage Month
Autism Acceptance Month
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage Month
Cancer Control Month
Canine Fitness Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Cesarean Awareness Month
Child Abuse Awareness Month
Children and Nature Awareness Month
Counseling Awareness Month
Couple Appreciation Month
Cranberries and Gooseberries Month
Deaf History Month
Defeat Diabetes Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Dog Appreciation Month
Earth Month
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month
Fair Housing Month
Filipino Food Month
Financial Capability Month
Financial Literacy Month
Fresh Florida Tomato Month
Genocide Awareness Month
Global Astronomy Month
Global Child Nutrition Month
Grange Month
Heartworm Awareness Month
IBS Month
Informed Women Month
International Amateur Radio Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Guitar Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
Month of the Military Child
Move More Month
Multicultural Communications Month
Multiple Birth Awareness Month
National African-American Women's Fitness Month
National Alcohol Awareness Month
National BLT Sandwich Month
National Car Care Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Decorating Month
National Donate Life Month
National Facial Protection Month
National Food Month
National Foot Health Awareness Month
National Fresh Celery Month
National Frog Month
National Garlic Month
National Grilled Cheese Month
National Humor Month
National Internship Awareness Month
National Kite Month
National Knuckles Down Month
National Literature Month
National Minority Health Month
National Month of Hope
National Pecan Month
National Pest Management Month
National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
National Poetry Month
National Rebuilding Month
National Safe Digging Month
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
National Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Education and Awareness Month
National Sjogren's Syndrome Awareness Month
National Social Security Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soy Foods Month
National Volunteer Month
National Welding Month
National Woodworking Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Panagyaman Rice Festival
Parkinson's Awareness Month
Parkinson's Awareness Month
Parliamentary Law Month
Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month
Physical Wellness Month
Poetic Earth Month
Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
Primary Immunodeficiency Month
Records and Information Management Month
Records and Information Management Month
Rosacea Awareness Month
Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
School Library Month
Scottish-American Heritage Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
Step up for 30 For Bowel Cancer Month
STI Awareness Month
Straw Hat Month
Stress Awareness Month
Summer Tire Changeover Month
SunSmart Skin Cancer Prevention
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month
Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
World Autism Month
World Landscape Architecture Month
Worldwide Bereaved Spouses Awareness Month

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.