L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence) Hosts L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival at Garden State Plaza

Carnival in Paramus Will Support L.E.A.D.’s Mission to Protect Students From the Dangers of Drugs and Violence

PARAMUS, NJ – May 19, 2025 – The L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival at the Garden State Plaza, hosted by L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence), a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence, will begin on May 22. Until June 8, people among the Paramus community and other folks in surrounding towns are invited to enjoy food, rides and entertainment at the carnival.

The hours for the carnival (subject to change) are as follows:

Monday – Saturday: 5 p.m. to close

Sunday: 3 p.m. to close

“We’re thrilled to bring the L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival back to Paramus especially as we’re celebrating 10 years of success this year,” said Nick DeMauro, CEO of L.E.A.D. “We look forward to bringing awareness to our proven-effective program while the attendees get to enjoy themselves at the carnival.”

“We have great appreciation for all the folks who will attend as they’ll help us in furthering our efforts to teach children across the country about the importance of drug and violence prevention and strengthen police-community relationships,” added Mr. DeMauro.

Admission to attend the L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival is $5, and midway will be provided by Reithoffer Shows. Please visit https://www.theleadfest.com/p/events/garden-state-plaza to purchase discounted ride tickets and mega passes in advance of the event, which include admission. For more information or to donate, please visit https://www.leadrugs.org/.

L.E.A.D. is celebrating 10 years of success providing services “On The Street” and “In The Classroom” as it brings law enforcement and communities closer together. The “In The Classroom” program is taught by 6,000 trained instructors in 47 states, who are serving more than 500,000 students in 2,500 school systems.

L.E.A.D. has a proven-effective, law enforcement-focused anti-drug, anti-violence curriculum for K–12 students in the U.S. The L.E.A.D. curriculum is taught over the course of a 10-week program to educate youth on how they can make smart decisions without the involvement of drugs or violence.

About L.E.A.D.

L.E.A.D. provides the leadership, resources and management to ensure law enforcement agencies have the means to partner with educators, community leaders and families. L.E.A.D. succeeds by providing proven effective programs to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug related crimes, bullying and violence. L.E.A.D. is committed to reinforcing the mutual respect, goodwill and relations between law enforcement and their communities. For more information, visit https://www.leadrugs.org/.