The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto will host its first community Sukkot harvest festival. The free event, which replaces To Life! A Jewish Cultural Street Festival, takes place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 16 at the JCC in Palo Alto.
Though it has been popular through the years, the To Life! festival “didn’t make as much sense anymore,” according to Mimi Sells, chief marketing officer of the JCC. “Now that we have this fabulous campus, everyone wants to come to the JCC. The campus lends itself to large-scale events.”
The new festival will focus on Jewish traditions surrounding Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, during which Jews construct and celebrate in temporary open-sided sukkahs. On tap are children’s activities, food, music, art and a gigantic sukkah. Amy Grossmann, community events director for the JCC, expects 3,000 people to attend.
The OFJCC campus is located at 3921 Fabian Way in Palo Alto. In addition to the event being free, there will also be free parking. For more information, call (650) 223-8606 or visit www.paloaltojcc.org/harvestfest.