Thursday, October 1, 2026
Families from across the Five Towns and surrounding communities will gather at Andrew J. Parise Park in Cedarhurst from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 for the annual Five Towns Community Succos Fair.
The three-day event, hosted by the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC in partnership with Community Chest South Shore, will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day and offer entertainment, activities, food and rides for families during the intermediate days of the Jewish holiday of Succos.
Stacey Feldman, executive director of the Gural JCC, said the fair has become an opportunity for people from throughout the region to come together.
“My favorite part of the fair is seeing people from all over the metro area coming together for three days of outdoor fun, entertainment and community building,” Feldman said.
The fair will feature live entertainment each day at 1 and 3 p.m.
On Sept. 29, Ari Kunzler will perform twice. Wednesday’s entertainment will feature the Schnitzel Guys Extreme Game Show, with giveaways and prizes. On Thursday, comedian and ventriloquist John Pizzi will take the stage.
“It’s nice, eclectic entertainment,” Feldman said.
In addition to the performances, the fair will feature activities for children, including a petting zoo and face painting. Food vendors will offer a variety of options, along with treats such as popcorn and cotton candy.
Rides will also be available throughout the fair. Families can purchase individual rides or a ride bracelet for unlimited rides.
Feldman said the fair attracts thousands of people each year.
“Thousands of people attend, it’s incredible to see that,” she said.
The event also gives the Gural JCC and Community Chest South Shore an opportunity to connect with families from throughout the metropolitan area.
“It’s a great opportunity to meet so many members of the broader community from Queens, from Brooklyn, Staten Island and New Jersey,” Feldman said. “It’s a great opportunity to meet members of the community and come together for a nice day, an affordable family fun day.”
Community Chest South Shore has operated a fair in the Five Towns for generations. The organization and the Gural JCC began partnering on the event in 2019, when the fair was moved to the intermediate days of Succos.
Feldman said the partnership has allowed the longstanding event to continue as a holiday tradition.
Organizing the event is a months-long effort for the Gural JCC staff, involving coordination with Nassau County, showmobiles, Department of Health permits and local officials.
“It takes the staff of the Gural JCC months to prepare,” Feldman said. “It’s a lot of components involved.”
She also expressed appreciation to the Cedarhurst Auxiliary Police, the Village of Cedarhurst and Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, as well as the Fourth Precinct, for their support.
“It’s a community effort,” Feldman said. “Every single part of the community comes together for this.”
Weinstock said Cedarhurst is “proud to host the fair in our park” and that village officials and residents look forward to the event each year.
“In addition to providing a fun entertainment experience for our kids and their parents, we know that making the park available helps the JCC raise much needed funds for the many programs they run,” Weinstock wrote in an email.
For Feldman, the fair remains an opportunity to give back to the community while bringing families together during the holiday.
“It’s always an honor to provide this for the community,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to have a local day of family fun.”
