L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival at Garden State Plaza

L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival opened at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus on Thursday, May 21, according to the event’s ticketing page and the organization’s website. The event is being promoted as a family carnival with rides, food and games at the mall, which L.E.A.D. Fest says supports its broader anti-drug and anti-violence programming. The Paramus stop is one of several 2026 events listed by the nonprofit’s festival arm. The carnival is scheduled to continue through Sunday, June 7, according to the official event page. ### When is the Paramus carnival actually running? Thursday, May 21, is the listed opening date for the Garden State Plaza carnival on the official L.E.A.D. Fest event page. That page says the Paramus run continues through Sunday, June 7, extending beyond Memorial Day weekend. Weekday hours are listed as 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, while weekends and the holiday are scheduled for 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., according to the same page. (leadfest.saffire.com) The organizer says hours are subject to change. ### Where at Garden State Plaza is it being held? Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus is named as the host site on L.E.A.D. Fest’s website and on third-party event listings. (leadfest.saffire.com) The mall’s own events page lists other promotions during the same period, though the available event index page reviewed did not show a dedicated carnival listing. Paramus, New Jersey, is one of several New Jersey stops on the 2026 L.E.A.D. (leadfest.saffire.com) Fest calendar. The organization’s homepage also lists upcoming carnival events in Hackensack, Mahwah and Lawrence, along with other out-of-state stops. ### What does L.E.A.D. Fest say visitors will find there? L.E.A.D. Fest describes the Paramus event as family fun with rides, carnival games and food. The group’s homepage uses similar language across its event listings and says its festivals bring “food, rides, games and more.” (theleadfest.com) Mommy Poppins, which lists the Paramus carnival on its New Jersey events calendar, says the event includes rides, games, food and entertainment and identifies it as a benefit for the Paramus L.E.A.D. program. (theleadfest.com) That description matches the broader mission language on L.E.A.D.’s own site, which says community events are designed to create positive connections and raise funds for local drug and violence prevention programs. ### Who is behind the event? L.E.A.D. Fest is the events arm of L.E.A.D. Inc., which its website describes as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The organization says it delivers evidence-based drug and violence prevention programs in communities nationwide. L.E.A.D.’s main website says its carnivals, concerts and fairs are intended to bring families and law enforcement agencies together while raising money for prevention programs. (mommypoppins.com) The Paramus carnival is presented as part of that larger slate of community events. ### Where can visitors check tickets and updates? The official Paramus event page on L.E.A.D. Fest’s ticketing site carries the current date range and operating hours for the carnival. (theleadfest.com) The organization’s homepage also links directly to the Paramus event under its upcoming events list. Sunday, June 7, is the listed final day for the Paramus run, and the official event page says any changes to hours may be posted there. (leadrugs.org) Visitors looking for the latest schedule or ticket information can check that page before heading to Garden State Plaza. (leadfest.saffire.com)