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Send me the listThe 44th Annual Lead East returns to the Hilton Parsippany from Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, September 6, 2026, and this year the self-described World’s Greatest Oldies Party is adding something it has never had before: a Ferris wheel.
Lead East has run every Labor Day weekend since 1982, taking over the hotel, both ballrooms, and every parking lot at 1 Hilton Court in Parsippany with classic cars, more than 34 live bands and musicians, five DJs, an outdoor drive-in movie theater, and a full prom on the final night. For 2026 the organizers added a carnival area in the B Lot with rides, games, and fairground food, anchored by a Ferris wheel that puts the whole show underneath you. The carnival runs Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.
Tickets and admission
A weekend spectator wristband is $55 for adults and $45 for juniors ages 12 to 16. Single day admission is $10 for adults and $5 for juniors on Thursday, then $20 for adults and $15 for juniors on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Children under 12 get in free. There is also a one day family plan at $50 that covers two adults and all children up to age 16, and one day car plans at $50 for a driver and a passenger or $35 for a driver with no passengers. Pricing and registration details are posted on the Lead East website.
Thursday, September 3
The show opens at 9 a.m. with Kroozin Productions parking its feature cars along Memory Lane at the hotel’s main entrance, including the Back to the Future DeLorean, the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine, and the Flintstones car. DJ Jerry “The Wolfman” Burst starts spinning oldies over the outdoor PA at noon and broadcasts to 88.1 FM, so you can hear the whole lot from your own car radio. The ACE Drive-In opens behind the hotel at 7:30 p.m. with cartoons, then rolls a double feature of Hairspray and Cry Baby at 8. At 11 p.m. the Neon Extravaganza lines up every car running neon and string lights for a lap around the lot.
Friday, September 4
Friday is the first full day open to the public, running 9 a.m. to midnight. The Tropical Pool Party Happy Hour takes over the outdoor pool from 3 to 7 p.m. with $2 drafts, live steel drums, and a free Hawaiian lei for the first 100 people. The Coolest Cruiser Contest is judged purely by crowd noise at the outdoor stage from 4 to 5 p.m., and the Jr. Sock Hop follows at 5 with hand jive lessons and an ice cream social. Flamin’ Dick and the Hot Rods hit the outdoor stage at 7 p.m. while Jukebox 45 plays the main ballroom from 7:30 to 10. Friday night at the drive-in is a horror double feature of The Blob and Stephen King’s Christine.
Saturday, September 5
Saturday is the biggest day of the weekend. Actor Brett Azar, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s body double in Terminator Genisys, signs in the Hilton lobby starting at 10 a.m., and Deborah Rennard of Dallas and Al Sapienza of The Sopranos meet fans from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kids get a model car customizing contest at noon by the pool courtyard and a Jr. Greaser and Poodle Skirt Contest at 4:30. RPM brings Motown, soul, and classic rock to the outdoor stage from 1 to 3 p.m., followed by A Tribute to Ladies of Motown with the Supremes Revue from 3 to 5 p.m. and The Right Direction featuring Missy Lee from 5 to 7 p.m. The headline show is Doo Wop Night in the main ballroom at 7:30 p.m., where Memories Music opens for The Doo Wop Project, and that concert is a separately ticketed show. Outside, an Elvis tribute by Jim Barone runs 8:30 to 9:30, Crash Gordon and Debra Dynamite take the stage at 9:30, and Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets close it out at 10:30.
Sunday, September 6
Sunday opens with a multi denominational chapel service at 9 a.m. and the First Responders March at 11 a.m., led by Emerald Society bagpipers, with a ceremony afterward honoring longtime Lead East figures. Who’s Johnny plays the outdoor stage from 3 to 5 p.m. The Top Ten Car Awards are handed out at 5, the Prom Queens Promenade sends convertibles around the parking lot at 5:30, and the 40th Annual Senior High School Prom closes the weekend at 6 p.m. in the main ballroom with live music from Tuesday at Eight. Formal or vintage attire is required and all ages are welcome.
Getting there and staying over
Lead East is at 1 Hilton Court, Parsippany, NJ 07054, just off Route 10 and a few minutes from Interstate 287. Rooms at the on-site Hilton and Hampton are booked through the Lead East lodging page or by calling 973-455-7920. If those sell out, we put together a guide to hotels in Parsippany, and if you want a real sit-down meal between sets, here are the best restaurants in Parsippany. The full hour by hour itinerary lives on the Lead East schedule page, and the organizers note that events are subject to change.
Lead East is one of several things happening around the county over the long weekend. See the rest in our guide to Labor Day weekend in Morris County, and for the weeks after, our roundup of things to do in Morris County in September.
