Come have a Nosh.
Governors Island and The Jewish Food Society are throwing an epic picnic on June 22nd.
Who doesn’t like a nosh? A little of this, a bite of that, a schmear, a dip, a sip? Yes, please. Well, on Sunday, June 22nd from 11am-4pm, The Great Nosh picnic will debut on Governors Island presented by the Jewish Food Society, a wonderful nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating Jewish culinary heritage, founded by Naama Shefi.
The Great Nosh is a picnic for anyone and everyone who has a connection to Jewish food — whether its sitting with Bubbe making kreplach in a warm kitchen in Flatbush, hanging out at Edith’s on a Sunday morning in Williamsburg, or eating bialys at Kossar’s on the Lower East Side, this is a festival for all. The event includes cool chef collabs, craft stations, an open air wine bar, live music, a backgammon café, a massive marketplace, and a custom picnic blanket for all ticket holders! Tickets are just $36 and are available here!
“The Great Nosh is about joy, culture, and celebrating our city,” said Naama Shefi, founder of the Jewish Food Society and visionary behind The Great Nosh. “At a time when the world feels increasingly lonely we’re creating an experience that brings New Yorkers of all backgrounds together to highlight diverse Jewish flavors, stories and traditions.”
What’s planned:
Chef Collaboration Pop-ups: Cross-cultural dishes created exclusively for the event around the theme of “friendships”. The Great Nosh takes inspiration from the incredible chefs and restaurants of the city. Friendships run deep in the culinary community and we are thrilled to highlight exciting collaboration dishes including: Thai Diner x Katz’s Deli, Caroline Schiff x Junior’s, Atoboy x Apollo Bagels, Zahav x Dame, Tatiana x Dickson’s Farmstead Meats and Gertrude’s x Dhamaka. Their menus will feature black-and-white cookie cheesecake sandwiches, Middle Eastern-inspired wood-fired pizzas, and “shnitz and chips” alongside an enchanted garden created by celebrity chef Eyal Shani of Malka, featuring a sabich bar.
A Marketplace with Alimentari Flâneur: In partnership with Alimentari Flâneur, The Great Nosh marketplace is a massive outdoor paradise full of everything you need for a picnic: fresh cheeses, pickles, dried fruits, breads, tinned fish, olives, and more!
A Wine Bar by The Four Horsemen: To complement the picnic experience, Michelin-starred wine bar and restaurant The Four Horsemen will curate an open-air wine bar with natural and seasonal wines, perfect for lingering afternoons on the lawn.
Grandmas Tent hosted by Celebrity Chef Personality Gail Simmons & Chef Pati Jinich: The Grandmas Tent will feature a live, storytelling-driven demo stage highlighting culinary traditions across generations. Hosted by celebrated food personalities Gail Simmons and acclaimed chef Pati Jinich, the Tent will showcase multi-generational family recipes and conversations, spotlighting techniques that honor Jewish food heritage and home cooking traditions. Cookbook author Bonnie Stern and her daughter Anna Rupert are baking challah, Leetal Arazi of NY Shuk is hand-rolling couscous, YouTuber Arielle Nir and her mom Michal are making Persian tachin, Larry Finkelstein and Lauren Goldstein making rugelach, and entrepreneur Sasha Shor is preparing Eastern European-style pickles.
Interactive Demos & Activations: Beyond the culinary programing, The Great Nosh will present a full cultural experience. Channel your inner camper at a jewelry-making table hosted by designer Susan Alexandra, crafting vibrant beaded accessories inspired by summer nostalgia. Elsewhere, Old Jewish Men will host a backgammon station, inviting players of all ages to engage in the classic game and connect across picnic blankets.
Live Music & Art: Bringing added rhythm and vibrancy to the picnic grounds, The Great Nosh will feature live performances from local musicians (full lineup to be announced). Illustrator Rachel Shalev will be going blanket to blanket sketching portraits of guests. Artist Tom Pnini will present an interactive art installation designed for families, including a whimsical cardboard car race where children can build and race handmade vehicles down a custom ramp.
Custom Picnic Blankets & Totes: In the spirit of community and lasting memories, each Great Nosh attendee will receive a custom-designed tote and picnic blanket as part of their ticket. The blanket, created in collaboration with designer Emily Parkinson and Britt Cobb, reimagines the traditional gingham pattern in unexpected colorways—bright, happy, and modern—while nodding to iconic picnic imagery.
What: The Great Nosh
Date: Sunday, June 22, 2025, 11am-4pm
Location: Governors Island, New York, NY
Tickets: Available here ($36)
Sounds like so much fun. I shared this with a few friends who'd love to come too.