Amici's Poll at Garlic Festival Attains Historical Significance.

Lifestyle Editors/Food Writers

GILROY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 2001

Upon being chosen by the Gilroy Garlic Festival to conduct and certify its much-anticipated breath freshener poll at the July 27-29 event here, Amici's East Coast Pizzeria President Peter Cooperstein spared no effort in preparing for the assignment.

Cooperstein recently journeyed to the East Coast, where he reviewed separate studies prepared by The New York Times and CNN concerning voting irregularities in last November's U.S. Presidential election in the State of Florida.

"When one considers the social relevance of the expected Garlic Festival findings," Cooperstein said, "there's some serious responsibility required here."

After 22 years of providing a breath freshening antidote for the 4,000 pounds of fresh garlic consumed by over 125,000 annual visitors to America's premier food festival, 2001 Festival President Ric Heinzen proclaimed a state of "BYOB" (bring your own breath freshener) for this year's event. That decision was reached after Heinzen's select panel of past Festival Queens was unable to reach a consensus choice on a breath product to provide attendees.

"It's time we heard from the public," Heinzen said. "Let them tell us what they use to combat garlic breath."

To insure the poll's legitimacy, The Garlic Festival reached agreement with Cooperstein, the highly-respected operator of Amici's East Coast Pizzeria, the critically-acclaimed Bay Area restaurant with locations in San Francisco, San Mateo, Redwood Shores, San Rafael and Mountain View.

In turn, Cooperstein enlisted Bay Area radio stations KFOX-FM and KSJO-FM to assist in soliciting voter turnout. The two popular outlets will broadcast from the Amici's / BYOB Polling Center on the Park side of Christmas Hill Park and offer a $1,000 cash prize to the voter whose name is drawn at the conclusion of The Festival.

Based upon his review of The Times and CNN findings, Cooperstein has developed a detailed list of voting regulations, which include:

-- Voting must take place at The Festival, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7
p.m. July 27-29. No absentee ballots will accepted;

-- The official BYOB ballot will be yellow, square and require a handwritten
vote; the ballots contain no chads;

-- No members of The Amici's staff, nor members of the KFOX and KSJO crews,
will have personal or professional relationships with any residents of the
State of Florida.

Cooperstein has guaranteed Heinzen that final tabulation of the ballots will be conducted within 48 hours of The Festival's conclusion and the duo expects to release the results to the public on August 1.

"Again, the social implications of what we expect to learn are staggering," Cooperstein said. "Somewhere in the not too distant future a relationship is going to develop based upon the information determined by The Garlic Festival. It's not inconceivable to believe that such a relationship could lead to a future President."

The Gilroy Garlic Festival 2001 will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 27-29 at Christmas Hill Park on Miller Avenue in Gilroy. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 60-plus) and $5 for children age 6-12. Children under age 6 are admitted free.

Discount coupons offering $2 off the adult general admission are available at all Nob Hill Foods, Raley's, and Bel Air Markets in Central and Northern California.

Additional information can be obtained by calling The Festival office at 408/842-1625 or by contacting the website at gilroygarlicfestival.com