There were two known Garcia events that took place over this very first Monterey Folk Festival. Jerry competed in a contest for best amateur banjo player against Michael Cooney and lost. The prize was a banjo. The Wildwood Boys also competed in the amateur band competition and won. Robert Hunter recalled that he played bass because arrived late after the band was already on stage and Ken Frankel had the mandolin already in his hands.
This event was the first west coast appearance by Bob Dylan.