This is one event you'll want to bring mints to: The Elephant Garlic Festival, held August 6 - 8, 2010 in North Plains, Oregon, dishes up everything from garlic kettle corn to garlic ice cream. It's just a short drive from the Westin Portland.

Now in its 13th year, the festival, with its cheeky motto, "Fun Stinks," attracts thousands of garlic lovers who are fans of both the taste and the health benefits - the fest likes to point out that there are claims garlic can cure age spots, improve circulation, and help fight cancer. As for why it's the Elephant Garlic Festival? The bigger the better - more to eat! Food obviously plays a big part, with plenty of garlic-kissed dishes. Snack on garlic sticks, have a dinner of garlic pasta salad, garlic biscuits and gravy, and garlic sesame chicken, get your daily serving of veggies by way of a garlic Caesar salad and fire-roasted corn on the cob with garlic butter, and end your day with a sweet...treat? Garlic Italian ice and ice cream will be on hand. Once you've gotten your fill, there's still more fun to be had: Saturday morning gets off to a speedy start with the Garlic Festival 10K run and two-mile walk, followed by a parade during which the event's Garlic Festival Ambassador will hand out...yep, garlic. There's also a beer and wine garden, arts and crafts for sale, live blues, bluegrass, and classic rock, and a car show.