They call Garlic Fest “the Best Stinkin’ Party in Town.”

No wonder. One vendor is bringing 300 pounds of garlic for his booth alone!

The annual pungent event takes up two blocks around Old School Square for three days of food and entertainment under the royal palms.

Here are three big reasons to wake up and smell the garlic:

The food:

Let’s face it. This is all about the garlic and our love for the tiny clove. You’ll find beer, wine and food in the Gourmet Alley Food Court. Taste unique garlic dishes, from the festival favorite — flaming shrimp scampi — to garlic ice cream. Try the Argentine BBQ with garlic black beans and rice or the garlic Portobello sandwich, or one of the eight chicken dishes or the garlic mahi tacos. So many choices! Tickets are needed to purchase food.

The cooking competitions and demonstrations:

The Garlic Chef Competition pits hand-selected chefs against each other for the coveted title. Chefs compete head-to-head and each chef has one hour to prepare, cook and present three gourmet dishes using identical ingredients and a mystery ingredient. Chefs are eliminated until there are two left for the finals on Sunday. The winner takes home a $1,000 and the title. Chef Chuck Gittleman, winner of the competition in 2011 and 2012, welcomes challengers Chef Bruce Finegold of Dada, Chef Blake Malatesta of 5Ocean, Chef Erick Miranda of Vic & Angelo’s and Chef Omar Montoya from The Office.

Chef Michael C. Giletto, Christopher Ranch Corporate Chef, will kick things off with a cooking demonstration at 7 p.m. Friday. Top Chef Texas finalist Lindsay Autry, who is now the executive chef for Sundy House, will offer a cooking demonstrate at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

The entertainment:

The music begins with the Fabulous Fleetwoods at 6 p.m. followed by Chase Stites at 8 p.m. and headliners Lifehouse perform at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

On Saturday, Andy Childs performs at noon followed by The Killbillies at 2 p.m. The Jay Blues Band takes the stage at 4 p.m. and Andy Childs returns with his band at 6:30 p.m. Pepper, a lively trio from Hawaii, takes the stage at 9 p.m. with sweet harmonies and dance music.

On Sunday, Andy Childs returns at noon; Captain Reese with Son of Man at 2 p.m.; Turnstiles, a Billy Joel Tribute performance, at 4 p.m. and The Long Run, the Eagles tribute band, at 6 p.m.