Costumes on. Smiles ready. Let’s carnival! Jewish Long Beach and the Alpert Jewish Community Center (Alpert JCC) invite the community to celebrate Purim 2026 with a festive afternoon of games, attractions, food, and fun at the Alpert JCC on the Weinberg Jewish Long Beach Campus.
This year’s Purim Carnival invites the entire community to take part in the fun, featuring unlimited games and attractions with paid children’s admission. Guests can enjoy game booths and a game truck, bouncers and an obstacle course, a rock wall, henna art, a dunk tank, crafts, a hamantaschen walk, prizes, and more. Costumes are encouraged (no full-face masks, please).
“The Purim story is about courage and celebration, but also about creating justice in the world,” said Erik Ludwig, Chief Executive Officer of Jewish Long Beach. “Our Purim Carnival brings families together in a vibrant, welcoming tradition where everyone belongs.”
Food trucks and vendors will be on-site offering a variety of festive options. Guests can enjoy vegetarian tacos from The Lime Truck, coffee from Java on the Go, Scooters Italian Ice, kosher hot dog meals, beer and wine, sodas, and plenty of hamantaschen available individually or by the dozen.
Admission for children ages 2–13 is $15, which includes unlimited games and attractions. Adult chaperones and children under two are free. Food and beverages are sold separately. Advance purchase is encouraged.
Purim commemorates Queen Esther’s bravery and how she, together with her uncle Mordechai, saved the Jewish people of Persia from an evil plot by Haman. The holiday is celebrated with costumes, festive gatherings, sharing food with friends, giving to those in need, and retelling the Purim story—often accompanied by the traditional booing at the mention of Haman’s name and, of course, enjoying hamantaschen.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests, event organizers have implemented several security measures. All bags are subject to inspection, and all adults must present a valid membership badge or photo ID. Children may not be left unattended. Costumes must be family friendly and not “scary” in nature. Full face masks, wagons, and weapons of any kind—including costume props or toy weapons—are not permitted. Guests are encouraged to report any suspicious items or behavior to staff.
The Purim Carnival is made possible through the generous support of Program Patrons Lauren Friedman; Don and Andrea Kaiser; and Solar Wholesale Group, along with Temple Israel, Temple Beth Ohr, Shul by the Shore, Temple Beth El, Beach Hillel, Jewish National Fund, Gather Consulting, Mahj Club, Long Beach Beer Lab, and Hebrew Academy.
The Alpert Jewish Community Center is located on the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Jewish Long Beach Campus at 3801 E. Willow Street in Long Beach. For tickets and additional event information, visit www.jewishlongbeach.org or www.alpertjcc.org.
ABOUT JEWISH LONG BEACH
Jewish Long Beach serves the Jewish and broader communities through strategic grant-making, development of emerging leaders, advocacy, and management of the community’s philanthropic funds. The Alpert Jewish Community Center, part of Jewish Long Beach and the focal point of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Jewish Long Beach Campus, seeks to inspire community by improving lives, building bridges of understanding and inclusion.
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