The Pearl Street Mall was transformed into a sea of energy, connection, and profound community spirit on Sunday, June 7, as thousands of attendees gathered to celebrate the 30th Annual Boulder Jewish Festival. The milestone event successfully bridged a morning of deep reflection with an afternoon of joy. Presented by the Boulder JCC, this year’s festival carried an undeniable weight and beauty, proving to be one of the most memorable and highly attended gatherings in the event’s three-decade history.
The festival opened at 11 am with a solemn and deeply moving commemoration on the Courthouse Lawn. Marking the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Boulder Run For Their Lives walk for the hostages, community leaders and elected officials took to the stage to honor the victims and speak to the enduring strength of the Boulder community. This period of remembrance featured powerful messages of comfort, resilience, and solidarity from an esteemed panel of public servants, spiritual leaders, and community pillars. The crowd listened intently to remarks from Congressman Joe Neguse, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, and Boulder JCC Executive Director Jonathan Lev. They were joined by a dedicated group of community voices and clergy, including Rabbi Marc Soloway, Rabbi Fred Greene, Rabbi Charna Rosenholtz, Michelle Goldman, Ed Victor, and Susan Rona. Following these moving reflections, the festival beautifully transitioned into its main objective: a vibrant, proud, and joyful celebration of Jewish life, music, art, and culture.
An event of this magnitude, bringing together thousands of residents, visitors, and families, is only possible through the immense dedication of a collective village. The Boulder JCC and the festival organizing committee extend their deepest, most heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make the 30th annual festival a safe and spectacular success. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Boulder Police Department and our local law enforcement partners. Their proactive, comprehensive, and compassionate security presence ensured that every family and attendee could celebrate with absolute peace of mind, and we thank them for their unwavering dedication to protecting our community. We also share our immense appreciation for our incredible performers, Lapidus & Myles, Rick Recht, Boulder Israeli Dance, and the Gora Gora Orkestar, who filled the Pearl Street Mall with soul, energy, and music that kept the crowd dancing all afternoon. Our artisans and food vendors deserve immense praise for sharing their remarkable talents, beautiful crafts, and delicious flavors, giving attendees a true taste of the richness of Jewish heritage through everything from traditional babka to world-class fine art.
Finally, a vital thank you goes out to our generous sponsors and fellow community organizations whose funding, resources, and collaborative spirit form the backbone of this festival.
Most of all, we thank the thousands of community members who showed up on Sunday. Thank you for bringing your warmth, your smiles, your appetites, and your dancing shoes. In a time when gathering together matters more than ever, you showed up proudly and celebrated joyfully. As the tents are packed away and the music fades, the spirit of the 30th Annual Boulder Jewish Festival remains. This historic turnout stands as a testament to the fact that Boulder’s Jewish community and the broader community that supports it are vibrant, unified, and deeply rooted in joy. Thank you for 30 incredible years, Boulder, and we look forward to gathering on the bricks with you again next year.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS
INNOVATOR
HCCI Professional Protective Services
MERIDIAN® RAPID DEFENSE GROUP
GROUNDBREAKERS
Boulder Jewish News
Create Boulder
TravelBoulder.com and TravelDenver.com
Visit Boulder, The Convention and Visitors Bureau
ADVOCATE
Boulder Jewish Community Foundation
EVENT
Jewish National Fund
Magnolia Road Cannabis Co.
FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL
Laurie and Howard Bernstein
STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Boulder Arts Commission, an agency of the Boulder City Council
Colorado Creative Industries
Eldorado Spring Water
Rose Community Foundation
SCFD